“Pressors.” “Levo.” “Titrate.” “Y-site.”
If those words are still making you go, okayyyy but what does that actually mean?, you’re in the right place. 😅
ICU drips can feel intimidating at first because there’s a lot happening at once: the medication, the order, the pump, the tubing, the patient's response, and the question of what you’re supposed to be watching.
This mini-course gives you a beginner-friendly framework for making sense of those pieces one at a time.
Inside ICU Drips for Beginners, you’ll learn how to:
- Use the Four-Question Drip Framework to approach an unfamiliar infusion
- Understand why critically ill patients may need vasoactive medications
- Read and follow a titration order
- Work through the basics of preparing, starting, and managing an infusion
- Recognize common ICU drips by their clinical purpose
- Apply what you learned to a beginner ICU scenario
You’ll also get:
- A completed ICU drip chart for quick reference
- A blank chart you can customize for your unit
- The printable Four-Question Drip Framework
- Follow-up emails to reinforce what you learned
Hi, I’m Kati 👋
I’m a nurse educator and the nurse behind FreshRN, with experience in med-surg, stepdown, and neurocritical care.
And yep, ICU drips intimidated me at first too.
There are so many terms, meds, pumps, orders, and little pieces of information flying around that it can feel like everybody else is speaking a language you haven’t learned yet.
I created ICU Drips for Beginners to give you a place to start making sense of that language before you’re trying to learn all of it at the bedside.
What nurses say about ICU Drips for Beginners
“I have been helped with condensing ICU knowledge. I have only yet completed the titratable drips course but, the way it was presented has helped me feel more confident and given me a good resource to return back to. So much ICU knowledge is hard to Google and get a clear answer, and it certainly isn't taught directly in nursing school because it is a specialty. I'm glad I have something to help me get the basics and teach me at my level. ”
— Briana
“ICU Drips for Beginners was a great introductory course to learning about the common drips used in the ICU. I appreciate that rationale of why it may be necessary to administer some of these meds utilizing central vascular access and the tips that go along with handling the responsibility using them. What's most beneficial to this course are the bonus material that will definitely be of use to me on the floor. ”
— Eric, RN
“I'm a RN on a surgical ICU step-down unit with about 1.5 years of experience. During nursing school I precepted in CVICU and was a nurse apprentice in CCU. My experience in those units gave me a great introduction to managing all of the different drips, but this course was a great, succinct resource for a quick "introductory refresher." ”
— Robert, RN
ICU Drips for Beginners Curriculum
FAQs
When can I start?
The course starts right when you enroll! It's completely self-paced.
How long do I have access?
You have lifetime access! After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
How much does the course cost?
It's completely free; sign-up at no cost!
Who is this course for?
Nursing students and nurses who are new to critical care and want a beginner-friendly introduction to ICU drips.
Does this replace unit-specific training or hospital policy?
No. This course is supplemental education. Your hospital’s policies, medication guidelines, equipment training, your scope of practice, and direction from your preceptor or clinical team always come first.
You don't have to memorize every ICU drip before your next shift.
You can start by learning how to think through them.
ICU Drips for Beginners gives you a simple framework for understanding why the drip is running, what the order is asking you to do, and what you need to pay attention to next.
Self-paced • Lifetime access