Critical care experience

Specialties CRNA

Published

I will be graduating and ADN program in December, my end goal is to become a CRNA. As far as I understand, I need a minimum of one year critical care experience. I have a long road ahead of me, where should I focus my efforts initially to give me the best experience so I can get that critical care job? Medical floor, surgical, floor, OR?

Specializes in LTC and School Health.

Hey there. I'm another ADN grad hired directly into ICU. They wanted experience as a CNA or LPN, I had both but sometimes you don't need any experience.... just favor.

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Hi,

I worked for two years in a level one trauma SICU before going to anesthesia school. I was right out of nursing school and I found this to be a great basis for becoming a CRNA. That being said, I have many friends from anesthesia school who worked in the SICU, MICU, neonatal ICU, CICU ect and we all did fine. Good luck!!

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They want to see ICU experience and experience with vasoactive drips and critically ill patients. Some programs accept PICU, ED, OR, experience, but many do not. Try to get into a CVICU or a Trauma-Surgical ICU. Any ICU is better than not, but these are where you will get more of the experience they want to see.

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Don't go to Utah Internship unless you want to put yourself in a $16,000 financially binding contract for 2.5 years

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Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, OR, Med-Surg.

Hello,

I have worked in the OR active duty Air Force for 9 years and crossed over successfully to the ICU world. There are quite a few of us who have made the transition successfully. I also thinks having experience as an OR nurses also gives us an added advantage during clinicals in CRNA school. We know the anesthesia equipment, positioning, how they perform their blocks, emergency drugs (since all Air Force OR nurses must maintain ACLS credentials), and we know sterility. We know what drugs are used in rapid sequence intubations and how to setup airway adjuncts such as the Glidescope, Bronchoscope, and how to assist the provider with patients undergoing thoractomies with the double lumen ETT. Now that I am in anesthesia now, I am already at an advantage over my classmates, who have never been in an OR or know how an OR flows.

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Specializes in Critical care.

Most programs want CVICU, SICU then MICU

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Specializes in Critical care.

Also they like large teaching hospitals that are level 1 trauma centers.

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