Critical Care Course

[jrsRN07]

I currently have telemetry nursing experience & would like to go into an ICU position. However some of the jobs require a critical care course. I have searched for this course online and with my facility but have been unsuccessful in locating one. For those of you whom have taken this course (of no of someone whom has), does it cover more than the websites and books that are on the market?

[Sugarcoma, RN]

Usually the Critical care course referred to in job postings is unit specific and only available to new hires of that unit. You enroll in the course as part of your unit orientation. I have never seen job postings that require an applicant have already completed one prior to application. Are you sure you are not misreading the postings? They usually say this position requires the successful completion of a critical care course and it is usually listed under responsibilities,duties or functions.

Some postings will say critical care certification required, in which case they are referring to the CCRN, meaning they want an already trained and certified ICU RN.

[hodgieRN]

Our orientation program is called ECCO. And as said before, it is only available to ICUs or ER.

[dah doh, BSN, RN]

Most new grad ICU programs will send the new grad through their own critical care course at their own facility or hire someone who teaches these courses on a regular basis. Before my facility taught their own course, we sent the new grads to an outside course taught by Maureen Harvey. I don't know if she still teaches though.

[gaonsi]

The critical care coorifice many hospitals is called ECCO, essentials of critical care orientation by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the AACN.

[jennycRN]

Agree with Sugarcoma that usually the critical care course is part of orientation and this course must be successfully completed to work on the unit. ECCO is a common one, and I think that you can purchase an access code through the AACN website if you truly do have to do this on your own. But before jumping into something like that, would definitely be worth a call to the hiring manager/department! Most hospitals should pay to put you through a critical care course once you're hired.

[Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP]

I did the ECCO training modules along with a month of in class critical care classes at the beginning of my ICU orientation. I loved it!

[kh2488]

Were you required to pass an exam after the course? If so was it hard? I got an offer for an ICU job with cc course requiring to pass the exam to get the job. So curious of how is it.

[qaqueen]

The local community college here has a critical care class offered as a continuing education course for nurses.

[Nurse-Shota]

Critical Care Training Center offers a course that's similar to what you are asking. They are located in North Hollywood, I took this course and was very happy with it. Give it shot... Good luck everybody