Originally posted by FlyingED
OK, it is time to stop this assumption that every CRNA school in the US requirese ICU experience. This is not true. I, as hard as it might be to believe, do not have any ICU experience. Yes, I hear the gasps coming from all over the Web as people read this. Seriously though, I made a dozen phone calls to different schools and found three that did not require ICU experience. True, they would prefer ICU experience, and I recommend to everyone to get a year or two. With my ED, PACU and Flight Nursing experience they would accept an application.
This may all be blowing in the wind, considering I haven't even interviewed with any of the schools yet. I just want everyone out there know there are schools that will accept applications from people without ICU experience.
As already pointed out, the requirement, set out by the AANA, is one year's critical care experience. How the school chooses to define critical care experience is up to the school. There are a
few schools that will accept ED or some other areas as critical care. But, a few thoughts about that.
If you apply to one of those schools, remember first that they only taking your application. There is no guarantee that you will be accepted. In fact, in almost every case I know of (and I have talked to instructors from a number of different schools) if there are two equally qualified applicants, one with experience in an ICU, and the other with experience as listed by flying ED, they will take the applicant with ICU experience
every time.
Ask yourself why they want ICU experience. The reason is that the ICU is the only place you will get long term experience with ventilators, vasoactive drips, and critical patient management. The PACU, ED, and flight nursing only give you exposure to these things for limited times. You may be exposed to initiating these therapies, but have nowhere near the experience of the ICU nurse in managing these therapies. That's the discriminator.
Think about it from another angle. Suppose you are accepted with the experience you listed, FlyingED. You still have a longer road than most SRNA's. You are going to have to do more work teaching yourself the things ICU nurses already know. Having said that, if you are willing to do the extra work to get there, then by all means, go for it. It can be done, its just not easy.
To answer the original question, if as it appears, Georgia, you are already an RN with a year's experience in an ICU, go ahead and apply. Many programs will accept ADN's in their final semester of a BSN program. Acceptance will simply be contingent on your finishing your BSN.
Kevin McHugh, CRNA
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application question
) However, every school will except ICU experience whether it be MICU, SICU, CICU etc. So by having the ICU experience, you are increasing the number of schools that will consider you.......
