Neuro vs Cardiac ICU as Preparation

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Hi, I'm a newly licensed nurse who may have an opportunity to work at either a neuro or cardiac icu at a large teaching hospital. Would either one put me at a significant advantage as far as preparation for either a CRNA or ARNP program down the road?

I'd rather work on the neuro floor because it seemed like a better culture/work environment but the cardiac maybe looked more "intense". The manager of the cardiac unit also volunteered that it was a more impressive credential to work there.

Any advice/thoughts?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

thread moved for best response

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

What do you think CRNA's deal with most? What do you think they monitor most? When you answer those questions you can choose from the two you listed.

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As a PACU nurse, the CRNA's I work with mostly came from a surgical ICU or a cardiac surgery ICU.

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Specializes in ICU.

If you like the neuro unit over the cardiac then I would advise you to go with your gut feeling. My biggest mistake as a new grad was picking the wrong ICU for myself that didn't provide a good learning environment for me and nearly made me give up on my career aspirations. I am now in the Neuro ICU and I have been accepted to CRNA school as well. I enjoy this unit moreso than others I have been in. Nobody is going to reject you because you chose neuro over cardiac. Choose the unit you like and do well in it.

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