Where are the new grads in ICU?

IndiCRNA · Jan 24, 2013

Thank you all so much for your replies! I really appreciate your guidance and suggestions.
PMFB-RN - I know I'm a bit late in the game in regards to residency programs. The reason is that I had a different plan!
I thought I was too late for a career as a CRNA. I thought about the experience I needed and the time spent in school full-time and almost gave up. BUT, being the stubborn person that I am, I don't think age is a good enough excuse for giving up what I really want to do, so I decided to go for it!

PMFB-RN is rght. You waited to long IN THE YEAR for critical care nurse residency programs. But you haven't waited too long in your life. I graduated from anesthesia school in August of 2012 at age 41. People in my class were mostly in their mid to late 30's with one guy being in his mid-50's and one super smart young lady was 24 on graduation day (she had been an RN at age 18).

Unlike bedside nursing anesthesia isn't hard on your body and you can physicaly do it as long as you want. The chief CRNA in our anethesia group is 70 and going strong. BTW he doesn't have any college degree in anything, not even an associates degree and he is the master of practice.

See my post here: for how to get into CRNA school:

https://allnurses.com/pre-crna-inquiry/rn-crna-road-803628-page3.html#post7135154

Wanted to add. If I were you I would keep your desire to go to NA school to yourself. It's OK to talk about it here as long as you don't provide any information that could identify you.

Sniffum35 · Jan 25, 2013

I had no trouble getting in to the icu straight out of school. They only had two requirements when hiring new grads. You had to have cna/pca/tech experience and have some type of critical care exposure in school. I know that both of the big hospital systems in my city hire new grads directly into the icu.

Hello Everyone!
I have just graduated from nursing school with a BSN and I'm currently studying for NCLEX. Since nursing is my second career and I'm already 40 years old, I was wondering where are the hospitals, cities or states who hire new grads in ICU?
I have shadowed 2 CRNAs and really discovered a passion for the field, but being already a little older than the average student, I would like to try and get a job in ICU straight out of school. I know this may sound crazy, but I know people have done before. I currently live in NY, but I am willing to relocate my family wherever my job will take me.
I appreciate and thank you in advance for any advice or comments.
Kika

Shynurse92, BSN · Jan 31, 2013

Hi berms123, I just added you because i was wondering how you got a hold of the DON email at U of C. I have been reading a lot about doing this and emailing them directly so I was wondering if you could possibly share this info with me? I am a new grad BSN and my dream job is to work at U of C in the L and D unit. Actually, any unit to start at U of C would be my ideal job right now. If you could let me know how you got the email address I would so greatly appreciate it! (I have been googling the DON for days now haha.) thank you!

berms123 · Apr 2, 2013

micaelap sorry this is so late. I honestly do not recall. I did a lot of research and pretty much searched everywhere. Emailed random people at times to see if they could direct me in the right place. I think you are confused about the difference. There is UIC and U of C, I am at UIC. Hope this helps!

RhinoRocketRN · Apr 7, 2013

Can you PM? The network i work for does a direct program for new grads. Many people use the hospital as a bridge for NA school including myself. Level 1 tertiary care center in PA with 6 ICU units. 2 do open heart, one trauma.

Meebugg21 · Apr 11, 2013

Don't bother with medsurg!! Find ICU--bang it out, learn as much as you can, take hard patients, get CCRN and study those books as much as possible even after getting it, do all the IVs you can, read research, volunteer, pay off your bills, get rid of your car payment, and go to anesthesia school!! Like most have said the jobs are out there...I HIGHLY recommend going to Cali related to the LAWS, RATIOS, and safety there. They HAVE to hire and have so many nurses for patients.. sad everywhere doesn't. I work at a very reputable hospital in Ohio, and the safety issues it has and seems not to care about (3 or 4 pts in an ICU, suicide pts with no sitter and 2:1 HOLY CRAP) Needless to say I am going to Cali as a traveler for 2 months before I go to anesthesia school. You are older, so do all you can to get going! Also be aware of issues for certain anesthesia schools in regards to age discrimination. There are many blogs about this.. so don't waste your time on them. Just an FYI.. I worked in San Diego in an ICU; we had 1 position open for an RN.. 1200 applicants, and we ended up hiring an MSN educated nurse. Just keep on it and good luck!!

kika72 · Apr 26, 2013

Thank you Meebugg21!!! I am still looking for ICU and I won't give up!

Got 2 offers across country in med-surg, but my dream is ICU and I will persevere!

If anyone hears or knows of any jobs in ICU, ANYWHERE...please let me know. I have

applied to numerous new grad residency, but still waiting to hear

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Apr 26, 2013

*** Oh ya, a number of times. I think the first time was when I was titrating nipride and intended to go from 0.5mg/kg/min to 0.6mg/kg/min and forgot the decimal point at the pump and set it for 6mg/kg/min. I had been working my butt off all shift and had to pee really bad. I ran out to the restroom immediatly after setting the pump. I came back to find half the nurses in that room and alarms going off like crazy. We almost didn't get that patient back. Nowdays I regularly run drips without a pump at all, sometimes without BP monitoring for short periods of time (transport and rapid response) but now the drips are good friends of mine, not scary monsters just waiting for me to make a mistake and kill some poor patient :)

yes! mine was after I spiked a new bag of dopa...then couldn't figure out why my pt's HR was in the 140s, ST. I kept looking and looking and looking. Finally another nurse came in and found I had put the volume in as the new rate!!!! Thankfully it was short lived and calmed right back down once the rate was decreased!

hoplite07 · May 6, 2013

Look in more rural areas in the south/midsouth. They have significantly fewer nurses there and often struggle to staff their ICUs.