Acute Care NP without ICU experience?

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I am in an acute care NP program (pediatric) and I have never worked in an ICU. I applied in the past but timing didn't work out and I stayed on my med-surg unit. Now I am busy with school and about to start clinical. My job has moved me to PT days which is what I need right now to get through school. I am worried I will not be able to find employment as an acute care NP without having ICU experience. If I moved to an ICU now I would be FT nights and unable to manage classes and clinical. I know some are able but I have a lot of other things on my plate as well and I know I won't be able to do it. Is this going to hold me back?

Specializes in Trauma ICU, AG-ACNP-BC, PMHNP-BC.

A bit late to the conversation, however, I believe this could be pertinent for readers interested in going the Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP pathway. You don't necessarily have to get into an ICU to be a proficient (tho its preferred?) Acute Care NP. Working in the Progressive Care Unit, ICU Stepdown is also considered critical care. The ED is also considered, tho some hospitals prefer the ICU/PCU experience. 

 

Best of luck !

 

 

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Specializes in Cardiac Tele.
On 10/12/2022 at 8:59 PM, Trauma ICU Guy said:

A bit late to the conversation, however, I believe this could be pertinent for readers interested in going the Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP pathway. You don't necessarily have to get into an ICU to be a proficient (tho its preferred?) Acute Care NP. Working in the Progressive Care Unit, ICU Stepdown is also considered critical care. The ED is also considered, tho some hospitals prefer the ICU/PCU experience. 

 

Best of luck !

 

 

I am working in dialysis outpatient. Do they require hospital experience?

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5 hours ago, struggleforfuture said:

I am working in dialysis outpatient. Do they require hospital experience?

Generally most decent programs require a year of acute care.

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Specializes in Cardiac Tele.
1 hour ago, Numenor said:

Generally most decent programs require a year of acute care.

Is dialysis count for acute care? or I need to change job

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Specializes in Cardiac Tele.
1 hour ago, Numenor said:

Generally most decent programs require a year of acute care.

Do you know acute NP can work in inpatient and outpatient? I know FNP only can work in outpatient. Or acute NP only working in inpatient? 

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24 minutes ago, struggleforfuture said:

Do you know acute NP can work in inpatient and outpatient? I know FNP only can work in outpatient. Or acute NP only working in inpatient? 

I think majority needs to be inpatient. Like 75-80%

27 minutes ago, struggleforfuture said:

Is dialysis count for acute care? or I need to change job

No it’s not acute care

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Specializes in Cardiac Tele.
3 minutes ago, Numenor said:

I think majority needs to be inpatient. Like 75-80%

No it’s not acute care

Do acute NP can work in outpatient ?

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19 hours ago, struggleforfuture said:

Do acute NP can work in outpatient ?

I answered this…

75-80% of the work needs to be inpatient, otherwise why do acute care…

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, AG-ACNP-BC, PMHNP-BC.
On 10/15/2022 at 1:59 PM, struggleforfuture said:

I am working in dialysis outpatient. Do they require hospital experience?

Hi there, 

Is your experience only limited to dialysis outpatient? Do you have any acute care experience , specifically experience in a critical care floor?  (ICU, ICU stepdown, PACU, ED) is required by many Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP programs. In fact, as an APRN-BC, I will say that the Hospitalist NPs, Intensivist NPs that I work for have been phenomenal, due to their many years of critical care floor experience -- an experience that is molded and perfected in their ability to care for critically ill patients -- all of which are experiences that ties in with advanced clinically knowledge and skills that is perfected in graduate school -- resulting in quality-based, sound medical care. 

IMHO, at LEAST have 2 years of experience in the critical care floors (ICU, ICU stepdown, ED) before applying to AG-ACNP programs. 

 

 

Regards and best of Luck !

ICU Trauma Guy 

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, AG-ACNP-BC, PMHNP-BC.

I will also say it does a great disservice to our profession and to the career trajectory for AG-ACNPs to have limited critical care experience. The scope of practice for Intensivist Nurse Practitioners (NPS who work in the ICUs, ICU stepdowns) include being able to intubate patients, insert central lines, I&Ds of nodules, infected wounds, assist critical care MDs/DOs in critically ill patients et al. 

The ability to manage and respond to crashing patients who are on heparin drips, and on multiple lines of IV antibiotics, on IV pressors, and to make quick thinking, life-sustaining decisions all rests on the experienced AG-ACNP. How can you have this ability without no critical care experience? This is why many programs will advocate for at least a minimum of 2 years experience and know the responsibilities of a Hospitalist NP/ Intensivist NP is magnanimous. 

Get into an ICU, and flourish. If you feel that you love the ICU as an ICU, RN, then consider going into AG-ACNP. If you feel that the ICU is too intense, then the AG-ACNP pathway may not be the best for you. 

 

 

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Specializes in Cardiac Tele.
2 hours ago, Trauma ICU Guy said:

I will also say it does a great disservice to our profession and to the career trajectory for AG-ACNPs to have limited critical care experience. The scope of practice for Intensivist Nurse Practitioners (NPS who work in the ICUs, ICU stepdowns) include being able to intubate patients, insert central lines, I&Ds of nodules, infected wounds, assist critical care MDs/DOs in critically ill patients et al. 

The ability to manage and respond to crashing patients who are on heparin drips, and on multiple lines of IV antibiotics, on IV pressors, and to make quick thinking, life-sustaining decisions all rests on the experienced AG-ACNP. How can you have this ability without no critical care experience? This is why many programs will advocate for at least a minimum of 2 years experience and know the responsibilities of a Hospitalist NP/ Intensivist NP is magnanimous. 

Get into an ICU, and flourish. If you feel that you love the ICU as an ICU, RN, then consider going into AG-ACNP. If you feel that the ICU is too intense, then the AG-ACNP pathway may not be the best for you. 

 

 

Thank you, you are right. I am applied but ICU don’t want people have no experience. I got only offers in telemetry so far. 

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3 hours ago, struggleforfuture said:

Thank you, you are right. I am applied but ICU don’t want people have no experience. I got only offers in telemetry so far. 

That’s the usual. Very rare to go straight into the ICU. You need to do your time first.

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