Before going to CRNA school

You could dip your feet into the emergency room arena, but just know if you truly want to pursue CRNA school, you'd be best off in an ICU. Only a handful of anesthesia schools accept ER experience.

I'm preparing to apply to CRNA school now and every program I've seen requires at least one year of Critical Care (ICU) and explicitly explains they do not take PACU, ED or Step Down Units. They all either require or highly prefer you to have your CCRN certification which is only for ICU nurses with one year of experience.

I know a lot of ED nurses who go to CRNP school though, maybe if you really want to do ED you could investigate that path. In the ICU you titrate drugs, assist in lots of intubations, use paralytics, advanced hemodynamic monitoring, tons of sedation drugs, etc. This helps you prepare for CRNA school (according to the program directors) so that's why they require it.

thanks everyone! Anyone ever done both? been a trauma nurse/ER nurse..then working in an ICU...then went to CRNA school? or is that too long of a route ha

Its doable based on the school you apply to. A friend of mine from nursing school had 2 years of experience in a level 1 trauma center and basically zero ICU experience (was hired a few weeks before application was due at a micu at a larger community hospital). He will have a little over 1 year ICU experience before he starts school full time this fall. Depends on the school. I recommend some ICU experience and shadowing to see if you really like anesthsia and are down to commit a few years of your life to school and the rest of your career as a CRNA.

The purpose of the ICU experience is for you to develop the critical thinking skills that will help in anesthesia school. In other words, managing critical patients, drips, lines, etc. Those are the experiences that aren't necessarily gained in an ER because of the fast turn over, which is why most schools do not accept ER nurses. The school I attended just changed their admission requirement and no longer accepts ER or PACU nurses. I would recommend trying to find a hospital that hires new graduates into their ICU. If you really want to do trauma, why not work in a trauma ICU where you are actually managing the patient, not just stabilizing them to be transferred to the ICU.Maybe try working PRN in an ER if you really want to work in one.

Hello! I am a second year SRNA and I have experience in ER, trauma ICU and CVICU. I definitely agree that you will suffer if you don't have ICU experience, but I think sometimes people minimize ER experience. I feel that my ER experience was PRICELESS and made me the nurse I am today. I am confident with skills and procedures that I would have never seen if I only worked in ICU. No matter which you choose, you need to focus on independent thinking and learning as much as possible. If you only choose one, choose CVICU, but I think that a well-rounded experience is SO beneficial (I might be just a little biased). Good luck and don't hesitate to contact me if I can help you in any way!

I have a year ICU and 6 months CVICU. I am a flight nurse/paramedic with 3 years flight experience and my CFRN. We frequently transport vented patients from ED's and ICU's with multiple drips. We start our own drips as needed as well. Of course we RSI our patients, intubate and place them on vents as well. I would like to know if this type of experience would be adequate or should I try to work PRN in CVICU?

Regards

Thank you everyone! Priceless advice. Truly appreciate it.

I have a year ICU and 6 months CVICU. I am a flight nurse/paramedic with 3 years flight experience and my CFRN.

I don't understand how you are a flight nurse if you have only 1.6 years in the ICU total.

To be a flight RN isn't it a minimum of 3 years ICU? You made no mention of ER experience so I'm puzzled. Sorry to go off topic here.