Critical Care Experience

[thatswhatshesaid]

I'll be graduating from a BSN program at the end of 2018 and have started lightly looking into new grad programs I may be interested in applying to. Currently, I am most interested in working in an ICU (preferably cardiac/cardio-thoracic) but will certainly look into other options as well.

Looking at most new grad programs in my area, to get a position in an ICU you need either previous critical care experience, or to have had your senior practicum in a critical care area. I hope to do my practicum in an ICU but I cannot guarantee that because spots are decided based on grades. I do receive good grades, so I am optimistic, but so do many of my classmates so I am certainly not guaranteed to get into the ICU.

I am wondering if experience working as a PCT in a cath lab will count as critical care experience when applying to new grad positions that have it as a requirement. I have worked in this area for a couple of years now, and our lab does a wide variety of procedures on patients with varying levels of acuity - from outpatient to active MI's + many generally high risk cases. We have codes as well as other emergent situations arise frequently where I jump in and help out.

Incase I do not get my practicum in a critical care area I would like to know that I still have a chance to get into an ICU when applying to new grad positions. Thanks for reading!

[Triddin]

I doubt that pct experience would count as experience as it isn't nursing experience. The scope of nursing is much broader. Worst case scenario, get a few years in med/ surg and apply for icu thrn

[Sour Lemon]

I'll be graduating from a BSN program at the end of 2018 and have started lightly looking into new grad programs I may be interested in applying to. Currently, I am most interested in working in an ICU (preferably cardiac/cardio-thoracic) but will certainly look into other options as well.

Looking at most new grad programs in my area, to get a position in an ICU you need either previous critical care experience, or to have had your senior practicum in a critical care area. I hope to do my practicum in an ICU but I cannot guarantee that because spots are decided based on grades. I do receive good grades, so I am optimistic, but so do many of my classmates so I am certainly not guaranteed to get into the ICU.

I am wondering if experience working as a PCT in a cath lab will count as critical care experience when applying to new grad positions that have it as a requirement. I have worked in this area for a couple of years now, and our lab does a wide variety of procedures on patients with varying levels of acuity - from outpatient to active MI's + many generally high risk cases. We have codes as well as other emergent situations arise frequently where I jump in and help out.

Incase I do not get my practicum in a critical care area I would like to know that I still have a chance to get into an ICU when applying to new grad positions. Thanks for reading!

It might help with networking, but it wouldn't count as nursing experience.

[thatswhatshesaid]

Sorry I should clarify:

These programs require experience as a CNA/EMT/PCT in critical care - they are new grad programs, which also require that you have no previous experience working as an RN and are tailored to new nurses.

[PCnurse88]

It would probably vary hospital to hospital. Our cath lab nurses are definitely considered critical care nurses / it's considered a critical care "unit". There is a hospital nearby that is somewhat of a back up cath lab and their facility does not consider them critical care.