Critical care requirement fufilled by NICU?

cathys01 · Apr 20, 2008

Depends on the school you want to go to. Each school has its own definition of "critical care experience". Check out the website for the schools you would like to attend, or call the program directors to see if they will accept NICU.

whipping girl in 07, RN · Apr 20, 2008

I can only speak for the program several of my friends graduated from, and while the few who had worked in NICU did not have that counted against them, they all had adult critical care experience. Surgical ICU is probably the best because of the experience of dealing with hemodynamics after surgery...it's kind of taking over the anesthetist's role after they hit the unit (especially since open hearts and many other surgeries come to the unit still under GETA). Any area where you work with critically ill individuals is beneficial, but adult ICU, especially surgical, would probably be the best preparation for anesthesia school.

candiceena · Apr 20, 2008

Thanks for your repsonses...I will definitely check into that. Especially surgical ICU. That sounds like something that I would be interested in. Would it be beneficial (do you think) to be certified in critical care nursing?

ECMOismygame · Apr 20, 2008

im gonna "hi-jack" this thread.

what about experience in a cardiac PICU?

SmessenBSN · Apr 20, 2008

im gonna "hi-jack" this thread.
what about experience in a cardiac PICU?

Like everyone has said ... it just depends on the school. I was just accepted to a CRNA program (class of 2010! Wohoo!) with only 3 yrs PICU experience, no adult. I haven't worked in a cardiac only PICU but all PICU's I've worked in do hearts. Good luck!