CRNA- ICU experience

guest769224 · May 20, 2016

How many beds is the Neuro ICU?

I think you would be fine to take the neuro position. Level 1 experience, while it can be helpful, is certainly not a requirement, and you'll be grateful for the extra cash in your pocket when tuition and living expenses for grad. school approach. People enter into anesthesia school with level 2 and 3 trauma experience often.

Plus, you mentioned they overflow with surgical and medical pts., That will be similar to what you would experience in the other MICU.

sophie<3 · May 20, 2016

Don't quote me but I think it's about 16 beds in the neuro ICU. And 24 in the MICU. The main thing that sparks my attention is the pay...I don't LOVE neuro...but I want to really minimize my debt over the next 2 years. The Neuro job would allow me to work FT there while also allowing me to work PRN (16 shifts/month minimum) at $45-60/hr in my current job in the OR. Having the PRN job in the OR would let me keep the relationships I have developed with anesthesia providers (CRNAs and MDAs) for future references, shadowing experiences, job opportunities).

CCRNdude · May 20, 2016

I work in a mixed ICU. I've personally learned more from medical ICU patients, but a lot of people have gotten in with neuro ICU experience and your situation sounds like you should take the neuro job. Take the neuro job. If anything, I've read posts from CRNAs who say that neuro ICU nurses were the best SRNAs. This is highly subjective of course, but it proves to show that neuro ICU nurses get accepted all the time.

ccuccrnap16 · May 21, 2016

I think the neuro ICU would be a great experience and would look great for CRNA school. I started out in an 11 bed neuro ICU and you get more med surge icu patients than you think..

chemokine · May 21, 2016

I would take the neuro job since you know you have it. If you pass it up you might wind up with nothing. I was a neuro ICU nurse not in a level 1 trauma center and I'm an SRNA now. It's good experience.

tnk11 · May 21, 2016

I think neuro ICU would be great experience. Sometimes they ask you about your financial plans during interviews for school and it's nice to say that you have all your debt paid off before starting CRNA school.

sweetether · May 23, 2016

I would strongly advice you against taking the Neuro ICU job. Schools do rank candidates according to their area of specialty. Generally, Surgical ICU and Cardiothoracic ICU are the most preferred, then Medical ICU, and Neuro and PICU/NICU are last on the list. Also, the trauma experience will gain favor for you as well. I would stay at the current level 1 trauma facility and work in the Medical ICU there.

Richwade · May 24, 2016

Sweetether you are painfully misinformed. Neuro ICU experience is in no way "last on the list". I don't know where you're getting your information from but please educate yourself before stating things as fact. I am a current SRNA and sit in on the admissions committee for incoming students (in a very, very well respected program) and neuro ICU experience is valued just as highly (if not more so) than any specialty ICU. And the fact that you think it ranks in the same category as PICUS/NICUS betrays your ignorance, most schools require adult ICU experience, therefore making PICU/NICU ineligible as prerequisite experience to gain admission to CRNA school and thus they are not even remotely in the same category.

sweetether · May 24, 2016

I don't mean to offend anyone. I think neuro ICU is a valuable area of specialty. But, when it comes to all of the schools where I have inquired, spoken to directly, or read on their faqs pages, the preferred areas are trauma, surgical ICU, cardio thoracic and medical ICU, then Neuro.

Here is a good example: FAQs - TCU Nurse Anesthesia

[h=3]What types of critical care experience are accepted? Which are preferred?[/h]Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories or a U.S. military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routine basis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (such as pulmonary artery catheter, CVP, arterial); cardiac assist devices; mechanical ventilation; and vasoactive infusions. Examples of critical care units may include but are not limited to: Surgical Intensive Care, Cardiothoracic Intensive care, Coronary Intensive Care, Medical Intensive Care, Pediatric Intensive Care, and Neonatal Intensive Care. Those who have experiences in other areas may be considered provided they can demonstrate competence with managing unstable patients, invasive monitoring, ventilators, and critical care pharmacology. (Per Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Definition)

***Not sure why Neuro ICU is not mentioned here.

Another example:

Nurse Anesthetist School Requirements

And yes, Neuro ICU is much better than pediatric/neonatal ICU as far as anesthesia school goes because it is with the adult population which most of the CRNA education/practice surrounds.

sweetether · May 24, 2016

Admission Requirements | Duke School of Nursing

Here's another example list of priority:

Experience areas preferred include:

Surgical Intensive Care
Medical Intensive Care
Cardiac Intensive Care
Neuro Intensive Care
Pediatric or Neonatal Intensive Care

Of course, not all schools are the same, and I imagine there may be some regional differences. But, from all the information I have gathered, this is the general rule of preference.

sweetether · May 24, 2016

source: ANES FAQ | School of Nursing

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) and Council on Accreditation (COA) requires applicants who matriculate into nurse anesthesia programs to have completed at least one year (365 days) of critical care experience as an RN. This ICU experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories, or a U.S. military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision-making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. The COA defines critical care areas as one where, on a routine basis, the RN manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (such as pulmonary artery catheter, CVP, arterial); cardiac assist devices; mechanical ventilation; and vasoactive infusions. Examples of critical care units may include but are not limited to: Surgical ICU, Cardiothoracic ICU, CCU, MICU, Neuro Intensive Care Unit, Burn-Trauma ICU, and Pediatric Intensive Care.