CVICU experience for CRNA

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · Oct 30, 2006

Most definitely. I worked in a cardiothoracic unit and all we ever got were post cardiac surgery patients (cabg, aaa). They all had to be hemodynamically monitored.

heartICU · Oct 30, 2006

I was wondering if anyone has gotten their critical care experience in the CVICU area for CRNA school. I know that it is ICU, but do you get as much invasive monitoring as you would in a Trauma ICU or SICU. The program I am looking at deals with all heart problems, surgeries, and transplants. Please tell what you think.

Absolutely. In fact, you may get more hemodynamic experience with swans, etc than a trauma or SICU.

mnhawki · Oct 31, 2006

Absolutely. In fact, you may get more hemodynamic experience with swans, etc than a trauma or SICU.

I totally agree with the last poster. I work in a CVICU/Cardiothoracic transplant unit. You can't compare trauma/sicu to CVICU when it comes to hemodynamaic monitoring. They occasionally gets swans, but cv has them all the time. I work on an 8 bed unit and there is another 30 bed CV ICU in my hospital. I would guess there are a total of 20 swans on the two units at any one time. The trauma ICU is 30 beds and you would be lucky to see 4-5 swans at any one time. Lucky to have an art line and and/or central line a lot of the time. IMHO go for the CV ICU. I'm probably biased though, and I'm sure lots of people will tell me that much, lol.

acinbg · Oct 31, 2006

Thanks guys, I figured that you I could get the invasive monitoring but I wanted to hear it from some nurses/CRNAs that knew. I just didn't want to start looking at the wrong area that would not give me my needed experience.

endorphinrush · Nov 1, 2006

I work in a CVICU and each year at least one or two of the staff are heading off to CRNA school. This year, 4 of us have put in apps and 3 of us have at least one interview. CVI is a great place to get your experience. Make sure you get to rotate through the open heart recovery though. THAT is where you will really get the experience w/swanz and vent management that will help you. I don't know how it is everywhere else but in my unit that aspect is guarded closely by a select few that don't want others doing recovery. So be sure you get it.

Anesthetize · Nov 7, 2006

Call me crazy, but I've heard on this board that CRNA schools prefer level 1 trauma ICU experience. Does anyone know what the schools really prefer? Sure, you might get great experience in a CVICU, but is it ON PAPER what schools want? I always thought it was level 1 trauma. ???

jewelcutt · Nov 8, 2006

No they don't prefer level one trauma sicu. The better experience is CVICU, and many schools are impressed with it. Those nurses usually ace the swan tests and hemodynamic gtt questions. One common comment from this years interviewers was that not many had swan experience, and that was extremely important. You won't get real( and I mean real by many with frequent interpretation and changes in gtts) swan mgmnt anywhere but CVICU, titrating gtts, hemodynamics.

Anesthetize · Nov 8, 2006

No they don't prefer level one trauma sicu. The better experience is CVICU, and many schools are impressed with it. Those nurses usually ace the swan tests and hemodynamic gtt questions. One common comment from this years interviewers was that not many had swan experience, and that was extremely important. You won't get real( and I mean real by many with frequent interpretation and changes in gtts) swan mgmnt anywhere but CVICU, titrating gtts, hemodynamics.

I didn't know that... thanks for sharing. Here's a question for you, though: is it possible to get into a CVICU right out of school?

augigi, CNS · Nov 8, 2006

I did.

LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP · Nov 8, 2006

so did I.

jewelcutt · Nov 10, 2006

I did and many do