I have been an OB nurse for 3 years and am now attempting to become a CRNA. I obviously need to make the transition to ICU, but am having difficulty finding a position with only my OB experience. I have heard from many hospitals that they want me to first do several months of tele to get a good handle on rhythms. I am hesitant to accept this advice because I want to get my ICU experience to get into a program ASAP. Has anyone had similar experience? Do my ICU nurses recommed a similar track? That is, do you think I will drown in ICU without first starting in tele? Any input would be so appreciated.
Ok, so I have just gotten back from another interview. This is an ICU at a much smaller hospital with only an 8 bed ICU. There is not nearly as much action here as there is in the other hospital but it would be fine for a starting point. I guess this would give me the opportunity to really do some learning. The job I interviewed for isn't even posted yet so I have to wait until they have it posted internally for 5 days and then the manager said she would get back with me. The shift I want is week-end nights so she doesn't think it will be filled internally and is going ahead and doing my criminal background check. She did actually say in the interview that this isn't really the unit that would get anyone into NP or CRNA school. I may go ahead and send out some more apps to the larger hospitals that are within 1-2 hours of me. I never dreamed it would be so difficult getting a job. I don't think I have ever interviewed for a nursing position and not gotten it. I will now wait and see what happens.
Good luck to you Fanilow! What region and what state do you live in? Who knows, I may just know someone, or someone else on this forum may know someone and put in a good word for you.
ARGHHHHHHH!!!! Get this, the manager calls me and wanted to let me know that while in all probability this position would have been mine, when she went down to get the process started, she was informed that the corp. had just initiated a HIRING FREEZE! :angryfire Apparently my planets are not alligned right , the force is not with me, or the stars are not in my corner. OK, I will just keep trudging along. I am just flabbergasted by how difficult it is to get an ICU job around here. I know that my record looks suspicious (like I might be wanting to go to CRNA school), but good grief. Of course we don't have the plethora of large hospitals in my area, I am in the rural south. Guess I need to move closer to Memphis, TN
Fanilow
19 Posts
Ok, so I have just gotten back from another interview. This is an ICU at a much smaller hospital with only an 8 bed ICU. There is not nearly as much action here as there is in the other hospital but it would be fine for a starting point. I guess this would give me the opportunity to really do some learning. The job I interviewed for isn't even posted yet so I have to wait until they have it posted internally for 5 days and then the manager said she would get back with me. The shift I want is week-end nights so she doesn't think it will be filled internally and is going ahead and doing my criminal background check. She did actually say in the interview that this isn't really the unit that would get anyone into NP or CRNA school. I may go ahead and send out some more apps to the larger hospitals that are within 1-2 hours of me. I never dreamed it would be so difficult getting a job. I don't think I have ever interviewed for a nursing position and not gotten it. I will now wait and see what happens.