Does the OR count as "critical care"?

[morecoffeeplease]

Hi all,

I'm considering applying to CRNA school, and what I notice is most programs want at least 1 year in "critical care" experience. Generally this means an ICU but I'm wondering if working in the operating room counts as well? I would think it does, what with the potential risks that surgery brings and needing to be ready for anything that could potentially happen, but I can't seem to find a source that explicitly says whether it does or not.

I'll be messaging the programs as well for clarification but I just wondered if anyone here happened to know or had themselves made the transition from OR RN to CRNA, and what that process was like. Thank you!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Generally not. There may be a couple of programs who might be willing to consider it on a case by case basis, but it will not make you a competitive applicant. As an OR RN, you aren't going to be the one monitoring the patient and managing drips- those duties tend to fall to the anesthesia provider.

[ProperlySeasoned]

Nope - OR is about as far away from ICU skills as you can get.......

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

I would think it does, what with the potential risks that surgery brings and needing to be ready for anything that could potentially happen, but I can't seem to find a source that explicitly says whether it does or not.

My guess would be no. Any patient on any floor/setting could "potentially" crump/code and turn into a critical care scenario, so I wouldn't think just the potential would count as critical care experience. On top of that based on several coworkers going into CRNA school, it is extremely competitive so likely every other person applying would have that ICU/critical care experience that is required. Like another poster mentioned though you can always ask and find out, I don't see the harm in that.

[/username, BSN, RN]

nope.

[joelax]

Generally speaking, the OR is not considered critical care for CRNA schools. That being said, I know three people that got into Thomas Jefferson University's CRNA program with only ED experience. However, they were from a large university hospital's ED (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania), so I think they were able to spin that. If the ED is acute enough, you may be able to leverage that with certain schools.

[Wolf at the Door, BSN]

LOL...What... you already knew the answer prior to this thread. HELL NAW to NAW NAW NAW. Do OR nurses titrate drips? HELL NAW to NAW NAW NAW..they don't even chart vital signs.