Does the 1-3yr CC experience have to be full time?

manusko · Jan 15, 2014

On the application will they have you specify? I want to have apply per diem at Columbia or Cornell uni Hospital. The travel would be like an hour and a half so you see why I'm shooting for per diem. I was thinking the remowness of these hospitals would boost my application. What is your opiniin?

Good fulltime ICU experience. Lots of vents and drips. Learn lots. Who cares about the hospitals name?

give em zzzs · Jan 15, 2014

I have asked a university this direct question: Does my ICU experience have to be a full-time position or can it be a part-time position as long as I maintain full-time hours? The answer was: It has to be a full-time ICU position and you must maintain full-time hours.

While all experience is good experience, I believe most CRNA programs are looking for recent full-time ICU experience.

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · Jan 15, 2014

I worked in the NYP system at one of the aforementioned facilities, and I traveled over an hour each and I drove and worked nights. My friend works downtown at Cornell and travels over an 1.5 hrs to get to work. So there are many other people doing it. Suck it up, if you want it you'll do what it takes to get there.

And as for the institution goes. Yea I'll have to admit if I didn't have NYP on my resume for CRNA school. I would probably bet you I would not have gotten in. However, I have a lot of other stuff also on my resume which makes it an extremely long and loaded with all sorts of stuff (not that it makes me any better than you but it does help 'pad' it just a bit and make me stand out over others, at least I think it does)

And also do you have ICU experience at all? If so, your chances are better than if don't have any at all. Good luck, it's an intense place but absolute amazing place to work. But just remember, the grass is never greener on the other side. Every place has their own issues.

allnurses Guide · Jan 15, 2014

The best answer I ever got to this answer was from the program director at USUHS. He said that if you have enough critical care hours to sit for the CCRN then you have met, in his opinion, the minimum amount of critical care experience for NA school.

Ultraposh · Jan 15, 2014

hi da milk of amnesia, I actually wasn't complaining about the drive! I think I would have better chances making it into a per diem situation anyway. I have NO ICU experience. I also am not a RN just yet. Later this year I will be and immediately enroll for my bsn. Im doing it online through Excelsior. I really hope I can get into one of those hospitals to boost my resume. Do you think my chances are extremely slim? Ive never worked in a hospital. I have 2 years experience as a private duty nurse. My patient has a trach, gtube and continuous mist via nebulizer. Do you know any CRNA's in NY that would be willing to let me shadow them? How do you like CRNA school??? What was some of these other things that helped "pad" your resume? lol. Thanks!

Ultraposh · Jan 15, 2014

oh wow thanks! I will look into how many hours it takes to sit for your ccrn!

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · Jan 15, 2014

it takes like 1800 hrs or something like that to sit for the exam. Which is essentially 1 year of full time ICU work. Honestly, with no ICU experience the answer is No, I'm pretty sure they do not hire new grads into their ICUs, at least I know my PCD didn't. Even trying to get a regular med/surg job with no hospital experience is extremely difficult. Your best bet would be to get a job in whatever ICU/hospital you can and then get a year or so of solid experience then make the jump to NYP. Idk if your LPN experience will count or not, I would bet on that it WONT count, but I honestly don't know.

As far as the CRNA shadowing goes, I'm going to have to respectfully decline. Sorry.

As far as the resume goes, I had TNCC, CCRN, CEN, ENPC, EMT, PALS. Most of those certs I didn't even technically use because I worked in an adult ICU. Firefighter/EMT of 12-13 years and the list goes on.

Ultraposh · Jan 15, 2014

OK thanks. Does ICU exp have to be in a hospital? Is there other ways to gain ICU experience? My patient is considered medically fragile. In a few months when I receive my adn how do you think my experience at my job would look vs a job in a long term care facility? better ,worse or about equal? Im not asking if this would be satisfactory as icu experience. Just in general on the application in your opinion how would it look. thanks

allnurses Guide · Jan 15, 2014

The only people I will let me shadow in the OR for NA school are people that personally contacted me and I have met in person. It isn't a personal thing, but we cannot just let anyone back in the OR.

My advice would be go to your hospital anesthesia department ask to talk to the head CRNA introduce yourself and tell him or her you are interested in the CRNA career field and you would like to shadow one of the CRNAs to see if it would be a good career choice for yourself.

Ultraposh · Jan 15, 2014

wtbcrna, thank you! i wasn't sure the steps i had to take. my emails go unanswered. thanks so much!

allnurses Guide · Jan 15, 2014

OK thanks. Does ICU exp have to be in a hospital? Is there other ways to gain ICU experience? My patient is considered medically fragile. In a few months when I receive my adn how do you think my experience at my job would look vs a job in a long term care facility? better ,worse or about equal? Im not asking if this would be satisfactory as icu experience. Just in general on the application in your opinion how would it look. thanks

One of the things about being a CRNA is that you have to make quick decisions on patients that you know very little about several times a day every day. It is constantly new patients with 5-10 minutes to review the and a few minutes to prepare your room. As a private duty nurse or a LTC nurse you normally work with the same patients for a long period of time that you get to know personally.

There just isn't a good correlation been private duty nursing or LTC and decision making requirements in ICU or anesthesia.