ED vs. ICU -- goal of transplant or flight

[ghostchili]

So...I have a dilemma.

I've been working on my unit for about 3 years now. I work in heart failure--we get LVADs, PAH, end-stage CHF, and heart transplants. We also care for the lung transplant patients in the community. It's really a great unit, but I don't want to be here forever. I'm looking to make a change, and I eventually want to do one of two things:

1. Work as a clinical educator for a major device company.

2. Work as a flight nurse, especially with prehospital trauma.

I've always wanted to do ED and I have never had an inclination to do ICU, but ICU seems like the more marketable experience. Option 1 requires ICU experience (our ICU takes many more devices than we do--we are categorized between an ICU and a stepdown unit), but ED experience is better preparation for option 2.

Is anyone here working in the VAD/transplant population? As a flight nurse? As an educator? How do I best prepare myself to be the most marketable no matter what I decide to do in 2-3 years? My biggest fear, I think, is that I'll choose a route and find that five years down the line, I have to kind of backtrack.

Also, it seems like a lot of transplant centers are hiring MSN-prepared nurses for their coordinator positions. For those of you in transplant, does this seem like the case in your center?

I guess I feel like there are too many choices sometimes...it can be a bit daunting. :/

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Music in My Heart]

I've a friend who's a manager for a large regional pre-hospital air transport service. She told me that they generally hire ICU nurses over ED nurses.

Most of the flight nurses that I personally know have come out of the ICU and have their MICN certs.

You can't go wrong (IMO) with ICU experience.

[ghostchili]

oh, good to know! that just kind of solidifies the ICU direction more. thanks. :)

[Lifeofanurse]

We just did a tour today of a flight center.... and were told that their flight nurses have to have 4yrs of ICU experience and still go through extensive training.

Another gold star in the icu column!