ER vs ICU

William_SRNA · Sep 3, 2005

Most programs do not even consider ER as critical care and will not even look at your app. That being said some will take ER but when weighted together I would tend to believe ICU would get the nod.

I was wondering how heavily ER vs ICU is weighed when applying to CRNA school? How many NA students where ER nurses? I live an hour from a 300 bed hospital and was working part time in ICU as a float....even though I work full time...the rest spent in many units! Yikes. I didn't see any hope of getting in the ICU full time. I was offered an ER position 8 minutes from home (55 bed hospital)...so I took it...did I just hang myself? The school I want to go to says "ICU is first but will also look count ER as critical care." Advise from you all would be wonderful. I'm applying in May 2006. By the way I love this forum. There are so many positive and encouraging post! I really appreciate that attitude. Kind regards, --ivy

toobemall · Sep 3, 2005

I was wondering how heavily ER vs ICU is weighed when applying to CRNA school? How many NA students where ER nurses? I live an hour from a 300 bed hospital and was working part time in ICU as a float....even though I work full time...the rest spent in many units! Yikes. I didn't see any hope of getting in the ICU full time. I was offered an ER position 8 minutes from home (55 bed hospital)...so I took it...did I just hang myself? The school I want to go to says "ICU is first but will also look count ER as critical care." Advise from you all would be wonderful. I'm applying in May 2006. By the way I love this forum. There are so many positive and encouraging post! I really appreciate that attitude. Kind regards, --ivy

Although you get some good experience in the ER, I must agree that ICU experience is the experience that will get you into CRNA school. You are going to need to be familiar with vasoactive gtts, ventilators, hemodynamics. You may start ntg or dopamine in the ER, you may assist with placing patients on the vents in the ER, but you will not get the long term management skills that come with these things without spending AT LEAST a year in the ICU. Good luck.

athomas91 · Sep 4, 2005

i was an ER nurse prior to acceptance to school - my school did not consider ER nursing "critical care" as most do not - they did accept me however and asked me to do some time during the next year in an ICU setting - I did a per diem position in a CVICU (approx 1-2d per wk..) and I feel that I was prepared for school. I may not have had the in depth knowledge of neuro that some neuro ICU nurses had (although we are on a level playing field now)- but they had never done an IV in a baby - it all equals out. I personally could have never done Full time ICU - I am just not an ICU nurse - but I was prepared for school.

jewelcutt · Sep 4, 2005

Because you have experience working in the ICU this is a positive, just say you were a float in the ICU for whatever amount of time you did it. Also, an ICU and ER experience combo is good. If you're really worried, see if your new hospital has a contingent pool and see if you can pick up some days a month in the ICU.

ivypetals · Sep 4, 2005

Well,

I forgot to mention that when I interviewed for this position I told the hospital director that I was only interested in ICU and would only go to ER until something in ICU came open. She agreed to cross-train me in their ICU unit and promised I would go straight to ICU if a position came open....which at the moment has 4 brand new nurses! So I think my chances of one of them leaving is pretty good. I don't really think I can ask for much more than that from the hospital. I agree with everyone about ICU getting the nod...but part time doesn't get the nod so I'm going to take my chances and hope that one of the new nurses leaves.

Thanks---ivy

i was an ER nurse prior to acceptance to school - my school did not consider ER nursing "critical care" as most do not - they did accept me however and asked me to do some time during the next year in an ICU setting - I did a per diem position in a CVICU (approx 1-2d per wk..) and I feel that I was prepared for school. I may not have had the in depth knowledge of neuro that some neuro ICU nurses had (although we are on a level playing field now)- but they had never done an IV in a baby - it all equals out. I personally could have never done Full time ICU - I am just not an ICU nurse - but I was prepared for school.

William_SRNA · Sep 4, 2005

I agree the best nurses are both ICU and ER trained. Two different areas but each has it's positives. I personally hated ICU and loved ER but worked ICU to get into school. It's amazing what you are willing to put up with to reach a hard earned goal.

Jen2 · Sep 4, 2005

I think a lot of it depends on the hospital and school. I live in a pretty rural area with only one Level 1 trauma center in a 200 mile radius. One of the girls that work in my ER got accepted into school over many ICU nurses for the simple fact that she was an ER nurse in a level one trauma center and they were ICU nurses in a small community hospital. Therefore they acceoted her and her experience from a large teaching hospital with a level 1 trauma center over some of the others that were ICU nurses in a small community hospital. Although the schools in my area prefer to have both ICU and ER.

ivypetals · Sep 5, 2005

I will be prn in ICU...as I am only the 2nd person in the entire hospital that can be pulled to work in ICU...so I will pick up some days there until I can get there full time.--ivy

Because you have experience working in the ICU this is a positive, just say you were a float in the ICU for whatever amount of time you did it. Also, an ICU and ER experience combo is good. If you're really worried, see if your new hospital has a contingent pool and see if you can pick up some days a month in the ICU.

ivypetals · Sep 5, 2005

Well, I hope this cross training will work to my advantage. A big part of the problem is that I do live out in the middle of no where! I live 2hrs....over a 100 miles from a city. Our town has a grocery store! One! So just getting to the hospital has been an ordeal...it is unrealistic to drive such a long distance. Thanks everyone...I will cross train and hope for the best. By the way our ICU has 4 beds! We do get the procedures though and I have experience with swanz, linese, vents and so on...I'll cross my fingers.

---ivy

I think a lot of it depends on the hospital and school. I live in a pretty rural area with only one Level 1 trauma center in a 200 mile radius. One of the girls that work in my ER got accepted into school over many ICU nurses for the simple fact that she was an ER nurse in a level one trauma center and they were ICU nurses in a small community hospital. Therefore they acceoted her and her experience from a large teaching hospital with a level 1 trauma center over some of the others that were ICU nurses in a small community hospital. Although the schools in my area prefer to have both ICU and ER.

hrtprncss · Sep 5, 2005

I think a lot of it depends on the hospital and school. I live in a pretty rural area with only one Level 1 trauma center in a 200 mile radius. One of the girls that work in my ER got accepted into school over many ICU nurses for the simple fact that she was an ER nurse in a level one trauma center and they were ICU nurses in a small community hospital.
So what does that mean, a TraumaICU nurse in a level I trauma center would get first preference? I think the reasoning behind requiring ICU experience is to get the get the best candidate who's well versed not only in critical care theory, but also equipments and skills, such as IABP insertion and maintenance, CRRT, BiVAD, Multiple vasoactive drip titrations, SWAN MANAGEMENT/WITH EXTENSIVE EXP WITH HEMODYNAMICS, EVD, BIS, and other stuff that's mainly done in an icu setting....I work in a level I trauma SICU unit, and we're still pulled down in the trauma rooms sometimes to assist with ICP placements and such, even though there's er trauma nurses around....I guess it's just the experience is more geared to what the school is wanting when someone gets into the OR setting, and the ICU setting where alot of CRNA's would function.

William_SRNA · Sep 5, 2005

What state do you live in?

Well,
I forgot to mention that when I interviewed for this position I told the hospital director that I was only interested in ICU and would only go to ER until something in ICU came open. She agreed to cross-train me in their ICU unit and promised I would go straight to ICU if a position came open....which at the moment has 4 brand new nurses! So I think my chances of one of them leaving is pretty good. I don't really think I can ask for much more than that from the hospital. I agree with everyone about ICU getting the nod...but part time doesn't get the nod so I'm going to take my chances and hope that one of the new nurses leaves.
Thanks---ivy