do fellowships and residences count in the years of ICU experience?

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Hello all!

So I am a new grad graduating from a nice program. I shadowed a CRNA in high school and knew that was what I wanted to do with nursing, and now that I am graduating with my BSN that is still my ultimate goal. I have been lucky enough to get more than one ICU offer as a new grad and it's looking good but have a few questions.

So all the ICU positions I have been offered are part of new grad residency programs or new grad fellowships that last a year. I was wondering does this year count in the 1-2 years of experience needed to apply for CRNA school? I had a friend tell me that it did not, but I wanted to check with the community.

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If it is an ICU residency where you are working as a licensed RN then it should definitely count.

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It is! so it would be worth me applying this fall to possible getting accepted next summer/ fall for a program? Or get the experience of one year first and apply next summer/fall. Most of the places I've looked at have application due dates in October/ November and matriculation in the following August.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Please do yourself a favor and wait to apply after you have at least one year of experience, so you'll have at least 2 by the time you matriculate.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
It is! so it would be worth me applying this fall to possible getting accepted next summer/ fall for a program? Or get the experience of one year first and apply next summer/fall. Most of the places I've looked at have application due dates in October/ November and matriculation in the following August.

The longer you wait, you will be not only more prepared and knowledgeable, but it will likely be easier to be admitted because while the minimum may be 1-2 years, you will be competing with people who have 3,4,5 + years of experience.

This is anecdotal, of course, but in the ICUs that I have worked in, the average amount of experience has been between 5 and 10 years. If you think you can go toe to toe clinically with a nurse who has between 5 and 10 times the experience you do, go for it.

I looked a bit more, and saw that you don't have a job lined up yet...It's a bit premature to be thinking about CRNA school before you have a job, and if you apply this summer/fall when apps open up, there's a high chance that you will be rejected.

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