Help! Don't know what path to take!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

firts time posting here. The main reason is for general advice.

a little about me:

I'm a male nurse 28yo, 3 years in nursing and all of them in the ER. Currently facing tow big opportunities for new carrera paths. I love the ER but want to experience something new.

Current job:

ER adding to pediatric ER but float to adult ER when needed.

Option 1: ICU at another hospital with about the same pay. I have never worked in the ICU except for a few perdiem shift, but I'm interested in working ICU and currently taking a course as an introduction and in the hopes of obtaining my CCRN.

Option 2: home Triage over the phone, same pay but 8-5 Monday to Friday. So I would have the opportunity to study a higher degree, MSN.

possibly in Critical Care or Nurse Practitioner Family or ONLINE PEDIATRIC / ACUTE CARE NP.

Another option would be to save up some money and pursue a CRNA. Wish I could do with either option since I would have to quit my job, once accepted into a program.

Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

You won't be able to do the acute NP program nor the CRNA program without critical care experience so if that's the path you want to choose, then ICU is a no-brainer.

cleback

1,381 Posts

You won't be able to do the acute NP program nor the CRNA program without critical care experience so if that's the path you want to choose, then ICU is a no-brainer.

ER experience doesn't qualify as critical care? I thought it did.

Specializes in ICU / Military.

It depend on the program, but most programs count ER as acute care experience.

Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

No, most programs do not. Most CRNA schools require actual critical care experience with use of invasive drips and lines. My acute NP program required 2 years of critical care and as far as I know most other acute programs require at least some critical care experience. Trying to become an acute NP in a critical care area with zero experience is utter madness. You wouldn't make it through clinicals.

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