ICU Experience for CRNA School

Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2022

This is completely dependent on the schools you are applying to; for example I know a few programs in my area that will not interview applicants that have community level ICU experience. I know another program that prefers applicants have CVICU/CTICU experience, I know other programs who will consider Trauma ED as ICU experience.

Some of the questions you might want to ask yourself are: will you be caring for the highest acuity patients at the smaller hospital, do they keep their critically unstable patients or transfer them to higher level of care, will you be managing devices (CRRT, IABP, Impella, etc.), what are common diagnoses in the general ICU?

Out of curiosity why would you like to change to the other hospital's general ICU?

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Jun 24, 2022

I have not considered CRNA school myself, but I work in a smaller community hospital and a couple people I have worked with have gone on to CRNA school. From what they said the schools they were looking at wanted high acuity ICU, like CTICU, trauma/surgical ICU. You might gain a broader patient population in the smaller community hospital, but it might be a step back as far as competitive experience. Good luck!

MunoRN, RN · Jun 24, 2022

My ICU is probably well beyond the point where it would make sense to split into specialized ICUs, but still being a general ICU it's become the place-to-be if you want to get into CRNA school, this started mainly because one of the CRNA schools in the area said they preferred candidates who had worked in our community / general ICU.

Specialty ICU's are really good if you want to be really proficient in a particular type of ICU patient, CT surgery patients for instance, but CRNA schools generally want someone with a more broad background in critical care.

jasaye · Jun 25, 2022

On 6/23/2022 at 7:59 PM, Okami_CCRN said:

This is completely dependent on the schools you are applying to; for example I know a few programs in my area that will not interview applicants that have community level ICU experience. I know another program that prefers applicants have CVICU/CTICU experience, I know other programs who will consider Trauma ED as ICU experience.

Some of the questions you might want to ask yourself are: will you be caring for the highest acuity patients at the smaller hospital, do they keep their critically unstable patients or transfer them to higher level of care, will you be managing devices (CRRT, IABP, Impella, etc.), what are common diagnoses in the general ICU?

Out of curiosity why would you like to change to the other hospital's general ICU?

I want to be closer to home. Right now my drive is 1 hour and 15 min and I work nights, so its pretty tough right now driving back and forth

TypicalCVNurse, ADN · Jul 1, 2022

On 6/23/2022 at 11:20 PM, MunoRN said:

Specialty ICU's are really good if you want to be really proficient in a particular type of ICU patient, CT surgery patients for instance, but CRNA schools generally want someone with a more broad background in critical care.

As another commenter said, I think it really depends on the program. For most applicants, having specialized ICU experience will probably bode well for them, especially if they they are able to demonstrate that they are somewhat well-rounded as well. In my opinion, being a jack of all trades doesn't shine as bright - on paper or during the interview - as being a master of one.

Regarding OP's question, I would say staying at the level 1 would be in your best interest. Could you get an acceptance if you switch to the smaller facility? Likely yes but why do something that may make you a less competitive applicant when getting a yes from a program is already difficult enough as it is. Just my 2 cents but I can say that having high-acuity CVICU experience worked well for me.