ICU Interview

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Hello All....I enjoy this forum a great deal. I've been reading posts for quite a while now, and I must say there is a wealth of very good, helpful information on here! I've finally decided to head down the long, complex road to becoming a CRNA. I'm currently an ADN nurse and I'm enrolled in classes at this time to work on completing my BSN. I have wanted to move to the ICU for quite some time now (I'm a medical floor nurse right now) but haven't been able to due to finances. However, a weekend option in the ICU just came open which may fix my financial dilemma. In other words, I won't have to take a pay cut to work in the ICU. I'll make about the same amount of $$$, which is essential since I live alone and have no one else to help me pay my bills. All that information aside, I do have a question. When I go to interview with the ICU manager is it good to be honest and mention my long term goal of becoming a CRNA so she'll have a heads up that I won't be there forever, or should I just keep quiet about that detail and act like I'm going to be there forever and when I begin CRNA school tell her I'm leaving and let her be mad at me for not telling her about it before? I want to get the ICU position, but I'd also like to be honest about my goals as well, so I don't feel like I'm hiding something all the time. Any advice either way? Thank you in advance for any help.

Angela

Absolutely don't let the NM know. I know of people who didn't get positions in my SICU because they stated in the interview they wanted to go to CRNA school. But it is appropriate to say you're interested in further education but you're unsure which field and that your only focus right now is to be an ICU nurse and a good one

From a longtime ICU nurse: nothing more aggravating than trainees who grandly announce from the getgo we're only a pitstop for them...one year of staff brain suck then off to 'bigger and better things'.

While its nice to have longterm goal options, stop to smell the flowers along the way; and appreciate the people who give you their time. Don't forget your mentors in ICU are proud of what they do too. The nurses mentioned above were not well received...and why should experienced ICU nurses give their energy to people like that?

If you mention your goal of CRNA suggest you speak of it as an 'option someday'.

That is always accepted...we all like options. ;)

And good luck in ICU... you may love it and never want to leave. (I didn't)

Do not mention you plan to go to CRNA school. I mentioned it in my interview and was thoroughly chastised and admonished for it by my director because other nurses who had been there 20 years did not have the same opportunities as me.

Do not mention you plan to go to CRNA school. I mentioned it in my interview and was thoroughly chastised and admonished for it by my director because other nurses who had been there 20 years did not have the same opportunities as me.
I have to agree with the nurses who state don't tell your NM that you ARE going to be applying to CRNA school. And don't be very verbal about it when you're on the unit either. Some of your fellow co-workers may feel threatened or just plain irritated that you are using then as a diving board....however, if you run into those few ones who are also interested, form a club and use each other for support....:rotfl:

Thank you all for the great advice. I had my interview yesterday morning. It was very informal, and the issue never came up. I did not volunteer the info. either. After all, I may love the ICU so much that I never want to do anything else. Who knows what the future holds right? By the way, I got the job! She told me "Welcome to the ICU." It was nice to hear. Everyone seems so nice there and say they love their job. On the floor it seems like everyone hates their job (including me). I wonder what the difference is? Can anyone enlighten me? Can a floor nurse love their job like an ICU nurse loves theirs? I have yet to see it.

Thanks again,

Angela

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Thank you all for the great advice. I had my interview yesterday morning. It was very informal, and the issue never came up. I did not volunteer the info. either. After all, I may love the ICU so much that I never want to do anything else. Who knows what the future holds right? By the way, I got the job! She told me "Welcome to the ICU." It was nice to hear. Everyone seems so nice there and say they love their job. On the floor it seems like everyone hates their job (including me). I wonder what the difference is? Can anyone enlighten me? Can a floor nurse love their job like an ICU nurse loves theirs? I have yet to see it.

Thanks again,

Angela

Congratulations on getting the job, and welcome to the ICU!

I've known some floor nurses who loved their jobs. I loved mine for awhile -- but when it was time to move on, I loved the ICU. I think a lot of it has to do with co-workers and working conditions as much as anything else.

I was recently accepted into an ICU orientation right after coming out of school. I will start next month. The interview process went something like this:

1) Checked my pulse to see if I was alive.

2) Checked to see if I really had an RN license.

3) Offered me a job on the spot.

Okay, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but not by much. If you have med/surg experience, you will get the job.

Congratulations on getting the job.

I was recently accepted into an ICU orientation right after coming out of school. I will start next month. The interview process went something like this:

1) Checked my pulse to see if I was alive.

2) Checked to see if I really had an RN license.

3) Offered me a job on the spot.

Okay, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but not by much. If you have med/surg experience, you will get the job.

Congratulations on getting the job.

Too funny. I had a similar experience. I just interviewed for a similar orientation (will be new grad). I prepared a nice resume, secured good references--as it turned out, I never needed to submit the resume and I was offered a job during the interview, so the references couldn't have been contacted (maybe they were later, I don't know). Strange process!

I was recently accepted into an ICU orientation right after coming out of school. I will start next month. The interview process went something like this:

1) Checked my pulse to see if I was alive.

2) Checked to see if I really had an RN license.

3) Offered me a job on the spot.

Okay, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but not by much. If you have med/surg experience, you will get the job.

Congratulations on getting the job.

:rotfl: Yep...that's pretty much how it went for me too. I was kind of nervous, though. The manager didn't set me at ease too much. She was pretty intimidating. Last night, when I got some down time on the floor the RT supervisor took me back to the ICU and let me meet some of the staff. They all really like the manager. They said although her personality can be intimidating, she's an excellent manager who will back them up on anything. They said she's always there to help in any way. That made me feel very good about the move. Coming from an area where that was not the case, it made me feel secure. I'm very excited and nervous all the same. With 2 internet courses (icluding Statistics), ICU classes and ICU orientation, this is going to be a busy semester for me for sure! Luckily, I work well under pressure, so it should be ok. Any advice on Statistics? I'm scared to death of it! I've put it off so long now, just because I heard it was so hard. Any advice would be great! Thank you all for the advice and support!

Angela

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