ICU jobs

Defibn', RN, EMT-P · Dec 22, 2019

I wouldn't think you should have any problem getting in an ICU where you currently live. Some units will require that you have some medsurg experience first but they may wave that since you're an NP. Have you actually applied anywhere? You have a unique situation. Hopefully someone here has been through this before and can give you more insight.

myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN · Dec 26, 2019

From my experience Seattle would be a great job market in terms of pay, and opportunity.

BigPappaCRNA · Dec 26, 2019

Renown Hospital, Reno, Nevada.

Amazing experience. County atmosphere in every sense of the word. Always hiring. Good luck.

lellomere · Dec 26, 2019

Hello, thanks to everyone for the info. I have been working as a primary care NP for a while. And I just completed a post-masters in acute care NP. I had planned on applying for ICU jobs as an NP but it doesn't look promising since many require previous RN ICU experience which I don't have. It might take a while to get an ICU job as an NP. That is why I am looking for RN ICU jobs. I am not getting any younger. Again, my ultimate goal is to be a CRNA. I already passed the ANCC acute care NP test. Would it help if I take the AACN acute care NP test? The same AACN which administers the CCRN. Would this help increase my chances of getting into a CRNA program? Thanks again.

myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN · Dec 26, 2019

Also I am leaving my ICU job in Kissimmee to move to Seattle to work as a PMHNP so they will have at least one opening for sure.

cakeandcrown, BSN, RN · Dec 27, 2019

17 hours ago, lellomere said:
Hello, thanks to everyone for the info. I have been working as a primary care NP for a while. And I just completed a post-masters in acute care NP. I had planned on applying for ICU jobs as an NP but it doesn't look promising since many require previous RN ICU experience which I don't have. It might take a while to get an ICU job as an NP. That is why I am looking for RN ICU jobs. I am not getting any younger. Again, my ultimate goal is to be a CRNA. I already passed the ANCC acute care NP test. Would it help if I take the AACN acute care NP test? The same AACN which administers the CCRN. Would this help increase my chances of getting into a CRNA program? Thanks again.

You’ll have to have beside RN ICU experience for CRNA school anyway. To my knowledge, no CRNA program will accept ICU NP experience for the 1+ year requirement because they want to see you managing sick patients as the ICU nurse, not as an NP. As an ICU NP you aren’t going to be there titrating pressors and inotropes or running ECMO/CRRT for a 12 hour shift.

If I were you, I wouldn’t waste my money on the AACN acute care NP test if your ultimate goal is to be a CRNA. Get beside RN ICU experience, pass the CCRN, take the GRE if it’s required, get involved in committees on the unit, etc. Your first step should be getting RN experience in an ICU and then finding programs you want to apply to and looking at their specific requirements.

Defibn', RN, EMT-P · Dec 27, 2019

18 hours ago, lellomere said:
Hello, thanks to everyone for the info. I have been working as a primary care NP for a while. And I just completed a post-masters in acute care NP. I had planned on applying for ICU jobs as an NP but it doesn't look promising since many require previous RN ICU experience which I don't have. It might take a while to get an ICU job as an NP. That is why I am looking for RN ICU jobs. I am not getting any younger. Again, my ultimate goal is to be a CRNA. I already passed the ANCC acute care NP test. Would it help if I take the AACN acute care NP test? The same AACN which administers the CCRN. Would this help increase my chances of getting into a CRNA program? Thanks again.

So are you already certified as an acute care NP and can practice as one? Is the AACN test just another piece of paper? If you are already licensed and legal to practice as an ACNP I wouldn't take the extra AACN exam. Instead, you'll need the CCRN. I wouldn't worry about the extra NP cert. Likely, no one in the applicant pool will be an NP anyways so you already stand out in that aspect.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Dec 28, 2019

On 12/25/2019 at 7:48 PM, myoglobin said:
From my experience Seattle would be a great job market in terms of pay, and opportunity.

IMO, unless you have decades of experience, Seattle doesn't pay very well relative to the rapidly increasing cost of living (courtesy of Amazon).

myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN · Dec 29, 2019

In my experience as a PMHNP looking for my first job I have multiple offers in the Seattle area at 250K plus. I have also found a part time job on the weekends that pays about $1000.00 per day doing disability exams (granted 1099). Also, looking for another part time RN position (to keep me going until the insurance starts coming in from the NP positions) I have several offers at around $60.00 per hour in Behavioral Health (I only earn about $43 as an experienced ICU nurse in Orlando and ICU usually pays more than Behavioral). Also, I can find numerous AirBnb's for about $1000.00 per month for two people (granted I share the rest of the house). That is comparable with what you would pay in Orlando (actually do to the "Disney factor" many AirBnb's around here in Orlando are much more. As for food I eat IF (once per day in a two hour window) and eat low carb, eggs, nuts and vegetables and won't spend more than about $8.00 per day on food where-ever I live (indeed if I give up low carb I believe I can get my food expense down to less than $5.00 per day with rice, beans, and a few veggies). Heck, if push came to shove I could sleep in my Toyota Sienna and shower with my Anytime Fitness membership and cut the living expenses even further.