ICU Residency Count As School Experience?

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Hello,

I am a senior graduating in December (BSN) and have a few questions in order to prepare for CRNA school. I love critical care and have worked as a nurse tech in the CCU for about half a year now. When I graduate I plan to work in a level 1 STICU. Their residency program is 1 whole year. How do CRNA schools view residency in terms of experience? The main school I’m looking into runs applications through September, so I’d look to apply with 1 year residency and a little over half a year working. Their page says average acceptance is 24 months. I’m not sure if this changes anything but I’d also have 2 semesters of clinical in the ICU. I would definitely have my CCRN, ACLS, and PALS prior to application. The average acceptance GPA is around 3.5 and mine will be around 3.75-3.8. Well known undergrad, requires reapplication into nursing program sophomore year, 100% NCLEX first time pass rate many consecutive semesters, Plenty of volunteer, shadow hours, etc. Also was a tutor for pharmacology. The CRNA program doesn’t require me to take the GRE since my GPA is high enough, but would it appear lazy if I didn’t. I’m pretty set on this school and CRNA as a career, so mainly just seeking advice on residency as experience and if I should take the GRE or not. Also any general advice to prepare for CRNA school applications? Sorry for the long post but thanks for any advice in advance!

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Specializes in SRNA.

I certainly cannot speak for all programs. As far as I have seen, though, they do not consider residency as experience. I asked this question several years ago when I was in your shoes and this is the answer I received. You could call the school and ask them. You have a competitive GPA. The tutor for pharm looks good. However, it is still hard to get in with 1 year experience; especially if that one year is a residency year. The semesters of clinical won't make a difference and I frankly wouldn't mention it.

If you have the money and time to study I would take the GRE. If it is bad and they don't require you to report it then I wouldn't tell them. You are really limiting yourself on schools if you don't take it.

You still have a lot of hurdles to jump through. Focus on learning as much as you can in the ICU first and foremost. Keep chopping wood and you will get there.

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Specializes in SRNA.
20 hours ago, slothgang19 said:

The CRNA program doesn’t require me to take the GRE since my GPA is high enough, but would it appear lazy if I didn’t. I’m pretty set on this school and CRNA as a career, so mainly just seeking advice on residency as experience and if I should take the GRE or not. Also any general advice to prepare for CRNA school applications?

Well, since you asked... ? I'll be candid. No, with your GPA, you probably don't need to take the GRE. However since you used the term lazy, I'm going to use your query as a soapbox for emphasizing the balance that is required in a competitive application today. I truly wish the COA would up the minimum work requirement for CRNA applicants. Perhaps it's become I'm older and I didn't know this goal while I was still a student, but I don't understand the mentality of rushing through the invaluable (yet intangible) benefit of the time spent managing critical care patients. You are a nursing student. I appreciate your drive, and you strike me as someone who is focused and has a dedicated plan. Become a nurse. Work at the bedside. Learn from your senior colleagues who want to teach, and respectfully inquire every day. Do more than the minimum amount of time. You may be awesome from the start, but you will be even better with just a bit more than the minimum amount of time caring for high-acuity patients.

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They're not going to go digging, they're gonna be looking at your resume and the info you or your references provide.

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Will you be a licensed RN during this residency year? will you be taking full assignments on your own in the ICU? If so, I believe you can count this as experience. If not, then you can't. As I understand it, residency programs are a support system put into place for new grads in the ICU, with extra classes, and meetings, and things like that on top of your normal work in the ICU. If it's that, you can count it. However, to make yourself the most competitive--and better CRNA--plan to do at least one more year than the residency year. Say a code happens in the OR, will you be comfortable running it yourself?

Best of luck.

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Specializes in SRNA.
40 minutes ago, DreameRN said:

Will you be a licensed RN during this residency year? will you be taking full assignments on your own in the ICU? If so, I believe you can count this as experience. If not, then you can't. As I understand it, residency programs are a support system put into place for new grads in the ICU, with extra classes, and meetings, and things like that on top of your normal work in the ICU. If it's that, you can count it. However, to make yourself the most competitive--and better CRNA--plan to do at least one more year than the residency year. Say a code happens in the OR, will you be comfortable running it yourself?

Best of luck.

Agreed. Where I am from, a residency was like 3 months of critical care classes, then working with a preceptor for so many months, then a trial period of getting your own patients. I think this type of residency is awesome, especially for new grads or those that have not had step down or ER experience. It is just not what CRNA schools are looking for.

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If you honestly are a new nurse, and feel you have learned everything there is to learn to be a very strong CRNA candidate after 1 year of residency and half a year of working, than your ICU is just NOT the right one for you. Honestly, you cannot learn it all in that time, and that time in the ICU will be the foundation upon which your career will be built. Keep working in the ICU until you do not need to ask this question any more. Good Luck.

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