Is it easy to get a job right after graduating from an ABSN in the ICU?

loveanesthesia · Jul 4, 2019

Depends on the location and market. If you’re willing to move then you’ll get a job. 3 years ago in my market ABSN grads were having a hard time getting ICU positions immediately. My sense is it’s easier now. It also depends on you-do you make a good impression in references and interviews.

BigPappaCRNA · Jul 4, 2019

Any of your first four choices should be fine. I would not advise doing Peds, and urge you strongly NOT to do Neonatal, if your goal is to be a CRNA.

inspiredbynavy · Jul 5, 2019

Can you NOT spam this forum please? thnx.

Also, if you truly have all these back issues, you WILL NOT make it in ICU. I guarantee you. Not trying to discourage you, but the reality is AMERICA IS FAT. You're going to get 400+ lb patients that you and 3+ other RN's, techs, RT's will have to help you turn so you can clean them.

Also, getting an ICU job isn't going to be easy as a new grad. NOTHING is going to be easy when becoming a CRNA. Keep that in mind. This profession requires hard work and if you aint about that life then you should consider another profession.

That being said, I will give one more tip regarding the immediate question... As a new grad you will be a "beggar," and as you know the saying: "beggars can't be choosers." So, my friend, you better apply to as many ICU positions you can find open and hope you hit a bullseye.

guest769224 · Jul 5, 2019

1 hour ago, inspiredbynavy said:
Can you NOT spam this forum please? thnx.

A couple of questions about the profession is hardly "spam".

inspiredbynavy · Jul 5, 2019

6 hours ago, ICUman said:
A couple of questions about the profession is hardly "spam".

OP created 3 separate threads all within an hour of each other and asked the same question in 2 of the 3 threads.. He/she could have just asked all of the questions in a single thread.

edit-
I see OP just created a 4th thread -_-

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jul 7, 2019

Just wanted to add that if you can't get an ICU job right out of school, you may have to be ok with doing med-surg for a year or two before you can transfer into the ICU. With back problems, you may find that med-surg is equally or perhaps more demanding than in ICU (since the expectation in med-surg is to help patients become even more ambulatory, for instance ambulating to and from the bathroom, vs. ICU where many are intubated/sedated).

In addition, you don't know if you'll be accepted to CRNA school right away, and for every year you aren't in CRNA school, that's another year that you'll be doing inpatient (where ICU can be pretty physically demanding).

Finally, it seems like even though you like the idea of CRNA (presumably the autonomy and the money), you don't have a great understanding of what CRNAs do (as evidenced by your 'OR experience' post). CRNAs have a very specific niche job--some people love it, but others would absolutely hate it (myself included). If you get into ICU and realize that CRNA is not for you, would you be ok with (and physically capable of) staying at the bedside while you redirect. If you truly aren't interested in bedside care and you discover that CRNA isn't all you thought it would be, you may end up in a pickle.

Have you started nursing school? I don't know the extent of your mobility issues, but you may find that the profession simply isn't a good fit (especially considering that you'll be working for 12-hour shifts in acute care). We had someone on these forums recently who had major back problems her first year out of school, and she felt very limited in her career advancement opportunities because of her physical concerns.

Bearcat-RN · Jul 7, 2019

Nothing about the ICU is "easy", even landing the job. I went through and ABSN program and was fortunate enough to land a position in an ICU a couple months before I even graduated. Hiring a new grad into the ICU is a major investment/risk for mangers, and you have to be able to sell yourself as a worthy investment. As far as how likely it would be for you to land a job right out of nursing school, that entirely depends on where you live, what the job market is like there, whether hospitals in your area hire new grads into critical care roles, and how well you interview. I worked as a PCA in an ICU while in nursing school and this was a great way to get exposure to the unit, become comfortable around critical patients, and even just learn what some of the equipment does and what different lingo means, etc.

Not to try and shoot you down or anything, but I would have to agree with the previous poster who said that it doesn't really seem like you have a realistic/thorough understanding of what a CRNA does and what the job entails. My advice would be to get a job as a PCA in a hospital if you haven't already. It doesn't have to be an ICU, just something to get your foot in the door and something to add to your resume. When the time comes to start applying to jobs, apply to ICU positions, but don't limit yourself. Many ICU nurses start out in med/surg or telemetry and transition to ICU later on. I'm only about 5 months into my nursing career, and I started in the ICU. I love my job and have a supportive team, but there are times where I think it would have been very beneficial to start out on a med/surg or tele unit rather than immediately jumping into ICU.

Jake355 · Jul 8, 2019

Okay great. Can I get a PCA position as a new graduate? I have a Bachelor of Science degree in human biology with a 3.8+ GPA. What job and/or certifications should I try to get now to get accepted into an ABSN program and then CRNA program?

Bearcat-RN · Jul 8, 2019

2 hours ago, Jake355 said:
Okay great. Can I get a PCA position as a new graduate? I have a Bachelor of Science degree in human biology with a 3.8+ GPA. What job and/or certifications should I try to get now to get accepted into an ABSN program and then CRNA program?

PCA stands for Patient Care Assistant, sometimes called a CNA or Patient Care Tech. This is a job you can get while in nursing school that will give you direct, hands-on patient care experience. You will work with nurses directly and get a much better idea of what they do on a daily basis. If they know you are in nursing school, some may be generous enough to take extra time to explain things to you or pull you in the room if they are doing something cool and want to show you.

As far as getting into your ABSN program, do some research and be proactive. See what pre-req courses they require for admission and make sure you get all of those knocked out.

In the future, after you are done with nursing school and begin working as a nurse, you can start to think about how to prepare for CRNA school. CRNA schools are very selective with admission, some even have wait lists that are years long. I believe you need to have your CCRN certification either before admission or prior to beginning the CRNA program. I don't think you can even take the CCRN exam until after you have worked in critical care for 2 years or so, so you're looking at at least a year or two before applying to CRNA programs after becoming a critical care nurse.

Jake355 · Jul 8, 2019

Thank you so much for the useful information and advice.

Can I get a job as a PCA or CNA easily with just a Bachelor's degree? Are there any requirements or things I need to do to land a job as a PCA or CNA?

loveanesthesia · Jul 8, 2019

With good grades, good references and experience in a busy ICU it’s realistic to begin a CRNA program within 2 years. I know many who have done this.