Is one year of ICU experience enough?

Nurses New Nurse

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I feel comfortable 90% of the time in the setting, but just don't know if it's my "calling." Most of my coworkers are trauma junkies and that just isn't me. They love coming to work, I really am indifferent to it. Would just a year be enough to get my foot in the door in any other setting? Thinking research nurse, PACU, or even going back to school.

I do know I want to relocate back home to CA but it is a fiercely competitive job market so I'm afraid if I leave and am unemployed, showing a "gap," that could hurt my resume.

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You can always try a new specialty. I have heard it is hard to get a job in Cali so perhaps try getting a job before moving?

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Are you interested in anesthesia? You could be a CRNA, though I'd advise you to get another year under your belt first. In fact, that may be a requirement for many schools.

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A year is OK, a couple of years would be better. You can certainly apply for jobs that require ICU experience like PACU.

I don't know where this idea came about that any job has to be a "calling". A job is mostly going to feel like "work" once the newness wears off.

If you want to go back to school, do it with a concrete goal in mind.

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A year is OK, a couple of years would be better. You can certainly apply for jobs that require ICU experience like PACU.

I don't know where this idea came about that any job has to be a "calling". A job is mostly going to feel like "work" once the newness wears off.

If you want to go back to school, do it with a concrete goal in mind.

I agree. I'm always hearing people say that they want a "fun job." A job can be fulfilling, but at the end of the day, it's called "work" for a reason. Some days you really aren't feeling it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Go for your CCRN before jumping ship to another specialty. This requires 2 years of full-time ICU work. Having that credential will open doors for you -even in CA.

Your career is (hopefully) going to be decades long & it will change and evolve over time. The key to being perceived as a nurse with a wide area of expertise versus a "job hopper" is to master one area before you move on to another. Certification is the best way to demonstrate this.

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^^^^ THIS^^^^

They really do look at certification as evidence of your commitment to a field of study and your willingness to learn more than baseline. Baseline, they see all the time. :)

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Specializes in CMSRN.
If you want to go back to school, do it with a concrete goal in mind.

I don't have a ton of advice about whether ICU is right for you or if you should move on but in this economy, unless you have a concrete reason for going back to school, there's no reason to spend the money or incur more debt. If you want to go for your BSN (sorry, I can't tell if you already have that from your profile) then that's a good step but if you don't know what you want to do with that, such as a specialty given that you're already in the ICU, I'm not sure that it would be to your benefit. If you already have your BSN and are thinking of going back for your MSN, I would definitely say to make sure you have a good plan for why and what you want to do with it when that's completed. Unless you want to teach or become a CRNA or NP, what value would that bring you? I'm not saying that in a questioning way, I'm saying it in that you should be asking yourself that question.

I like what other posters had to say about it being work and that sticking it out for 2 years would be a great thing to do. It doesn't have to be your passion right now if you are getting experience under your belt. That experience will open a lot of doors for you in other areas if you give it time to work to your advantage. Good luck!

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Not interested in being a CRNA at all. Ruled that out a long time ago, as I know several that aren't happy in it despite the great $$. I suppose it's the lack of any patient interaction.

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Go for your CCRN before jumping ship to another specialty. This requires 2 years of full-time ICU work. Having that credential will open doors for you -even in CA.

Your career is (hopefully) going to be decades long & it will change and evolve over time. The key to being perceived as a nurse with a wide area of expertise versus a "job hopper" is to master one area before you move on to another. Certification is the best way to demonstrate this.

I have thought about sticking it out for the CCRN cert, but I'm just not sure I want to stay where I am for another full year. I am also considered a part time employee (I've worked full time hours the majority of my time here though). So I'm not sure if a year of part time status equals a year of full time in applying for other jobs? Thanks for the input!

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Specializes in ICU, PROGRESSIVE CARE.

CCRN goes by hours, not years worked.You may already qualify to take it! :)

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