Landing that first ICU job..or at least an interview

jamisaurus · Mar 31, 2015

Can you put in a transfer to the SICU attached to the hospital you work at? You could go introduce yourself to the nurse manager and let him/her know you're interested in working on their unit and that your background is OR.

SierraBravo · Apr 2, 2015

The thing is that your OR experience has put you in a difficult position to transfer to an ICU. OR nurses don't typically do assessments and they don't pass meds, so unfortunately while you have specialized experience, it also means that you probably don't have the skills and experience that a floor nurse has. Of course, there are probably some people who transfer from the OR to the ICU. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's going to be a challenge. You wont be able to sit for the CCRN exam because you need 1750 hours of critical care experience first. Networking is the key.

bw0712 · Apr 20, 2015

Scrubulator,

I have been in a similar position as you. For the past 9 months I have been working on a telemetry unit in a small ,135 bed community hospital. My plan has always been to get into an icu asap so I can pursue a graduate level education. Last week, I was just informed that I landed my first critical care job in a surgical trauma ICU at a level 2 trauma center outside of philadelphia. It was a long process though. I applied for dozens of jobs with no response. But in the past month I got calls from 2 different hospitals. I began trying to separate myself from other applicants (which was difficult bc im a nurse with 9 months experience). I began to contact nurse recruiters at hospitals. I wanted to know exactly what they were looking for. I also began sending personal emails to recruiters and directors with my application. In the emails I would explain a little about myself and my passion for critical care nursing. Nothing too crazy just a short paragraph. I just thought that they had to have so many applicants for these positions that I had to set myself apart somehow. Once i started doing this I started getting calls back. Is it a coincidence? I have no idea but worth a try. Good luck.

AnthonyD · Apr 21, 2015

I don't think it would be inappropriate for you to call nurse recruitment at your hospital and ask them for some advice. You can even see if it would be possible to shadow a nurse in the SICU. This would give you an opportunity to see what it's like there, and also for them to get to know you a little.

Joining AACN certainly wouldn't hurt, and neither would a recommendation or two. But I would start by contacting recruitment.

ArmyTwin, CRNA · Apr 22, 2015

I'm a OR nurse who transferred to the ICU without any bedside experience. I have been an OR nurse for 2 years and a scrub tech for many more. I actually made this big move from OR to ICU while relocating from NJ/PA to FL. I had no connections or affiliations to the hospital I'm now working at. I knew absolutely no one!

I applied to many jobs over the course of a few weeks ICU, Tele/stepdown, and ER. Anything that could possibly help me get into the ICU. I was invited to interview for an ER training program there was an open house with on the spot interviews. I accepted. They were also interviewing for ICU training program and Tele. When I arrived I was asked to sign in and what position I was interviewing for. Without thinking my heart answered ICU. The recruiter remembered my name and asked if I was here for ER. I said yes but I really desire ICU!! I made a great first impression and to my surprise she called the ICU director down to interview me on the spot! Which was great for me since I flew down for just the day of interviews.

I was offered other Tele/stepdown positions at other hospitals but this was exactly what I wanted. Just wanted you to know that it's not impossible! And I actually went through the training program with another OR nurse who had already been working at that hospital!

Not all OR nurses are cut out for the ICU but the go-getter, highly anticipating, critical thinkers excel there and ICU managers know it! Look for training programs or a critical care course.

Good luck to you!!