LPN working towards ICU

Bringonthenight · May 11, 2012

Um maybe the anesthesia tech just because of people on vents in the ICU. However I personally doubt any LPN experience is going to make an employer select you for a position in the ICU. Unless you had experience in critical care which rarely a possibility for LPNs these days. My advice would be to make a really good impression in your ICU practicum in RN school and get good grades and recommendations.

Rabid Response · May 11, 2012

Go for the tech job at the trauma hospital. The experience itself is probably not going to count for too much on a resume for RN positions, but you will have a foot in the door at an acute care facility. Never underestimate the power of networking. Also, you can work on basic nursing skills and become comfortable in a fast paced environment. In my opinion (I will get reamed for this) long term care is kind of a dead end/career killer. Good luck and congrats on having two job offers.

John SPN · May 11, 2012

Yeah, I do not intend to get a job in an ICU as an LPN. I am currently working on my ADN and was wondering to which you think would look better to a hiring manager once I become an RN.

mikeicurn, ASN, RN · May 12, 2012

I posted this in another thread, I am reposting it here because most of it applies here also.

You have to take in advice from all sources, then make your own decisions.

I worked as an LPN at a LTC facility while in RN school. I went to work in a small ICU after I graduated as an RN. My manager picked out my resume because she used to work at the same LTC facility that I did. She felt that LTC experience is very beneficial for ICU nurses. Time management is important in both environments. And the majority of our patients are elderly people from nursing homes, or from home, but in the same age group. While you are treating the reason they are in ICU (resp distress, cardiac issues, etc...), you still have to deal with more routine issues such as crushing their meds, incontinence, fall risks, dementia, sundowners, family, etc... Who better to handle these issues than those with LTC experience. Most of the ICU nurses I work started out in LTC.

I have heard that nonsense about hospitals not hiring you with LTC experience. You have to understand hospitals don't hire you. Managers hire you, or at least tell HR who to hire. Every single manager has their own ideas about who they want to hire. You cannot make generalized statements like your friend is making. How could he know what any particular manager is looking for. Put yourself in the manager's position. You have a hard working hustler who took a LTC position out of school, worked at it for a while to learn the craft of nursing, then wanted to move into a hospital environment to try something new. On the other hand you have new grad who has been unemployed since graduating, because they say they don't want to settle for a LTC job. Who are you going to hire.

One last thing. When interviewing, keep in mind that the manager across from you has very likely worked LTC at some point in their life, and you may want to be cautious about what you say about LTC. You might unknowingly offend them, and lose you chance at job. Wherever you work at, make the most out of it, and learn as much as you can. That good attitude will take you wherever you want to go.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 13, 2012

Yeah, I do not intend to get a job in an ICU as an LPN. I am currently working on my ADN and was wondering to which you think would look better to a hiring manager once I become an RN.

The anesthesia tech job to get your foot in the door of an acute care facility.

tara1961 · May 14, 2012

I would take the tech job. U will have so much more experience which ICU manager will def look at!Good Luck!