Need advice about VA ICU new grad

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Hello;

I am a long time reader of this website; however, I don't post much. Anyway, I am graduating in December 2012 with my BSN. If everything goes well, I should graduate with at least a 3.7 - 3.8 GPA. Right now, I am working on the cardiac tele floor as a nurse extern until I finish school. I originally applied for ICU, but they only took 1 student and I wasn't that student. I guess cardiac tele was the next best thing (It is the largest and busiest floor in the hospital).

I REALLY want to work ICU/CCU after I graduate and hopefully move on to CRNA school when I have enough hours and experience under my belt. I am worried that they will try and keep my in my current position in Cardiac tele and not want to transfer me when I am done with school. But, that is not part of my plan.

So, I have been looking at working for the VA and when I have enough experience, enroll in the Army's CRNA program and commit to the VA for the 4.5 years after I complete the program.

My question is, do I have a chance at getting accepted in the ICU at a VA hospital as a new BSN graduate and some critical experience as an extern and great grades at a state university? Also, since my hospital pays for the training, I will have my PALS and ACLS before I graduate.

Thanks for your input!

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you are on a good path and I really hope everything goes as u would like. you have the grades for it! I have a plan very similar 2 urs. best of luck

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Have you looked into the amount of experience needed to be hired at the VA & into the ICU? This would be one thing I would look into to make sure when you apply for a position like the ICU you meet the experience level. If they do not hire new grads into the ICU then apply for a position that you qualify for and transfer to the ICU once you have the experience. Once you are in the VA it is easier to get a position then if you are coming in from the outside. The VA I worked at would at times advertise for a position internally and externally at the same time. If there were internal applicates who meet the qualifications they would not even look at the external applications.

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Go to usajobs.com and look at the VA positions for nurses that you are interested in..another option would be to join the military upon graduation - w/a BSN you have a some value already and would be able to continue to reach your goal of CRNA and it be paid for.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

It will vary depending on the VA. I have worked at one of the largest VA hospitals and they did hire new grads into the SICU, then got a new manager and she chooses not to hire new grads. I don't know what it is like at all VAs but some things to consider. The ICUs at VA hospitals are pretty low level stuff with many fewer therapies being used than in other private hospitals. For example it wasn't until 2011 that one of the largest VA hospitals in the country started using theraputic hypothermia. Also no trauma in VA hospitals. The ICU training I have seen at the VA is very substandard compaired to some of the good critical care nurse residencies out there. Plus the VA is not big on urse autonomy. For example there is usally a resident in house 24/7 to deal with the ICU patients and few standing orders and protocals.

My adivce would be to try to enter a critical crare nurse residency at a non VA hospital, (something like this:

Residencies and Training program)

get your training and then apply to the VA as a trained ICU nurse. I can tell you this hospital is currently hurting for experienced ICU RNs. I would also not tell anyone that you intend do go to CRNA school. Some nurse managers are very supportive but some are not. Many ICU nurse manager hate when the nurses they just spent a lot of time and money training head off to CRNA school. I have known ICU nurse managers refuse to write the required letters of recomendation, or write one so bad you wouldn't want anyone to see it. I have observed nurse managers who will attempt to find out if an applicant plans to apply to CRNA school and not hire them if they discover they do. Questions like "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" may be an attempt to weed out wannabe CRNAs.

FYI in addition to the army's CRNA program there is another VA program where they will pay your way through any CRNA program and pay a portion of your wages while in school in exchange for a comitment to work for them after.

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It will vary depending on the VA. I have worked at one of the largest VA hospitals and they did hire new grads into the SICU, then got a new manager and she chooses not to hire new grads. I don't know what it is like at all VAs but some things to consider. The ICUs at VA hospitals are pretty low level stuff with many fewer therapies being used than in other private hospitals. For example it wasn't until 2011 that one of the largest VA hospitals in the country started using theraputic hypothermia. Also no trauma in VA hospitals. The ICU training I have seen at the VA is very substandard compaired to some of the good critical care nurse residencies out there. Plus the VA is not big on urse autonomy. For example there is usally a resident in house 24/7 to deal with the ICU patients and few standing orders and protocals. My adivce would be to try to enter a critical crare nurse residency at a non VA hospital, (something like this:Residencies and Training program) get your training and then apply to the VA as a trained ICU nurse. I can tell you this hospital is currently hurting for experienced ICU RNs. I would also not tell anyone that you intend do go to CRNA school. Some nurse managers are very supportive but some are not. Many ICU nurse manager hate when the nurses they just spent a lot of time and money training head off to CRNA school. I have known ICU nurse managers refuse to write the required letters of recomendation, or write one so bad you wouldn't want anyone to see it. I have observed nurse managers who will attempt to find out if an applicant plans to apply to CRNA school and not hire them if they discover they do. Questions like "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" may be an attempt to weed out wannabe CRNAs. FYI in addition to the army's CRNA program there is another VA program where they will pay your way through any CRNA program and pay a portion of your wages while in school in exchange for a comitment to work for them after.
Are you speaking about the EISP scholarship program? I've been trying to figure out how to get more information about the scholarship for the CRNA at the VA. But no such luck. There are people in charge of NNEI and EISP. But they don't seem to know a lot about CRNA app.
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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Are you speaking about the EISP scholarship program? I've been trying to figure out how to get more information about the scholarship for the CRNA at the VA. But no such luck. There are people in charge of NNEI and EISP. But they don't seem to know a lot about CRNA app.

Sorry I don't know. I just know of two people who did it. I don't know the details.

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