New grad in the ER, is CRNA school out of the question?

[extowboater]

Hi Everyone!

I am a recent graduate and took a job in the ER where I worked as a tech while in nursing school. I feel fortunate to have this opportunity, though I wanted to work in ICU but they were not hiring new grads at the time. I am worried now that I will have a hard time getting into the ICU with only ER experience. Some CRNA schools say that they occassionally consider ER experience. Is this true in reality? I know alot of nurses go from ICU to ER but I have not met any that went the other way. Do I have a chance of getting into CRNA school with only ER experience? My BSN is solid with a 3.8 gpa. Any advice is appreciated.

[Brian_SRNA]

An added note about volume, even in the busiest of ER's there is a significant number of non emergent patients. The ear aches, back aches, bum's trying to stay warm, the broken forearm, and the patients that use the ER as a free clinical(I have been an ER nurse before, I know that volumes fluctuate) . In the ICU not always, but mostly, we get all the sick ones from you, the ER, the OR and the ones that go bad on the floor. The sheer volume of critical patients we see and make care decisions for I beleive is one of the reasons so many schools look for the ICU experience. Not that the ER critically ill are not being cared for properly by trained RN's, but that the ICU see's a larger volume. just my two cents

Brian

[SigmaSRNA]

Sigma,

I see some good points that you have made. Many times a critical patient goes to the ER and does buy a tube. But who is making the decision, the nurse, or the doctor at the bedside. In the ICU it is gonna be the nurse who is going to have to do the primary survey to call for anesthesia or someone to intubate. it will be the ICU nurse who will make tha first decision and not a doctor. That is where I feel the ICU may have a leg up on ABC primary survaey. In addition, the most vulneraable(?) time for any airway are in the first two hours post extubation, stridor, anxiety, obstruction, pain and sedation for a newly extubated patient. Not too many ER's, unless they are holding for days and days, are going to be extubating and needing to contiunally survey the adeqaucy of the airway.

BTW, sigma, are you in a program. Just curious, thanks for the great dialogue.

Brian

'

Very true. 99% of the decisions are made by the docs/residents in the ER. But at least you get the exposure of seeing the ABCs (and especially ACLS/PALS protocols) in the ER (evening if your not making the call). Also, in the ICU, wants you see a patient needs a tube, your going to call somebody to put it in. The only reason you don't do the same in the ER is a doc is always there. Not the case in the ICU. Like I said before, as far as patho/pharm, no one touches an ICU nurse, but ER experience can be valuable also (not so much better). Just finished my first year at Texas Wesleyan (Fall 07). What about yourself?

[Brian_SRNA]

Sigma,

I start UT knoxville, tennesee in january, and I am very excited. Glad to hear you made it through the first semester. How was it? As hard as everyone says? Obviously the best experience for any nurse are the ones that get you where you want to be. The paths we take may be different, but our end pint is still the same, the coveted CRNA. Good luck in the program, and thanks for the great dialogue.

Brian