NICU/ CRNA

[Robins19, LVN]

Can you become a CRNA with NICU experience?

I would like to be a crna one day and I understand you need to have some type of crital care experience. I enjoy working with neonates and in L&D. I would like to know if anyone knows if NICU experience will suffice for ICU experience in any CRNA programs.

Thanks for any advice/ constructive criticism !

[Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN]

One of the people I am in school with currently is/was a NICU nurse. So I say, yes. Some things will be different but she's still with us, so she must be doing well thus far.

[prmenrs, RN]

You will need to inquire w/the program to which you wish to be enrolled as to what they want. I think they want you to have adult Critical Care experience because, unless you are working in a children's hospital, the vast majority of patients you would be attending will be adults.

[umcRN, BSN, RN]

From what I have heard most programs will not accept NICU experience but will accept PICU or peds CICU experience. NICU is so so different from the rest of the hospital population that I don't think the experiences gained in the nicu would be helpful for what you need to learn as a CRNA

[Robins19, LVN]

From what I have heard most programs will not accept NICU experience but will accept PICU or peds CICU experience. NICU is so so different from the rest of the hospital population that I don't think the experiences gained in the nicu would be helpful for what you need to learn as a CRNA

Great! PICU sounds like a better route for me. I do love working with kids. And I don't mind helping any families in need.

So what would you recommend to someone like myself the best route to getting a job in the PICU and gaining that experience?

[lady_stic]

I would recommend that you get Adult ICU experience because most schools require it.

[umcRN, BSN, RN]

I would recommend that you get Adult ICU experience because most schools require it.

Again depends on the school. I would guess that at least 3-5 people leave each year from my hospitals PICU/PCICU to go to CRNA schools. Big schools to such as Georgetown, Columbia, Duke, BU etc.

My children's hospital also employs CRNA's and often try to get those nurses that used to work in the unit to come back on as CRNA's

Also my pediatric cardiac icu regularly sees patients in their 30-50's and the PICU often sees teens to 20 year olds. Granted the adult patients seen in the cicu would likely never be seen in an adult hospital

[TmHrn]

I was recently accepted into a program with only PICU experience. The program I am entering does not except NICU only, but I would imagine that you could probably make a fairly easy transition into a PICU. Statistically speaking, SRNAs with only peds experience actually do extremely well and have great passage rates on boards. I would just make sure you choose a PICU at a large Children's hospital that is a Level 1 trauma center, if possible. Good luck!