OR > ICU > CRNA program?

[giddygiddygirl]

Hello everyone,

I will be graduating in May with a BSN degree. I am currently trying to decide what type of new grad job I should apply for. I will be moving to NYC after I graduate, so the good news is, many hospitals as options!

My long term goal is to become a CRNA, since before I began nursing school. However, the thought of spending several years as a floor nurse (ICU/Critical Care) is unappealing to me. I am not putting down those units. I just believe, based on my clinical rotations, that I am not made for that type of work setting - working with patients for long periods of time (days/weeks/months), working with patients on a close personal/therapeutic level, having to deal with family members, spending a lot of time with feeding and toileting, etc.

I LOVE being in the OR! :redpinkhe So far I been able to spend 6 days in OR settings, observing everything from C-sections to neurosurgery... and I loved every minute. I love working in that group dynamic, working at a fast-paced level, under pressure, under stress, using a lot of technology.. Other forums might take this comment the wrong way, but it is appealing to me to work with patients that are unconscious.

HERE IS MY QUESTION: If I were to take an OR position as a new grad, do you think it would be very difficult after a few years, to transition to a critical care position, in order to meet that requirement for CRNA programs?

Did any of you go that route? I am worried that the skills I would develop in the OR are so different than what I would need to know in an ICU position.

Any insight or opinions are much appreciated! Thank you...

[jesset2]

You must have critical care experience to be a CRNA, not or experience. Don't wast your time in the OR because you will work there eventually as a CRNA. Go straight to the ICU upon graduation; you will not be using you nursing or critical thinking skills in the OR. I've had 4 years OR experience and 2.5 years ICU experience.

[MayisontheWay]

A couple of things...you are not describing either of the ICU's I have worked in. While the patients' stays are much longer than the OR, the care is far from mundane. I haven't "toileted" a patient in quite a while (bedpans/draw sheet clean up are another story).

As for leaving the OR to go to ICU, other people have discussed some resistance moving into the ICU b/c NM's are suspect of CRNA motives. However, others have said they were hired into ICU with no problem for CRNA preparation because NM's know they'll have a go-getter, even it's only for a year.

May (taking a break from the mailbox)

[mark2climb]

I agree with Jesset2.

OR is interesting to you now but why do several years of it if you know that none of that time will qualify as critical care experience and that you eventually want to go to CRNA school. Perhaps you do enjoy time in the OR and that in itself is fine but it's not a good bridge into critical care.

[JCubby]

i was an operating room technician in the army prior to starting my bsn and i too will be graduating in may with the intent of becoming a crna. while i miss the or and would love to get back into that environment, i would recommend that you get into the icu as soon as you can so that you can retain and build upon your assessment skills and other key skills that you learned in school and would otherwise lapse some if you go into the or. i'm not sure what kind of set-up some of those facilities have, but here the or nurses are circulating nurses and do not have much contact with the patients coming in or out of surgery. if you have some time and are not interested in pursuing your master's right away, then do what you feel comfortable with.

good luck!

[CaslaRN]

Go directly into an ICU. Take it from someone who has been there. I worked in the OR as a staff nurse then as an OR Educator. I LOVED IT!!! When I decided to transition into critical care it was somewhat challenging. NMs were suspicious and thought I just wanted to do ICU for CRNA school (duh!)........... anyway I eventually found one that was willing to give me a chance.

My suggestion ............. go to ICU first, you will have the rest of your career after finishing CRNA school to fall in love with the OR environment again.

[18ladybug]

I graduated from nursing school and went right into the OR and worked there for 3 years. I learned many things in to OR like, How to deal with the surgeons, Critial thinking skills, prioritizing skills, and what the surgeries were and how long they are and what is done in surgery do. I had no trouble moving to an ICU and once again learning an emence amount and loving it. It is not mundane to be a ICU nurse. It is very fast paced and challengeing. The OR and the ICU are two different worlds and I love both of them. I current work full time ICU and PRN in the OR ,which is a bonus for some extra cash flow! I have found that my OR experience has helped me with my skills as a ICU nurse. MY VOTE do the OR and then move to the ICU the longer you are a nurse the better your CRNA applications look anyway. GOOD LUCK!