PACU, ED, NICU applicants

[sydn35]

Just wondering if there were any current SRNA or graduates from anesthesia schools who had only PACU, ED, or NICU experience. I have been looking at different schools across the US and some accept experience in those areas. If you are one of those people how is it going and do you feel that you were not prepared for the program as opposed to someone who worked ICU?

[mark2climb]

Hello...I have worked in a PACU and ED, so I understand a bit of the environment and exposure there but still take my reply with a grain of salt as I am not a SRNA.

I think how you will do depends on you, as far as how motivated you are to learn. If you are in a PACU that recover sick pts, ie hearts, then I would imagine that you have a good understanding of hemodynamics and physiology. Several programs accept experience in a CVPACU as critical care experience. EDs vary quite a bit in terms of patient acuity. If you work in a Level I Trauma Ctr that gets all those cases you hear about on the news and you take care of those patients or that you hold a lot of ICU patients, then you can probably argue your experience. There are a few programs that will accept ED experience but not that many.

By NICU, do you mean Neuro ICU or Neonatal ICU?

[sydn35]

Thanks for the reply. By NICU I mean Neonatal.