PACU EXPERIENCE

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Hi everyone,

Just needed an opinion about my job experience. I am applying to some CRNA schools this year. I want to broaden my skills and knowledge by applying to PACU as I wait to get into school. I currently am a MSICU nurse with 2.5 years experience and a former OR nurse with 2 years of experience as well.

Do you guys think it will hurt my application if I switch to PACU and just do per diem of ICU?

Any insight will be helpful! Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU/CCU.

I personally think you should stay in ICU ! PACU is not considered ICU. It depends on the schools. Most of the programs love their applicants having more years in ICU.

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Stay in ICU. There is no need for you to get PACU experience at this time. ICU experience is what they are looking for.

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Risky move. If you go to PACU now, you can try to sell the idea during your school interview that it was because you wanted to broaden your skill set, but there's no guarantee that it'll be well received. You already have the "broad experience" card to play in your favor as a prior OR nurse. Continuing to broaden your experience at this point may only serve to thin out those experiences. If you still really want the PACU experience, it may be a better strategy to hold off on transferring until you get accepted into school. Still, as an MSICU nurse you're already recovering critically ill patients post-op, which in my view is the more valuable experience for anesthesia school between that and PACU. I'd stay put.

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Thank you for your advice everyone! In ICU then I shall stay :D

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It MIGHT not hurt you, but it sure as hell won't help you any. Please stay in the ICU.

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