PICU and CRNA school

[texan]

I am working in a PICU. Does anyone know if CRNA schools accept this as ICU experience? Or do they only look at adult ICU? FYI- we do not use swans.

Thanks

[SproutRN]

I am working in a PICU. Does anyone know if CRNA schools accept this as ICU experience? Or do they only look at adult ICU? FYI- we do not use swans.

Thanks

I am in the Samford Univ. program in AL and there is a girl in my class who came from Children's Hospital with PICU experience. And I think there are a couple in the class behind me that also have the same experience.

Seems to me ICU is ICU no matter what type unit?!

Sprout

[jewelcutt]

There are a small number admitted with PICU, but usually they want some sort of swan or CV experience with it. From what I understand they want you to know adult hemodynamics and management of gtts, etc. However you could get in with just picu, there are a few in my class with picu and 1 year adult. I think picking up time in the adult ICU would increase your chances more.

[suzanne4, RN]

Alot is going to depend on the type of patients that you care for in your PICU. This can vary greatly............Most programs are looking for good hemodynamic monitoring experience and not all PICUs do this on a regular basis. I work both adult and Pediatric ICUs, as well as CVICUs and the nurses that I have seen get accepted the fastest have had CVICU experience, or very good hemodynamic monitoring experience.

[nursemcdonald]

Tex,

Its hard to understand why some schools need convincing r/t PICU;

I obtained my experience in an awesome PICU. I can tell you a variety of reasons why my experience was superior to that of many other ICU RNs' (email me for that) most of whom are friends and collegues. I am attending anesthesia school and doing quite well....

Some schools want Adult ICU experience; which precluded me from applying to them. Here are some stellar schools I applied to that understand PICU as a strong experience:

University of New England

Samuel Merritt

Old Dominion

Boston College

Case Western Reserve

Columbia University

SUNY Downstate

Keep up the good work and good luck,

NurseMcDonald