pls help...advice for 1yr RN getting into ICU/SICU

stacia77 · Aug 30, 2011

Ps: my goal is CRNA school :)

stacia77 · Aug 31, 2011

bump bump bump

papawjohn · Sep 3, 2011

Well Stacia, I'll give you a bit of advice -- bear in mind that things that worked for me might or might not work for you. You say you work with Tele. Use your monitor skills and try to get all the pulls to the Unit and pick up whatever overtime the CCU in your present facility allows. Also take a critical care course. They're commercially available over long weekends. When you've pulled a few ICU/CCU shifts and have the certificate of completion from the course, shop like crazy in whatever city you wish to move to.

I bet you'll find a job you want.

PapawJohn

meandragonbrett · Sep 3, 2011

You have to get out there and get applying. There really is no secret to getting an ICU job. Have you taken ACLS or PALS? Start there. Apply for jobs, talk to managers, etc.

catamounts303 · Sep 12, 2011

Definately do the ACLS and their is also one called TNCC (Trauma Nurse Core Curriculumn you might find helpful). I can imagine you're probably good with Rythms working in tele. There is a book published by the AACN called Essentials of Critical Care Nursing. I would read the pharmacology section which will give you a solid background on sedation and the types of medicines used in critical care. And just have a good understanding of shock, the types, and how you would treat etc. You'll be more than prepared.

stacia77 · Sep 15, 2011

Well Stacia, I'll give you a bit of advice -- bear in mind that things that worked for me might or might not work for you. You say you work with Tele. Use your monitor skills and try to get all the pulls to the Unit and pick up whatever overtime the CCU in your present facility allows. Also take a critical care course. They're commercially available over long weekends. When you've pulled a few ICU/CCU shifts and have the certificate of completion from the course, shop like crazy in whatever city you wish to move to.
I bet you'll find a job you want.
PapawJohn

Thank you for the advice!!! I completely agree and I just signed up for the ACLS program at my employer, as I a trying to get that under my belt!

If I can get one foot in the door anywhere, I will be HAPPY! So many want experience...but how do you get it if you are not given the chance???

MaroonTX · Sep 17, 2011

The hospital I work at has an ICU fellowship program for RNs with experience outside of the ICU. I am in the internship and the folks in the fellowship go through the same type of education/orientation period as we do, except their length of time in the preceptorship is 12 weeks instead of 16 weeks. The program includes class at least once a week, rotations through the STICU, MICU, CTICU, and CCU with various preceptors and of course ACLS and other certifications our hospital requires for their ICU RNs (dysrhythmia, epidural, stroke etc.) You should definitely look into hospitals offering similar programs :-)

PMFB-RN, RN · Sep 17, 2011

The most important thing is to never tell anyone you want to go to CRNA school. Training an ICU nurse is very expensive. Nurse managers hate spending all that training money on someone who is planning on leaving just about the time they are useful to the unit (2-3 years). My hospital (as many hospitals have) has a 9 month Critical Care Nurse Residency program for new grads going into the ICUs. We do not hire BSNs (ADN only) into the residency for the SICU. Too many of them were not completeing their contracts before abandoning the unit for CRNA school vs 100% of ADN prepared RNs completing their contracts.

sunnycalifRN · Sep 19, 2011

The most important thing is to never tell anyone you want to go to CRNA school. Training an ICU nurse is very expensive. Nurse managers hate spending all that training money on someone who is planning on leaving just about the time they are useful to the unit (2-3 years). My hospital (as many hospitals have) has a 9 month Critical Care Nurse Residency program for new grads going into the ICUs. We do not hire BSNs (ADN only) into the residency for the SICU. Too many of them were not completeing their contracts before abandoning the unit for CRNA school vs 100% of ADN prepared RNs completing their contracts.

Very good point!! It's also kind of common sense . . . you don't interview for a job and say, "Oh, by the way, I only plan to stay for 2 years, then I'm jumping ship!!" I agree with other posters . . . get as much tele and rapid response experience as possible . . . it will bolster your resume and be useful in ICU. Best of luck!!

stacia77 · Sep 23, 2011

The most important thing is to never tell anyone you want to go to CRNA school. Training an ICU nurse is very expensive. Nurse managers hate spending all that training money on someone who is planning on leaving just about the time they are useful to the unit (2-3 years). My hospital (as many hospitals have) has a 9 month Critical Care Nurse Residency program for new grads going into the ICUs. We do not hire BSNs (ADN only) into the residency for the SICU. Too many of them were not completeing their contracts before abandoning the unit for CRNA school vs 100% of ADN prepared RNs completing their contracts.

WOW!! I can understand the concept behind that though. I do love ICU and I have a friend who is a CRNA and still does a day a week just in the ICU for the bedside!!! That resembles what I am very interested in. Thank yoU!