misha12

Thank you very much!! All good points that really helped me in choosing - I will start in the CICU!!! =)

To all CRNAs or SRNAs out there, PLEASE give me your opinion to help me choose my first job. I have been offered a position in a CICU in a large teaching hospital which has a CTICU that does the open heart post-ops. So, the CICU takes the medical cases, not surgical. I also have an offer working in a CT stepdown, hopefully progressing up to the CTICU after a year or so on stepdown (year minimum, then need a position to open) PLEASE offer me some guidance as to which will provide me with the better experience for anesthesia school!! It is appealing to get right into an ICU, but I'm not sure if the CICU will provide good enough experience or not - do you think I would have to transfer to another ICU to gain more experience? I would love to get some help from those who truly know!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!

hahaha zenman.... too clever!! BCgradnurse: what have you done in those types of situations? do you try to attract someone's attention who you work with or de-escalate by yourself? i just don't want the type of situation where a patient ends up stalking me or something ..

title pretty much says it all, for anyone in an outpatient practice, have you ever seriously felt endangered by a patient or had an issue occur where a patient threatened or did something negative towards you? thanks for your replies!

Thanks both of you for replying! That is scary that the x-ray techs aren't really giving you the option of protection... do your dosimeters always record "safe" levels??

I have shadowed a CRNA on two different occasions and neither of those have involved surgeries that used x-ray / fluoro. I had never really even thought about that as a job hazard (I know lead suits / shields are used when necessary). Can any CRNAs or SRNAs talk about how often you are exposed to radiation whether in inpatient or outpatient settings? I know precautions are taken.. but in my anal mind I feel as though it may not always be enough and know in the past there were more cancers correlated for OR personnel, although technology is improving. So, I'm just wondering how often you are exposed? Thanks!

Interesting! Does anyone know if it is the same or different for part time positions?

Carachel - can you tell me a bit about the rn's role in cardiac rehab / schedule / any way to move up in the field?

Wtbcrna, as you can see, I posted about CNM in January. That was a fleeting thought after my OB rotation and I have since decided it is not for me. I have been interested in anesthesia since I was a sophomore in high school. I see no harm in asking about all options for my career, because if I decide anesthesia does not hold the flexibility I desire, I want to see what other advanced practice options hold; I just want a good balance in my life, and if I think I can find happiness in being a FNP in a critical care setting I see no reason why not to inquire about that. All I want to do is further my education to the highest level possible so that I have autonomy in what I choose to do. Congratulations on picking up on all the posts though ... and thank you for the information in the last line.

haha @ RN 543, thanks, and good luck with your own career!! srna: thank you, i'm getting the idea if you work in a hospital you can pretty much work any time of day/week? that's very nice!

Thank you all very much for your replies. I meant to be asking about flexibility while working specifically as a CRNA, not as an RN in the time preceding schooling for a CRNA. That is how I got the idea of CRNAs doing 24 hour shifts... not staff nurses ! Sorry for any confusion. I understand all the experience necessary to get to school, getting the experience is not a problem (fingers crossed), I have worked in an ICU the past summer and am externing there this summer, hoping to get a job offer after graduation next year! It is a MICU, I do understand it may benefit me more to get experience in a CTICU. I have no problem working nights/weekends/ whatever in my time as an RN, but I do thank you for trying to make me aware of all situations! I just wanted to check on the flexibility of shifts of my end goal of CRNA.... I am basically getting the jist that it varies depending on where you are - that's life, huh? Thank you!!

Thank you all! I just get worried when I read stories of "yes you can work in a clinic, but your hours slowly grow later and later". It's good to see it doesn't have to be that way! Carachel - thanks for pointing out that it can be even more hectic running from work to school activities, etc, and make life even more stressful! I would never have thought of that on my own so thank you very much for the enlightenment!! Spacklehead - what do you do in pre-admissions testing?? Is it a lot of paperwork and lab interpretations and H&P??

Thank you very much for your input!

Hello everyone, I want to start this post by saying that I have seen other threads where people asked about how to make most convenient scheduling, and basically got berated by posters saying that you will have to take nights, calls, weekends. I understand that many hospital jobs will require that of their workers; I also know outpatient surgery centers will not. I entered nursing with the goal of becoming a nurse anesthetist, so do not doubt my desire to go for this career, it is 100% what I want, but perhaps now that I am a little older, I have a few other things I consider in my plan. I just want to know how flexible your schedule can be. As in, I plan to go to school for this before I have kids, and to work most likely part time while they are young. In hospitals, I know you can take 24's, which is great, but is there some way to sign up for those "undesirable" call hours, like nights, or weekends? I'd just like to know my options!! I really appreciate your help, thank you!

Hello everyone! I am going to be honest and put it bluntly: I am a neurotic freak about trying to plan things in my life! I am soon to finish my bachelor's degree in nursing, and considering which specialties I am interested in. I am very attracted to both FNP and CRNA... both seem to be very different yet both appeal very well to my personality type. I would most likely apply FNP in the ER setting or a cardiology office. But, I like to think waaayy ahead to family life; I want to be home for my kids after school. I want to have a job that will let me be there, not getting home for dinner-time and not being able to take them to their activities. I already know about the flexibility of a CRNAs hours and scheduling, but am unsure of NPs. So, FNP's out there.. can you tell me what type of setting you are in and what are your hours? Are FNPs working in the hospital 7-3 shifts or is that not possible? Thank you for any help!! =)