sandman2b

Call me crazy, but I don't know why on earth someone would want to do that! Why go through 8 more years of school/training to, essentially, do the same thing you were doing? The money? Please enlighten me!

Loisane, Thanks for your insight. I'm currently not in a situation where I can start working in the ICU (I'm at an overseas military hospital) and won't be for another 14 months. However, I'd really like to apply to anesthesia school now, with the hopes of starting immediately after I leave the military. If I don't get in, I'll head straight for the ICU :)

Thanks for the prompt responses...much appreciated!

I am a military RN working on a Mother-Baby ward at a Naval Hospital in Japan. We have many civilian (civil service) RN's working for us, many of whom had no experience prior to being hired. We are severely understaffed and undersupplied overseas, and we take what we can get, plain and simple (as long as you have a license :) ). Please keep in mind, however, you may get hired without a problem (the pay is much less than it is in the states, I've heard) but you also may not be oriented correctly because of short-staffing. I was thrown into Mother-Baby without a proper orientation and work with a group of RN's who also had no prior OB experience. Not a fun situation let me tell you. My experience is strictly limited to the Navy, so things may be completely different in the Army. Indeed, I know an RN that works in the ICU at Landstult (sp?), and she LOVES it. They are very busy and very state-of-the-art (as far as overseas military hospitals go). As far as applying goes...all civil service jobs are on file in the Human Resources Office on each particular base. Good Luck!

Any SRNA's or CRNA's out there with only PACU experience prior to applying to anesthesia school? I have some ICU experience, but have spent most of my years in a very busy 14 bed PACU. I honestly believe I have seen and dealt with just about every type of anesthesia-related complication out there, and therefore feel fairly comfortable dealing with airway and hemodynamic emergencies. Not to mention that I am very familar with all of the different types of surgeries, as well as most of the anesthetic gases, muscle relaxants, vasoactive meds, antiemetics, and opiates. What are your opinions? Do you think this type of experience is enough to succeed in Anesthesia school? Or am I just wasting time applying b/c I'll more than likely get passed over for someone with ICU experience? It's a little intimidating hearing from only ICU trained CRNA's and SRNA's, but I really do think I can do it. Is one year of ICU really better than 6 years in a PACU? Any opinions? Pearls of wisdom? Thanks, folks. I really appreciate your input.