KR14CCRN

I have worked in a CVICU for 11 years, and have trained MANY nurses to move on to anesthesia school. Most of them will tell you that they come to my unit to get the experience and to add to their resumes. Any ICU will give you critical care experience, but the CVICU will give you more experience with SWANS and vasoactive medications. Just be sure to get in a busy CVICU to give you the best experience.

Everything you learn is building on everything you have already learned. Anything from previous classes is fair game as far as your instructors see. When you take care of a heart patient you also have to assess the other areas, right? Everything ties together and one system can affect the next. Your instructor is only trying to get you to see the big picture, think critically, and be prepared for anything, because that is the real world of nursing.

It really depends on the type of unit you will be working on. I think that you will have new experiences no matter which patient you choose since it is your first. I usually have my new nurses start out with someone simple just to get comfortable. I would be sure that you have a patient that actually has something for you to do, like give meds or prepare for surgery, etc... Otherwise you could get bored. I always found it helpful to ask my fellow students what's going on with their patients and if they may need help. You could share experiences that way and support each other. It shows your instructor that you are a team player. (You will need recommendations from your clinical instructors when you apply for your first job!). Good Luck!

I am in an online Masters program with a specialization in Leadership and Management. I am having a difficult time coming up with a project idea with measurable outcomes that can be completed in the next three months. I am involved in so many projects at work already, that it has been beyond difficult developing new, refreshing ideas.