Specifics about the required ICU experience

The experience requirement is actually for 1 year of "critical care" experience. The COA defines critical care experience as: "Critical Care Experience - Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care areawithin the United States, its territories or a U.S. military hospital outside of the United States.During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision makingand psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpretadvanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routinebasis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasivehemodynamic monitors (such as pulmonary artery catheter, CVP, arterial); cardiac assistdevices; mechanical ventilation; and vasoactive infusions. Examples of critical care units mayinclude but are not limited to: Surgical Intensive Care, Cardiothoracic Intensive care, CoronaryIntensive Care, Medical Intensive Care, Pediatric Intensive Care, and Neonatal Intensive Care.Those who have experiences in other areas may be considered provided they can demonstratecompetence with managing unstable patients, invasive monitoring, ventilators, and critical carepharmacology."

http://home.coa.us.com/accreditation/Documents/Standards%20for%20Accreditation%20of%20Nurse%20Anesthesia%20Education%20Programs_January%202014.pdf