Stay in MICU or move to SICU?

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Okay, so I am going to apply for CRNA schools sessions starting Fall 2005. I have been working in the MICU at huge teaching hospital for a little less than one year. However, I was wondering if it would be to my benifit to get some SICU experience. Or would I be shortchanging my MICU experience? Would I be best to just stick in the MICU for a while and focus on doing the more advanced stuff here? I know that if I was to move to the SICU I would be exposed to some new things.

Basically, my options are this, a deeper experience in the MICU or a broader experience including the SICU. Which do you think that CRNA schools would prefer?

Sincerely,

Bryant preCRNA

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I'd personally stay in your current unit. By the time you start applying you'll only been there 2 years. You'll need strong references in addition to everything else. You're getting the experience you need; hemodynamics, drips, vents.

Hope my opinion helps.

Donn C.

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Specializes in Anesthesia, critical care.

you will be fine with MICU. Definately spend time with a CRNA. Get to know them and have them write you a letter of reference. These are very valuable. If you can enroll in some graduate nursing classes. These are all things I did and I got in.

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I agree with everyone else. I came from the MICU and was admitted. :balloons:

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Yep, stay where you are. Learn what you can there and don't worry about it. CRNA school isn't about how much ICU knowledge you have. You just need to be comfortable with gtts, vents, and lines. So if you like what you are doing stay. Best of luck.

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I'm also from a MICU and got accepted to school. As long as it's at a big teaching hospital and you are getting experience with vents, pressors, Swans, codes, etc. you will be fine.

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Yup, stay in MICU. Showing committment to your unit is beneficial. I would also suggest contacting the SICU manager to see about cross training and getting some extra shifts in the SICU. I have worked mostly trauma/SICU but have always done extra MICU shifts just to broaden my knowledge base. The types of patients and treatments can be very different. The experience would be helpful, but not enough to transfer units just to apply to CRNA school. Personally, I think if you experience different units, you will become a more well rounded nurse.

I agree that you should also spend as much time getting to know the CRNAs as possible and shadow them in the OR if you can. Admissions people really want to see this and to know that you are aware of what you are getting into.

Get the most out of your MICU experience. Take as many classes and certs as you can. Take as many of the sickest patients as you can. Charge nurse duties and preceptoring also add to your personal growth and CRNA school application. BLS, PALS or ACLS instructor also adds to your CV. Good luck.

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I agree. MICU exposes you to alot of chronic medical conditions and what their impact is on cardiac, renal, and pulmonary physiology as well as hemodynamic effects. Cross training in Cardiac surgery and SICU just adds to your skill level. Take the CCRN exam and pass it.

Yup, stay in MICU. Showing committment to your unit is beneficial. I would also suggest contacting the SICU manager to see about cross training and getting some extra shifts in the SICU. I have worked mostly trauma/SICU but have always done extra MICU shifts just to broaden my knowledge base. The types of patients and treatments can be very different. The experience would be helpful, but not enough to transfer units just to apply to CRNA school. Personally, I think if you experience different units, you will become a more well rounded nurse.

I agree that you should also spend as much time getting to know the CRNAs as possible and shadow them in the OR if you can. Admissions people really want to see this and to know that you are aware of what you are getting into.

Get the most out of your MICU experience. Take as many classes and certs as you can. Take as many of the sickest patients as you can. Charge nurse duties and preceptoring also add to your personal growth and CRNA school application. BLS, PALS or ACLS instructor also adds to your CV. Good luck.

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Specializes in SICU, CRNA.

ill offer a differing opinion. I am familiar with your MICU and the SICU of which you are mentioning (if it is the U of Utah Hospital). I would say that as far as acceptance into CRNA school, it probably doesnt' matter. but, for experience and fun, I would at least split time between the two places. I know that Justin does this. getting to know the surgery side of things as well as the large amount of trauma pts is great. also, there are currently two of us who are starting CRNA school this fall, and 8 more guys in the planning/applying stage, you would fit right in. another benefit is that there is always an anesthesia resident assigned to the SICU, great for picking brains and talking anesthesia.

PM me if you have any more questions.

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Specializes in CRNA, ICU,ER,Cathlab, PACU.

trauma said it best. get the best of both worlds. you can deepen and broaden. dont know what the management is like where you work, but if they allow you to, cross-train, it may expose you to different experiences. we saw the crnas more often at the sicu where I worked, dont know if that would be the case where you are. if the sicu in your hospital takes higher acuity patients than the micu, then take your experience and go to the sicu. most of the people in my class have skipped around a bit, and it did not seem to come up in the interview that they were fickle...that is just one program though.

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