ICU experience?

Nursing Students SRNA

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How many years of ICU experience makes an applicant a really competitive candidate for CRNA school? Also, do CRNA schools prefer experience in a certain unit, such as CVICU, or will a general ICU be competitive enough?

Whatever the minimum requirement is enough... as for type CT surgery is looked at highly, however there are TONS accepted without CT expierence... just make sure you know your field like the back of your hand...

I have not come across a CRNA school that accepts CT surgery in place of ICU experience. Did you perhaps mean CT ICU? If not, what school accepts CT surgery?

Whatever the minimum requirement is enough... as for type CT surgery is looked at highly, however there are TONS accepted without CT expierence... just make sure you know your field like the back of your hand...

I have not come across a CRNA school that accepts CT surgery in place of ICU experience. Did you perhaps mean CT ICU? If not, what school accepts CT surgery?

Yes, she means CT surgical ICU, which are called by a bunch of different names. CVICU, CTICU, CVRU....

As for the question. I think to be a "really competitive" applicant, 2+ years should be good. I don't see a problem with applying with 1 year as long as you feel confident in what you're doing and what you know/should know. I think cardiac surgical ICUs probably are preferred by a lot of programs, but surgical, trauma, and nuerosurgical are all good too.

I have not come across a CRNA school that accepts CT surgery in place of ICU experience. Did you perhaps mean CT ICU? If not, what school accepts CT surgery

Yes, I didn't mean CT OR.... I meant post op CT surgery... that was my background for a year plus PICU for a year and a half.... but like I said, all icus are accepted just make sure you are at a large hospital and you should be fine... however, if CRNA school is 100% the route you wanna take... try to get in a cardiac icu at a large hospital and get involved on your unit and you should be golden!

Specializes in Critical Care.

I highly recommend using the search feature. Works great.

It simply does not matter the ICU, despite what people continue to think. CT ICU is not preferred. It is good, but so are lots of other things. A general surgical/trauma ICU is "best" but even that does not really matter. Have sick patients. Do lots of things, and do them well. Learn lots of organ systems. CT ICU teaches generally one system. Again, it is great, but not all that. Most days in anesthesia are terribly boring, and do not resemble anything like what one sees in the ICU. Just work at a nice sized hospital with a good mix of cases and systems. You will be fine.

As far as experience, the minimum required by a program to get in is just that, the minimum. You don't need decades of experience, but 3-4 years is ideal. Even though some accept with 1 year, you really have to ask why are they doing that? Why not be a stronger applicant, and in the process, end up being a much stronger CRNA?

Good luck.

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