SICU or CC Internship? Opinions Please!

[crna2bkristan]

My ultimate goal is to become a CRNA. I am graduating this December.

My question is: I am attempting to choose between a position in SICU with internship (10 bed combined CICU & SICU) at one local hospital and a Critical Care Intership (16 weeks) offered by the Level I Trauma Center.

The problem is: the SICU is not Level One at the first hospital. Will this affect my chances of getting into CRNA school (it not being Level I)?

The critical care internship does not guarantee ICU placement. In fact, from what I have heard, it is highly unlikely. I have a small chance of starting out in CICU right after the internship ends at the LEvel One hospital.

Thanks in advance for any advice!!

[smileyRn96]

I would be very careful with a facility that wants to attract you to the ICU and then send you off to med/surg hell:devil:....Take the SICU spot work for a few months and see how acute the patients are: if they are not very sick apply for a direct spot into the ICU at the Level 1 trauma center with the SICU experience under your belt and forget the intership stuff with the bait and switch tactics.

-Smiley

[Summitk2]

First, the trauma designation of a hospital doesn't have anything to do with your experience in critical care, unless you are working specifically in a trauma ICU. I would look more closely at whether or not it's a teaching hospital or private. Your work (& learning) experience will vary depending on whether you're collaborating with residents or attendings.

It seems odd for a large hospital to have an internship program that doesn't lead to employment. Have they told you this? I understand that it shouldn't be guaranteed, but it seems like it should be the goal, if the match is right. Have you asked how many of the last group of interns are working in an ICU? Check it out a little more in-depth, if you have questions to clarify.

If getting a position is difficult, I would agree with smiley and go for the SICU. You can always look elsewhere later on (though many hospitals want 1-2 yrs to consider you "experienced"). You'll be much more marketable and competitive when you have experience.

In the end, you're looking for the same thing anesthesia schools are looking for: titration of multiple vasoactive drips, vent management, invasive monitoring, etc. Do whatever it takes to get this experience, but don't get stuck without a job or in the wrong type of unit.

Good luck!

Summitk2

[crna2bkristan]

"if they are not very sick apply for a direct spot into the ICU at the Level 1 trauma center with the SICU experience under your belt and forget the intership stuff with the bait and switch tactics."

Hi! Thanks for your response. How do I know (or what questions can I ask) to determine that the patients are the sickest for the best experience? They recover open hearts and a lot of fem-pop bypasses, as well as other surgeries...(not sure what kinds, will ask in interview).

Thanks!

First, the trauma designation of a hospital doesn't have anything to do with your experience in critical care, unless you are working specifically in a trauma ICU. I would look more closely at whether or not it's a teaching hospital or private. Your work (& learning) experience will vary depending on whether you're collaborating with residents or attendings.

It seems odd for a large hospital to have an internship program that doesn't lead to employment. Have they told you this? I understand that it shouldn't be guaranteed, but it seems like it should be the goal, if the match is right. Have you asked how many of the last group of interns are working in an ICU? Check it out a little more in-depth, if you have questions to clarify.

If getting a position is difficult, I would agree with smiley and go for the SICU. You can always look elsewhere later on (though many hospitals want 1-2 yrs to consider you "experienced"). You'll be much more marketable and competitive when you have experience.

In the end, you're looking for the same thing anesthesia schools are looking for: titration of multiple vasoactive drips, vent management, invasive monitoring, etc. Do whatever it takes to get this experience, but don't get stuck without a job or in the wrong type of unit.

Good luck!

Summitk2

Hi. Thanks for your response! I have some questions-how do I know what kinds of drips are the ones to have? Are you talking about Dopamine and Insulin, Levophed? These (not Levophed) are the kinds of drips I have seen in SICU clinicals at a community hospital. This SICU is in a teaching hospital. In your opinion, will it be a better experience in a teaching hospital?

They do guarantee employment, though no specific unit. It sounds like most people are stuck on advanced care units for an indefinite amount of time (until an ICU position opens up). CICU takes new grads there. Do you think CICU would be better? They are telling me I would learn the most about Hemodynamics in CICU and that it would be the best prep for CRNA. Not sure if they are just trying to steer me or what.

Thanks for your help!!