Suggestions for an ICU hopeful SOS.

[rtip]

Hello Nurses!

This fall I will begin work on my Bachelors Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. One day, I hope to become a Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA?). I've done a little bit of research on the topic and it seems that I will need plenty of experience in an ICU. However, because I have literally zero experience in the field of nursing, I need some advice. 1) How likely is it that I will be able to get a job in an ICU directly out of school? 2) Is there a type of ICU that stands out on an application or are they all relatively equal? 3) Is there anything I can do now to help me in the application process in 4 to 5 years? 4) For those of you who have been where I am, what is your best advice?

Thank you friends, peace and blessings.

[Cuddleswithpuddles]

Hi there,

Welcome to Allnurses and congratulations for getting into a BSN program!

Here is my stab at your questions :)

1. It is very unlikely to get a new grad position directly into ICU. First and foremost, the job market for nurses in general is pretty tight. It has not been kind of new grads, even if you have a BSN. That being said, numerous hospitals have new grad programs that have extensive orientations to units such as critical care. These are very competitive programs but could be your best chance into getting into an ICU directly.

Consider starting out in telemetry or stepdown as well. They are not as intense as ICU but you will learn a lot of skills such as assessments, analyzing EKG rhythms and labs, how to communicate with doctors effectively etc. that will carry over into ICU.

2. I know very little about CRNA programs so I will bow out of this question.

3 and 4. I think the best thing I ever did was take my clinical rotations very, very seriously. I treated them like job interviews. I went above and beyond, took the time to remember names and introduce myself to managers if possible. I made case studies for most of my patients and was prepared with a capital P. I asked to participate for every single thing whether it be as simple as a Foley insertion or something as a big as a code, while most of my classmates were content to do their notes and homework at the station. I think that kind of approach has made all the difference in my job opportunities after school.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

I disagree with the PP - a huge number of students in my graduating class got ICU right after graduation. I think there are at least 15-20 of us who went into intensive care, way more than the number of our classmates who went into anything else in particular. You can definitely get hired right out of school into ICU with a BSN. You may be lucky enough to even do that where you live, but if you can't, you can always move somewhere outside of the big cities and try to get ICU out there.