Waiving ICU requirement

Nursing4ever · Apr 15, 2020

No would be the simple answer. Many of us have busted our behinds working tirelessly in the ICU for many years to improve our knowledge, help people, become better ICU nurses and prepare for CRNA school. You cannot just simply "waive" this requirement and the mere question is rather ridiculous. No school will waive this requirement. You will have to wait it out and find an ICU to work in just like everyone else had to.

Jkloo · Apr 15, 2020

Plenty of applicants without waiving any requirements as it is.

Defibn', RN, EMT-P · Apr 15, 2020

If you found a program willing to do that, I wouldn't go there. Anesthesia schools expect that you have some base knowledge coming into school. It is hard, even for people that have great experience. Nursing school does not teach you very much, unfortunately. It's sad. I'm sure you worked hard, spent a lot of time studying, and paid a lot of money. Anesthesia school is nothing like nursing school. You will learn more in one year of bedside nursing than you did in a 4-year undergraduate nursing education if you apply yourself. Just pump the breaks, slow down, go to work and learn as much as you can everyday. Anesthesia school will be there when you are ready.

saveitICU, CRNA · Apr 15, 2020

Well you are missing the most important part of the application. No book can teach the knowledge you gain from hands-on ICU experience day in and day out. There's a reason it's there and shouldn't be taken as something that can be replaced or cut out so easily.

TPN1986, RN · Apr 16, 2020

On ‎4‎/‎15‎/‎2020 at 12:23 AM, lellomere said:
Hello, I am interested in applying to CRNA schools and am missing only the ICU work requirement. It seems ironic during the current pandemic but everyone seems to not have time to train newbies in the ICU, but want to throw new hires in other services like med-surg, etc. Are there any CRNA programs waiving the ICU work requirement or modifying it with an exam to test vasoactive knowledge, etc? Thanks in advance!

The irony of your post is that it's not the school's requirement that you have ICU experience. It's the COA, the accrediting body that requires schools to accept applicants from a critical care/ICU background. Granted there are a few schools that accept students with an ER background in an area where the emergency room boards and cares for a large number of ICU patients. Point being, if you're truly interested in going to CRNA school you should invest your time looking for a job in the ICU, their should be plenty of open positions to fill in the middle of a pandemic where they're literally begging nurses to work in the ICU.

Defibn', RN, EMT-P · Apr 16, 2020

11 hours ago, TPN1986 said:
The irony of your post is that it's not the school's requirement that you have ICU experience. It's the COA, the accrediting body that requires schools to accept applicants from a critical care/ICU background

Yes. Great point.

murseman24, MSN, CRNA · Apr 16, 2020

I don't think you would survive in the OR when the CRNA finds out you don't know how to use an a-line and you somehow got into school without any experience first. Some people would eat you up and spit you out.

DesertSky, BSN · Apr 22, 2020

Why would you even consider CRNA school without ICU experience? Would you honestly feel confident and prepared to step into an OR as a SRNA and manage critical patients with only "book knowledge" versus real life experience? CRNA programs require ICU experience in order to show an applicant has become competent with patient assessment, managing and understanding multiple different kinds of monitoring devices and equipment, and understanding the complex management of patients who are actively trying to die on you your entire 12 hour shift.

There is already a steep learning curve going from an experienced ICU nurse to a SRNA. Set yourself up for success and get some ICU experience before taking on such a demanding and intense goal.