weekend plan for my ICU experience?

[sophie<3]

Hi! So I have been a nurse for about 4 years now, all within the same facility (level 1 trauma center, large teaching hospital). In these four years I've worked in Bone Marrow Transplant, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and the Operating Room. Since working in the OR, I have really fallen in love with the CRNA role and would like to pursue this route. I always knew circulating in the OR wouldn't be my forever job..I considered going back to school as an NP and RNFA and assist in surgery while doing pre/post op care on the patients...but honestly, and I don't want to sounded jaded but...I really do prefer patients to be asleep and I can't see myself in a clinic setting bouncing from room to room. I have really embraced the OR atmosphere...I have found my niche and don't ever want to leave. After some self reflection and careful consideration of the role change and sacrifices and hard work needed, I want to be a CRNA.

That being said, I know I have to get more critical care experience. I worked about 9 months in a Level III NICU and didn't exactly hate the job itself, just didn't love it. I know most programs don't knock you for your experience but they also want adult ICU. I get it, that's fine...so I've been looking to transfer and have recently applied to CVICU, TICU, and MICU. All require night shift (boo) which I am willing to do..but the MICU position is what we call a "WEPP" position..a weekend plan where an experienced nurse (more than 1 yr experience as an RN) works a 12 hr shift on Saturday and Sunday and gets paid full-time pay plus benefits. This sounds pretty good to me, I feel I could get my ICU experience, potentially stay on in the OR a day or two a week PRN while also working on my GRE and an additional chemistry class I need. Only problem is, can i be accepted into CRNA school working essentially "part time" even though my job title pretty much states I am full time? I would potentially be in the ICU setting for 1 year-1.5 years before starting CRNA school...is it enough? Or should I scratch the idea altogether.....thoughts? Sorry so long!

[offlabel]

Do not consider applying to anesthesia school before you have 3 years of significant critical care experience.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Moved to student CRNA forum

[kbl7td]

Do not consider applying to anesthesia school before you have 3 years of significant critical care experience.

This is terrible advice.

[m1lkofamnesia]

Some schools will accept a year of full-time ICU, others were require 2 by the time you start. At the time I applied to CRNA school, I had a year and 4 months experience. I got accepted. So ignore the 3 years advice but yeah, get a full time ICU position if this is what you really want

[tswim]

Most programs require that the year of work prior to entering anesthesia school be full-time in the ICU. That means at least 3 days a week in ICU. So, no, the weekend plan will not likely meet the requirements for applying to anesthesia schools.

Also, those 3 days a week would be providing you opportunities to obtain knowledge/skills that will be useful for CRNA school; this is why the minimum ICU requirements exist.

[sophie<3]

thank you! this is ultimately what I was thinking and really prefer having weekends off anyway since that may be limited if/when I get into CRNA school. I really want to keep my OR job PRN though...I know the fields are somewhat unrelated because i circulate but I think keeping those relationships will be important when requesting reference letters and what not. Plus, this gives me unlimited access to shadowing at my discretion. I know when I start anesthesia school I will have to quit work altogether and I am accepting of that. But for the time being, I'd like to do both. and yes, I was just going to ignore that 3 year experience comment. while more experience can't hurt...I think there's a 1 year minimum for a reason and I hope to make my 1-1.5 years the best experience I can.