Which would you choose

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I got some cvicu offers, narrowed down to maybe two places both in the same system. One cvicu can start ecmo but transfers to other hospital to manage. Do you think ecmo is an important or beneficial thing for CRNA school? Or just having cvicu experience with everything else is sufficient? 

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Not having ECMO isn't going to hurt your chances.

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Not having ECMO won't hurt you, but an ECMO managing unit is an indicator of generally higher acuity patients which will help you. But if you stay for less than 2 years, you won't derive the benefit you're looking for either way...

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offlabel said:

Not having ECMO won't hurt you, but an ECMO managing unit is an indicator of generally higher acuity patients which will help you. But if you stay for less than 2 years, you won't derive the benefit you're looking for either way...

I'm definitely planning to stay longer than a year...so maybe I should choose that option. 

subee said:

Not having ECMO isn't going to hurt your chances.

Yea, I know. Guess I just wanted to know if it would look favorable on my part. 

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
hopefulnurse18 said:

I'm definitely planning to stay longer than a year...so maybe I should choose that option. 

Yea, I know. Guess I just wanted to know if it would look favorable on my part. 

The anesthesia world is vastly bread and butter cases.  You won't be caring for ECMO patients in the OR.

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesiology Student.

I'm in my 2nd semester of anesthesia school and I got in without ECMO experience. 

Devices are great because it molds your tolerance level when it comes to dealing with the sickest of the sickest, but understanding the pathophysiology and pharmacotherapies behind the disease management is whats most important, not the device itself.

That said, I'd choose the one with smaller unit (I despise large units because it feels less intimate). I'm coming from a 12 bed unit and had time to built rapport with the attendings, APPs, and other coworkers, and used this to my advantage to hone my skills and knowledge. 

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Lipoma said:

I'm in my 2nd semester of anesthesia school and I got in without ECMO experience. 

Devices are great because it molds your tolerance level when it comes to dealing with the sickest of the sickest, but understanding the pathophysiology and pharmacotherapies behind the disease management is whats most important, not the device itself.

That said, I'd choose the one with smaller unit (I despise large units because it feels less intimate). I'm coming from a 12 bed unit and had time to built rapport with the attendings, APPs, and other coworkers, and used this to my advantage to hone my skills and knowledge. 

Thanks for that! None of the hospitals are smaller units. They're between 21 and 24 beds...two of the hospitals are 1 and 2 cardiac hospitals in the state. I've already met a few of the Apps on two of the units...I asked the director to do so. I think I'll learn a lot at any of the places, I just want to be well rounded. 

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hopefulnurse18 said:

I'm definitely planning to stay longer than a year...so maybe I should choose that option. 

Like I said, less than 2 years, firm, don't bother.

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