Which should I pursue?

Nursing Students SRNA

Published

Hello,

I'm a senior nursing student graduating in just a couple of weeks and I have two different ICU offers, CVRU and Neuro ICU. It has always been my goal to do anesthesia, therefore I'd like to get some advice on which ICU will better prepare me for anesthesia school. The CVRU is my guess because of the inherently higher exposure to hemodynamic monitoring, vasoactive drips, ventilation, etc., however one of the anesthesia schools in my area supposedly doesn't like CVRU experience due to shorter times spent with the patients. It doesn't really make sense to me--high acuity is high acuity. Anyway, the Neuro ICU offer is a day position (CVRU offer is nights), making it very attractive to a new grad with two small children and another due at the end of this month; the con is that it's at a slightly smaller hospital with lower acuity levels.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Justin

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

A CVRU is what? Is that like a CTICU or CSICU ? If it is..I would def take that one. Most school will accept neuro, but i think the knowledge base you will gain from a CTICU/CSICU/CCU is considerable better than what you would get in neuro. IMHO

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Milk. Thanks for the reply. CVRU is the CardioVascular Recovery Unit. They get the heart transplants, CABGs, ventricular assists, valve replacements, etc. It also serves as a quick recovery unit for VATS procedures, fem/pop bypass, and other lower acuity patients. I'm guessing it is the same as any cardiovascular ICU elsewhere. You confirmed the thoughts I was having about acuity and knowledge base. Now I'm stuck with deciding (for the sake of a better experience) whether or not I want to eat and sleep with my family like a regular person. I would also have to take weekend call once a month.

...decisions!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

Well if you truly want to be a CRNA then you'll do what it takes, remember your up against the best of the best (supposedly). I can't say I can relate cuz in 28 n only have my girlfriend and myself to worry about so I can't even compare. But I would do the CVRU (that's such a weird name lol) I think you'll be better off in the long run, but I would get at least 2 years. Even after 1 year in any ICU you've only scratched the surface of things. Either way good luck with it, it's a long and difficult road but if you want it bad enough you'll do whatever it takes. For me it meant commuting to NYC, working nights and busting my ass, then once I got in I moved from NY to Minnesota.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Choose CV Recovery. After a year there you'll likely also be able to work in the CVICU, and could then transfer or split your time between the 2 areas. This way you will have the "ICU experience" needed for those schools that don't accept Recovery.

And congrats on getting those offers as a new grad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care & Acute Care.

Sounds to me like the CVRU unit is best. I remember reading on a thread on a site where one school said it looked at this like an open heart unit. Just make sure you keep the patients longer than an hour or two. All night preferably and after your training and a few months of work, ask to work a day a week in the ICU so you can see how your patients progress. This will cover all of your bases and have you really looking good applicant wise.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If cvru is an viu then go for it. It doesn't have ICU in the name. Neuro ICU is an ICU and every school will accept it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment