Working in Two Units

[koreaabc92]

Hi. After I graduate from nursing school(UofL BSN), I want to go to CRNA school. I plan on working in a level 1 trauma center. I was wondering if it is possible for me to base my job-placement desicion(provided I have the correct grades, internships, etc.) on whether or not my manager would let me work in I.C.U. and O.R. in the same week(I wnat to work I.C.U. some days and O.R. others. I do not care what days are which, neither do I care about the proportion. I just want to work both EVERY WEEK.).

I want to know if there are any regulations against this(before I use this as a factor in determining where I spend my 2 years prior to CRNA school).

Much appreciated,

Carlos. M.

(I posted in this section to get answers from current CRNA's and recently graduated, but any CRNA is welcome to answer)

[manusko]

i'm wondering something similar...what did you end up doing? and go gators! I just started the UF ABSN today. I want to work ER and Labor Deliv

You would probably need to work in one unit for at least a year or two to become proficent enough for them to agree to you working PRN so that you can pursue experience in the other unit. Most units would want to hire you for 36 hrs a week and if you work two units and 72 hrs a week, then there would be a good chance you will burn out. ER and LD are very comprehensive places to work with a ton to learn. I would choose one to focus on. If your goal in anesthesia school then I would choose ER.

[icurslo]

If your goal is anesthesia (I've recently been accepted to Barry)...my 2 cents....study hard and make good grades, work in a cardiac icu or cardiac surgical unit if you can and pick up some overtime ever so often in another icu to vary critical experience. CSU is really going to help with hemo-dynamics. While getting your year of acute care experience take GRE. If your end goal is to become a Crna you need to be in an ICU with sick pts to be competitive for school admissions. Working in OR, ER, L&D likely won't cut it for most programs. You don't have to hv ccrn but it will make you more competitive.

[luckyou]

Agreed, if your goal is CRNA cardiac/surgical ICU in a teaching institution is your best bet. As a new grad there is essentially zero chance of working part time on different units. There really is no reason to try and work in the OR anyway. Have you shadowed in the OR? Do you have an idea of what nursing in the OR is like? If that's where you want to work that's cool, but I don't know of any schools that will accept OR experience, and very few that accept ER.