1 year ICU schools

redbeau · Aug 13, 2006

I am also interested to go into nurse anesthesia school and am in the process of getting the prerequisite of 1 year ICu experience, i also had a previous degree (Biology) and got into an Accelerated BSN progam.....and now a new grad, very ambitious dedicated and passionate about my profession, and i want to get to anesthesia as fast as i can!!(in 1 to 2 years) but i also value the feedbacks (positive or negative) and experiences of those who are ahead of me, i think whether they are cranky or nice i can still learn from them and that is the most important to me... to learn from those who travelled the road ahead of me...i dont know what to do without you experienced nurse, so i am now trying to learn everything i can from you.... thanks...keep on sharing your knowlegde and opinions to us new grads!!!

ccusherry · Aug 14, 2006

I've been following this thread and would like to add my humble opinion. I remember when I first graduated with my RN and started in the ICU. There is so much to learn!!! I would not have felt ready to apply to an anesthesia program so soon out of school. Nursing school only teaches you the basics and once you graduate and enter a specialty area such as critical care, you build upon that knowledge base that you have from nursing school. An RN I knew when I was in school once told me that it takes the majority of nurses 3-4 years to be a skilled critical care nurse. Only in the last 3 years have I felt that I was ready to apply to an anesthesia program. I feel I have built my critical care knowledge base solidly enough to take on the challenge of anesthesia. I just feel that 1-2 years of critical care experience is not enough before applying to a program.

GregRN · Aug 15, 2006

I have to admit, I'm somewhat baffled by all the opinions regarding who is and who isn't ready for CRNA school, doled out freely by those who aren't in and have never been in a CRNA proram. I have yet to hear from someone who's been through a CRNA program and has worked in the field for a bit offer any opinion on how well 1-2 years of ICU experience prepares one for CRNA school. Those are the opinions that will carry weight in my book.

midwestsrna1 · Aug 17, 2006

well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i e-mailed the director of a program i'm interesed in and said
"i graduated in december 2005 with my bsn and i'm considering applying to your program after 1 year of adult icu experience (18 months total if accepted for fall 08) and was wondering if it would be better to have a few extra years of icu exp?
she responded by saying "our admission requirements state 1 year of critical care experience. i would encourage you to apply as soon as you are eligible"
she's basically saying 1 year is adequate and enough to successfully complete the program or they wouldn't accept people with one year. plain and simple!
everyone should just apply when they feel comfortable and not worry about what anyone else thinks!

did you ever think that maybe they want your application fee? of course they want as many people to apply as possible.

GregRN · Aug 17, 2006

Did you ever think that maybe they want your application fee? Of course they want as many people to apply as possible.

What, $20? $50? $100? Some even charge nothing if you apply online, and most refund it when you're accepted. I hardly think an application fee is a worthy revenue stream for colleges to be pursuing that heavily. Application fees really aren't a huge money maker for college programs. :rolleyes:

goodytwoshoes · Aug 17, 2006

I have another point of view Re: the one year ICU programs. How about all of us IN the ICU, we the severely overworked RNs. We are tired of precepting new grads, especially those who plan to "take all of the knowledge they can" in one itty bitty year (NOT nearly enough, in my opinion,believe me; I've seen them) and then leave. They don't contribute to the morale, or help take the burden off of us- they take take take. Its A LOT of work to precept a new grad to a sick, highly acute ICU, and by staying only a year, you are giving us nothing back. You are not going to be around next Christmas, so I don't have to work it. You are not going to help give me a hand when I need it, b/c you won't know enough, or know how to help. You are just going to be needy, needy, needy, and then leave when you are barely on your feet. Ugh!

asianrn · Aug 18, 2006

I feel your pain goodytwoshoes...

rubin777 · Aug 22, 2006

Just want to get something of my chest. We are our own worst enemies (As in RNs). Why do we constantly put/hold our own down. Why cant we just help out all those eager students out. I have read every reply from this post and am sick of all the negativity. Why can't everyone just take a deep breath and be nice. Furthermore, one can succeed with only one year experience. If you have 1 year at the start of the program then thats enough. Some of my best classmates have one year and are amazing. I just turned 25 yrs and only had 1 year at start. I currently have a 4.0 GPA and am doing well in clinicals. Oh ya and I am not a braniac either. I only had a 3.0 undergrad. I just work really hard and come to class/hospitals excited and eager to learn, just like I did when I started in the ICU. By the way John Nagelhout(the yoda of nurse anesthesia) only had 1 year of exp. when he started and it was a lot harder back then, didn't have all the adv. in healthcare and tech we do today. Please dont be a "hater". lets encourage those who want to succeed and be adv. practice RNs, they are the future of our profession.

chadash · Aug 22, 2006

agree or disagree with accelerated entry to professional nurse anesthesia practice, fine. but keep the posts on-track and refrain from ad hominem attacks, or the thread will need to be closed.

thanks for understanding.

i am just trying to figure out what ad hominem means.....

grnmtngirl · Aug 22, 2006

Ad hominem- "Attacks against the poster instead of refuting the facts in his post"

japaho41 · Aug 22, 2006

Just want to get something of my chest. We are our own worst enemies (As in RNs). Why do we constantly put/hold our own down. Why cant we just help out all those eager students out. I have read every reply from this post and am sick of all the negativity. Why can't everyone just take a deep breath and be nice. Furthermore, one can succeed with only one year experience. If you have 1 year at the start of the program then thats enough. Some of my best classmates have one year and are amazing. I just turned 25 yrs and only had 1 year at start. I currently have a 4.0 GPA and am doing well in clinicals. Oh ya and I am not a braniac either. I only had a 3.0 undergrad. I just work really hard and come to class/hospitals excited and eager to learn, just like I did when I started in the ICU. By the way John Nagelhout(the yoda of nurse anesthesia) only had 1 year of exp. when he started and it was a lot harder back then, didn't have all the adv. in healthcare and tech we do today. Please dont be a "hater". lets encourage those who want to succeed and be adv. practice RNs, they are the future of our profession.

Well said, I am all about helping the young ambitious nurses to find their path to achieving their goals. If you think about SOME nurses that we all have worked with the type that are extremely bitter, hate their job but too afraid to jump into something else because it would be a risk, the type that takes pleasure in watching you drowned while they are putting their feet up on the desk laughing at you running around like a chicken with your head cut off. Yes these are the ones that are most apt to tell you can't before telling you that you can. Why, simply they are jealous because you have the courage to go above and beyond what they have known and done their entire life. I think the message hear on this thread to new RN's in the ICU is take time to become proficient in your skills and knowledge before having to utilize those skills on top of yet further responsibility and skills. My arguement will stand that it is simply impossible to gain significant experience and care for the most critical patients in an ICU in 1 years' time yet reach a position of somewhat comfort. If you do claim to be comfortable, you scare me the most because you should always have some fear in the ICU. Those hear with significant experience are simply saying slow down alittle.

apaisRN, RN, CRNA · Aug 23, 2006

I do understand where the longterm ICU nurses are coming from. New ICU RNs require a lot of focused attention and don't stay long if they have anesthesia plans. However, as an SRNA (who worked 2 yrs in the unit) - what else can we do? CRNA programs require one year and often accept after one year. Should I stay in the ICU, working nights for RN wages when I can be advancing myself personally and professionally? The working world is not altruistic and no one enters any unit with a primary goal of making the lives of other nurses easier. Maybe the schools should change the policies. I dunno.