Best ICU experience

[hopetobeCRNA]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site and very happy I found it. I was wondering which ICU specialty is looked at most favorably by CRNA schools. So far I've heard the SICU but are their any others? Those who are CRNA students or just got accepted, can you post which critical care area you worked. Thanks.

[JenSICUCCRN]

I have been told that SICU and also CVICU experience is preferred, but I think one of the SRNA's would be better at answering this question.

Jenny

[RAYMAN]

I have both but most of the time was spent in CVICU where I started nursing. Both units give you good experience, but CVI is probably better for hemodynamics, invasive lines, vent weaning and drips. SICU will give you a better variety of patients. Routine open hearts get boring after a few years. My school told me that the prefer RN's with recent CIVCU experience. Good luck with your pursuit!

rayman

[MmacFN]

After talking to a number of schools i agree with Ray.

CVICU is where you will get the most bang for your buck. However, SICU and TICU are also probably good. In anycase, make sure you get the year of ICU experience, this will allow you to have a variety of schools to apply to.

[NursePink]

I have both but most of the time was spent in CVICU where I started nursing. Both units give you good experience, but CVI is probably better for hemodynamics, invasive lines, vent weaning and drips. SICU will give you a better variety of patients. Routine open hearts get boring after a few years. My school told me that the prefer RN's with recent CIVCU experience. Good luck with your pursuit!

rayman


Yup... agreed. I just finished CRNA school in May. Believe me when I tell ya... all the knowledge of hemodynamics & vasoactive drugs has proven invaluable to me. I worked in all types of ICU (except munchkins) for 7 years before school. CVICU helped me the most. Heavy trauma/SICU wouldn't be bad either.

All the best to ya!! :bowl:

[hopetobeCRNA]

I have both but most of the time was spent in CVICU where I started nursing. Both units give you good experience, but CVI is probably better for hemodynamics, invasive lines, vent weaning and drips. SICU will give you a better variety of patients. Routine open hearts get boring after a few years. My school told me that the prefer RN's with recent CIVCU experience. Good luck with your pursuit!

rayman
Is the CVICU the same as the CTICU.... I'm still in nursing school so I don't know what all the initials stand for. Most of the hospitals I've looked at in my area offer CTICU so I was wondering if I can do that instead of CVICU? Thank you all for your input.

[NursePink]

Yup... CTICU = cardiothoracic ICU, CVICU=cardiovascular ICU :)

[usfcrna]

Open Heart Recovery Unit is what will impress the people that are interviewing you the most. I had 2 years EMS while I was in nursing school then 1 year in ER, 2 years CSU (Open Heart), and 3 years of doing contracts in various types of critical care units including Trauma Icu, CCU and a General SICU. The people that interviewed me liked that I had CSU and they also liked that I had a wide variety of expirence. If you only have a year or two, go with open heart for the most expirence in a short amount of time. It does get routine and boring after a while as was allready mentioned. Hope this helps

[tlberryrn]

I recently started school at MTSA in Nashville. There are people there from SICU, TICU, CVICU, MICU, etc., etc. I don't think they favor any particular flavor of ICU more than another. From what I gather about their program the most important thing is that you work in an ICU where you will be exposed to large amounts of invasive monitoring (Swans, Alines, etc.), airway management (Vents, weaning, etc.), management of complex drips, and management of complex patients. Hope this helps.


Good luck,

Travis

[walticurnaz]

I don't see a lot of swans but a-lines + central lines and vasoactive gtts are common.We don't do hearts at my facility. I am getting my bsn now.
Any SRNA's or pre-SRNA's know a hospital with a good open heart program that is willing to train an RN with 1.5 years ICU experience and won't begrudge you for being interested in anesthesia?

[athomas91]

i will be honest - i think that a well rounded experience is a good thing.
i did CVICU for my "requirement" to get in - but primarily i was trauma/ER - and i feel that it benefited me more with time management and grace under fire.
so - find your weaknesses and go there - ie. if you have done open hearts and feel very comfortable with that - find another area to learn from whether it be neuro, trauma, or medical ICU's.
good luck!

[streetnrs1]

As someone who used to interview potential students, CVICU and SICU were the "hot units", but more important then the name of the unit was what you did in the unit. I wanted to hear that you had experience in hemodynamic monitoring and titrating drips. Could you interpret the data and make the appropriate changes based on that data? Did you know how the numbers related to the patient? Did you understand the patient physiology going on that showed up as the numbers that you obtained? Anyone can obtain a CVP, but a seasoned clinician will understand exactly what that number represents. He/She can look beyond the number and see the actual patient. He/She can take the physiology of that specific number, the look of the patient, the history of the patient, and so on and know what to do next. Basically, it's not the name of the unit that you work in, but the experience that you are receiving in that unit. Schools want you to have a clear advanced understanding of the body and how it responds to the things that we do to it as medical providers. They want to focus your education on anesthesia and not have to remediate you on basic critical care nursing principles. There's just too much to learn in a short time. For that reason, most schools want to see high tech ICU backgrounds on your application.

[lytilcrna]

Hello everyone...i too am a newbie and I was reading this thread and got some good info on it..I have been a CICU rn for a pediatric unit how would that look on my application alone...Is adult ICU a must? I just want to make myself as appealing as possible.

[MmacFN]

Hey

I think adult ICU will prepare you for 90% of cases. The background is invaluable as peds and adults are 2 differnt worlds. Meds, procedures etc. Totally different.

See if you can get in for 6 months - 1 year of CVICU

[BEHINDtheCURTAIN]

Prior to getting into my Anesthesia Program I had 1 year of MICU and CCU experience on a combined unit. I feel the experience you get, is of more value and merit than the "type of unit" you are in. Being on the MICU I was given the opportunity to work with Swan's and CRRT. But on the CCU side I was exposed to intra-aortic balloon pumps, LVADs, etc. In addition, working at a university/teaching facility allowed me to pick the brain's of residents/fellows/attendings and gain a glimpse into medicine and expand my thinking beyond critical care nursing.

[walticurnaz]

I just interviewed for a CVICU job. I decided that I would get more exposure to the IABPs, LVADS, Swans, and so forth.
I am also looking to take the CCRN Exam by the end of the year.

[NursePink]

We'll cross our fingers that ya get it! It'll be invaluable to you when it comes time to start anesthesia school. Good luck!

[tiaotrl]

Yes University of Maryland Medical Center (downtown baltimore) Cardio thoracic ICU are in dier needs of nursing, they are giving sign on bonuses and offering higher wages if you committ to this unit.

[walticurnaz]

Thanks for everyone's encouragement. I will be starting in the CVICU in two weeks!

[MmacFN]

awesome!

Enjoy man ! Where will you be working (i live in AZ)