u/Boring-Awareness8997 — reddlx

Well I officially narrowed it down to two ICU offers and I genuinely keep going back and forth. My long term goal is CRNA school.

Neuro ICU at one of the top hospitals in the US.
Very strong reputation, high acuity, tons of learning opportunities, good resources/support, and overall somewhere I know I would grow a lot as a new grad. The hospital name definitely carries weight and I know I’d probably get amazing experience there for a year.
Cardiac Thoracic Surgical ICU at a smaller/not as well known hospital.
Not the strongest reputation and I’ve heard some concerns about staffing, but cardiac is what genuinely excites me the most. I love hemodynamics, devices, post op hearts, drips, all of it. The thought of learning CVICU/CTSICU makes me really excited.

I keep going back and forth between:

- choosing the top hospital and getting an incredible foundation + possibly transferring to CVICU later
or
- going straight into the specialty I love even if the hospital itself is not as prestigious and may have staffing concerns

For people already in ICU/CRNA school, what would you do? Does the hospital name/reputation matter that much for CRNA admissions and future ICU opportunities in more competitive or ideal cities, or is it smarter to start in the specialty you’re most passionate about from the beginning?

Hi everyone! I’m about to graduate with my BSN (3.8 GPA) and will be starting in a CVICU soon. I’m really interested in going the CRNA route, but I want to take some time to strengthen my foundation before applying.

I feel like I rushed through my science courses to get into nursing school, so I want to go back and really master the material this time around. I’m not in a rush to apply, so I’d rather use this time intentionally.

For those who are in CRNA school or have already gone through it, what science classes would you recommend retaking that actually made a difference? I don’t want to just retake classes for the sake of GPA, but more so to truly understand the material at a deeper level.

Any advice or insight would mean a lot. Thank you!