I would like to be CCRN-certified as well. I think the step-down units qualify you for your critical care experience, but I’m afraid to ask my potential new boss if this is the case. I don’t want her to think I will up and leave her after my experience. And I’m not sure she will believe that I really really want to rotate among the four different departments if I can.
Do you know if step-down units count toward the hours required so you can test to become CCRN-cerfied?
I don’t know if step-down clinical hours will apply toward the CCRN or not, but I can tell you with reasonable certainty that you will not have the knowledge base to pass CCRN until you take the critical care courses and actually work with this stuff on a frequent basis for awhile. I’m talking here about acute ventilator management, titration of vasoactive drips, intra-aortic balloon pump, intracranial pressure monitoring, and that sort of thing that you’re not going to find in a step-down unit (although some step-downs will take non-titrating drips and stable/long-term vents). CCRN is a
very difficult exam. I didn’t take it until I had already worked in critical care for several years (and I also had a critical care rotation in my BSN program), although AACN requires only 1750 hours of practice.
A few years ago, AACN began offering certification in progressive care (PCCN), for nurses who work in step-down, telemetry, transitional care, ER, etc. This would be the way to go if you see yourself staying in the step-down area on a long-term basis and were wanting certification. [AACN’s website](
http://www.aacn.org/DM/Ma(name removed by moderator)ages/CertificationHome.aspx?menu=Certification) can answer a lot of questions for you.
I think it is wise for new nurses to concentrate on learning their way around their “home” unit and how to care for those patients, and just get comfortable with being a new nurse, before getting overly-eager to branch out. Most figure this out on their own after a few weeks.
Hospital census fluctuates enough that you will get plenty of opportunities to check out other units. When one unit is short-handed, staffing in the other units is evaluated, and someone will be “pulled” to work where they are short (unless you work in a unit with “closed staffing,” where everyone pitches in to cover staffing needs, working more or less as needed). If you find that you really enjoy variety, some hospitals have an in-house “float pool,” where you are cross-trained to several units, and you go wherever you are needed on any particular day. I worked adult critical-care float for awhile at one hospital, where I was cross-trained to medical ICU, CCU, cardiac surgical ICU, neuro/trauma/burn ICU, and PACU. Every working day I’d call in about an hour before the shift began and ask where I was assigned, and that’s where I’d go. I liked that, but it wouldn’t be for everyone. Some people prefer routine and stability!
God bless all of you nurses here on CAF!
I hope to help a lot of people.There are many many kinds of nursing out there, find the one that makes you happy and you will have a very rewarding career.
But you’re right about the ICU nurses. They’re the ones who made me love it so much. They’re great nurses, excellent resources and great teachers. I would love to float among the CCU, neuro CCU, and the step down units, so I know what you mean about floating.
