Does OR, PACU or ER experience count as critical care experience, or does it have to be ICU?
The Nurse Anesthesia Program does not accept OR experience. Although the Council on Accreditation requires one year of acute care experience, it is highly recommended that the experience be from an ICU rather than PACU or ER. Students gain clinical experience from Barnes-Jewish Hospital or St. Louis Children’s Hospital during the program. Patients at these hospitals have very high acuity since they are tertiary centers. Applicants should be very skilled in caring for patients who are on ventilators, have invasive lines, and have a variety of medicated drips. Applicants who work in PACU or ER will be considered only if the candidate can demonstrate this experience.
