Old Old Fashioned Nursing Ideas

As a new grad I went directly into SICU through a nurse residency program. Nearly all the nurses I worked with the the SICU had come to the ICU as new grads like me. I know several of the larger hospitals in my state have gone to nurse residency programs to get new grads into the ICU.
I have heard manager at my hospital talk about how much better, and cheaper it was for the hospital to invest the training in new grads rather than hire nurses with med-surg experience to be trained as ICU nurses. I have often heard the idea that a new ICU nurse should be a nurse with years of med-surg experience "old fashioned" and not consistant with evidenced based practice.
My question is does anyone know of any evidence to back up what I have been hearing?
Evidence that supports hiring new grads because it is cheaper or evidence that hiring experienced nurses would be better, or something all together different?

do u have to be a bsn new grad to be able to do an internship or can adn/asn new grads do internships as well?

Quote from ihaveaginerdo u have to be a bsn new grad to be able to do an internship or can adn/asn new grads do internships as well?

Quote from CRNI(R)Evidence that supports hiring new grads because it is cheaper or evidence that hiring experienced nurses would be better, or something all together different?

Follow the money, honey! But, I don't think you'll find that there are better outcomes (unless you're talking strictly about hospital budget) with new grads.

It's a heck of a lot cheaper to hire a new grad than to hire someone like me at 7-10 dollars more an hour. While I have 10 more years of nursing experience, I know that's a mixed bag when it comes to a more critical unit. So you have to pay more significantly more for my nursing experience (if I transfer in, as much as you are paying your ICU nurses who have been there for 5-8 years), but you really aren't getting that much more for your money.

Quote from tablefor9Follow the money, honey! But, I don't think you'll find that there are better outcomes (unless you're talking strictly about hospital budget) with new grads.

Quote from BluegrassRNIt's a heck of a lot cheaper to hire a new grad than to hire someone like me at 7-10 dollars more an hour. While I have 10 more years of nursing experience, I know that's a mixed bag when it comes to a more critical unit. So you have to pay more significantly more for my nursing experience (if I transfer in, as much as you are paying your ICU nurses who have been there for 5-8 years), but you really aren't getting that much more for your money.

Quote from PMFB-RN*** I think that is incorrect. My observation is that isn't the case at all. However I have no evidence other than anecdotal and personal experience to back it up.

Quote from tablefor9I get that you don't agree, and surely we can agree to disagree; I also went directly into an ICU position years ago. That doesn't mean it was or is a great idea. Because I'm feeling generous, I'll toss you this: JAMA, 2003, Volume 290, #12, Aiken et al, there are the results of a study that looked at patient outcomes controlled for RN experience, education, workload and whether or not physician (surgeon) was board certified. There was virtually no difference in pt outcome based on bedside nursing years of experience, but showed better outcomes for BSN care, pt load of 7 or less, and board certified MD. May I respectfully share that in the time it took me to locate this single reference, I found *3* that showed better outcomes dependent on nursing experience?Have a great day!

Just out of curiosity- what hurdles to overcome for med-surg nurses?

What hurdles?Are you saying that if you take a new grad and pair them up with me 5 years of experience, that they would have less hurdles?? LOL.Don't grill me, as this is my opinion, but...I don't think new grads should be in the ICU.I went to a BSN program and did my clinicals in the ICU and the CCU.Once I graduated I was more ready for learning, and perfecting skills than I was ready for caring for critical patients. I just don't think a new grad has the experience or the skills for a setting such as the ICU. I would think it to be cheaper to hire a nurse with loads of experience, with staying power, than it would be a new grad who may not like or be ready for the challenge ICU brings. I heard that a 6 week orientation runs about $20,000. A more seasoned nurse might only need half of that time. Of course each hospital has different new grad programs. I am used to the 6 weeks for new grads and 3 weeks for already seasoned nurses.