considering getting RN and CRNA...advice...

[flyboy27834]

Hello all...

A little about myself. I have a degree in Computer Science with a minor in Spanish. I got a CS degree mainly because it was expected of me from my employer when I was working and going to school. (I worked for a local Internet Service Provider). Granted, it is a good degree to have... I have no fear of a computer... :-) I just don't want to spend my days programming and consulting. Currently I fly airplanes... yeah I am a commercial pilot and flight instructor.... that's right I actually have a few MD's as flight students.... a few nurses too. I have noticed how MD's can be arrogant, however I know more than they do in MY field. So, I am sure that being a nurse you can experience MD's being a jerk every now and then.

I have always had an interest in the medical field. A friend of mine has been talking to me about being a CRNA. I know that one first has to work as a RN for at least a year and after reading some of the posts it seems that it may take longer to get into CRNA school. I am 26 year old, 27 in Nov. Right now I will be taking the pre-req courses to get into nursing school, which may be a 15 month program for those of us that have a second degree. That in itself will be a hard 15 months I am sure. So, I could expedite getting the RN and then work for a year and hopefully I could get the MSN in Nurse Anesthesia.

This is 5 years of time minimum.... should I continue to think about this option or just try for Med school and become an Anesthesiologist? Heck, that is 4 years + 3 years residency + ??? So I would be looking at 7 years plus vs 5 years min.

I can see the replies right now.... "what do you want to do" Well, I would like to have the flexibility to work for half a year and maybe travel and/or do mission work. If I wanted. I think that if I am a MD that may be harder because of the nature of that. I know that the earning potiental of a CRNA would allow me to do this especially if I travel.

As you can see I have given this some thought. I think the biggest thing would be to see some real world ideas. I have read on here where people have suggested to shadow a CRNA. I have thought about obtaining an anesthesia tech/assistant job. Good idea?

Thanks for any replies!!!

[sunnybrook83]

If you went the MD route, they do have the equivalent of travel nursing- they call it locum tenems. Basically, they fill in for short staffed facilities, due to whatever reason. Also, you'd have the advantage of not needing medical supervision.

However in a lot of small facilities, the MD's only supervise, it's the CRNA's who do the majority of the hands-on.

Pros and cons to both routes...Think about what approach you want to be caring for your pts- medical and nursing approach from different perspectives.

I think the job shadowing or anesthesia tech is a good idea- see what the field is really like before jumping in with both feet.

Good luck in whatever you choose!!

[MICU RN]

Also shadow a ICU nurse, many times I see people forget that they first have to be a bedside RN, usually in the ICU. And remember getting in crna school with one year critical care experience is the exception. The average is usually more like 3-5 years for most classes. You are still young enough to go into medicine, so I would look into both. Advancing from a RN to CRNA is a great career move, however, I don't think non-nurses realize how long and hard the road is when your not even a nurse yet. You have to put up with a lot of BS and do plenty of dirty work as a bedside RN before you ever get to do anesthesia as a crna.Good luck!!!