IF for some reason you COULDN'T be a CRNA what area of nursing...

[Roland]

(if any) would you pursue? Would you just stay in the ICU? I think my goal short of becoming a CRNA would probably be to become an ACNP, but I'm not really sure how much of a role they have in the ICU rather than the ER. It seems like the ICU is just about the only place where "medical" skills are emphasized over "nursing" skills (perhaps also the ER). I would consider becoming a FCNP if I could make "house calls" like MD's used to do, but I don't think that would be allowed!

[CougRN]

ok i'll bite on this one. personally i think i would look into the neonatal NP program. they do so much at our hospital and it is so interesting that i would really consider it. if not that i would do flight nursing with a group that does scene response. but these are only fall back plans. i am starting CRNA school in september so i plan to be a CRNA. really i don't think about anything else. so hopefully i won't even have to fall back on anything else.

[athomas91]

i would have definately gone the NP route...i couldn't do ED nursing anymore..and there was no other area that really stimulated my mind.....i agree w/ coug...probably neonatal.....

[WntrMute2]

The University of maryland offered a acute care NP. If I hadn't made it to & thru CRNA school, I'd have gone for that.

[nilepoc]

I would get out of nursing, as I could not go back to the bedside. I enjoyed my time there, but will not go back, after having tasted the grass on this side of the fence.

I would probably hook up with a medical company and become a sales person, but not in the arena of the OR.

What I would probably ultimately end up doing, is working with my medical knowledge and computer knowledge. Using them to obtain a job designing interfaces for new medical devices and input systems.

[charles-thor]

Wait tables or maybe drive a bus...

:chuckle

But seriously, I'd probably go the ACNP route. I know several people who've graduated from the program at University of Maryland and are doing quite well. It seems as though it could be an interesting role as long as the environment you work in allows you to flourish.

[TeenyBabyRN]

I agree with nilepoc,

I would leave nursing entirely -- too much crap to put up with.

I actually thought about the Neonatal NP route before deciding on pursuing anesthesia as a career, but they ultimately do not have that much more autonomy than the staff nurses. In our unit, it was not uncommon for the NNPs to round and write orders and for the docs to round behind them and change the orders

Then again, these same doctors would round behind each other and change each others' orders...

[gaspassah]

i agree with nilpoc, i dont think i could go back to the bedside. orthopedic surgical supplies for me, hips knees etc.

d

[NCgirl]

If I couldn't do flight nursing with lots of scene/trauma calls, I'd go back to school and become a professional children's photographer.

[TraumaNurse]

Like many others, I would most likely leave bedside nursing and do something completely different like medical sales or be a full-time stay-at-home dad! I may also consider returning to flight nursing (Next to CRNA, it's the coolest nursing career out there!) :)

[kybluefan]

I'm with the majority here. I would probably go back to real estate, or go get a degree in an unrelated field. By the time I started my program, I was done with being a staff nurse. CRNA school is the BEST thing that ever happened to me! I absolutely love the path I have taken!

[Brenna's Dad]

I would also try and leave nursing. Like others have said, I enjoyed my time there, but felt I was done.

Cabinetmaking has always looked very appealing