mountain state university

I am enrolled at Mountain State University...No one has graduated, as the 1st CRNA class started April, 2005....It's a 30 month program and graduates will obtain an MSN....

Here's how it works....We meet in Beckley every 3 wks for 3 days of classes...12 hour days...We have students in my class from WVa, Va, Ky, Pa and one from Texas...each student is responsible for being in Beckley for scheduled classes....

While on campus students have more lectures, sims lab, cadaver lab, presentations, discussions, and all testing is conducted on campus in a secured environment....

The online part: During orientation students receive their books and a laptop...While on campus for your 3 day blocks....lectures for the upcoming section is downloaded to each student's laptop...Once you go home....you watch your lectures....For example, this semester we have Chemistry and Physics....Advanced Physiology 1 and 2...Issues, Theories, and Ethics.....Intro to Anesthesia.......On the lectures there is a side box where you actually watch the instructor present the lecture as if you were in a live class....beside that is a larger box with the power point of the lecture...you can stop, pause, go back or forward etc on each lecture....there is a printer version of the lecture so you can print it and add your own notes as you watch it...It's pretty cool because you can stop the lecture...answer the phone or whatever...then continue on whenever you're ready again....The lectures have been videoed to a CD then downloaded to our comps so we can watch lectures over and over if needed or just watch a certain section again.....You can't do that after a live class!

We use WebCT for interaction....there is a CRNA homepage on WebCT for the SRNAs.....each class has a link where you can post mail...discussions....receive homework and assignments, the syllabus, grades, chat, and send due assignments and papers...once an assignment is sent the student cannot retrieve it again to change anything....

Clinicals: This is a front loaded program with the majority of the classes being in the first 15 months....In Aug. we'll start a one day a week OR observation....The last 15 months clinicals are 5 days a week....

This is a distant learning program set up so that you don't have to live in Beckley to go to CRNA school....The director of the program works with hospitals in each students area of residence for places of clinical rotation...

So far I really like it....If I want to watch a lecture a 3am or 10 pm I can....We actually have a few students who are still working this first 15 months....after you start clinicals 5 days a week it will be pretty much impossible to work...but if you feel like you can handle it the first 15, and your grades don't suffer then you can still work at least part time if you choose....

Is this strictly for post MSN grads?
I found this at the MSU website:

"The nurse anesthesia concentration prepares students to meet all requirements to take the Council on Certification for Nurse Anesthetists certification exam, which qualifies them for state recognition or licensure as a CRNA. This concentration is available as a certificate for those who already hold an M.S.N"

Thanks for your input.

Ahhhh.....found the part on the website regarding CRNA admission to MSU....duh! Thanks anyway!

Someone has ask me that before.....I think there may be some confusion because of how it's worded on the website.....I think for the post master's there are a couple of classes in assessment you can test out of but all the CRNA classes they have to take...I also believe they don't have to write another thesis if they've done one previous....We have 3 nurse practitioners, the rest are BSNs....