scared advice please

Specialties CRNA

Published

Specializes in ER/SICU.

I am a new nurse about six months out currently working in the ER. I enjoy nursing but just feel I want to increase my scope of practice. I have entertained the idea of crna school since med/surg. I observed a CABG and spent most of the day with the crna asking a million questions. I worked as a tech during nursing school mostly in the ER and STICU, and talked with srnas that worked prn at the hospital. I started grad school as a non-degree seeking student in the FNP program right out of BSN program just taking one class at a time, but the curriculum focus way to in-depth on caring and the nursing model of care nothing wrong with that but just not my cup of tea. I am currently in adv pharm but the class is a joke. It's online basically the same information as my undergrad pharm it goes a little deeper but not much. I am standing on the edge of deciding to commit to the NP route or go the crna route. I just read so much on this board about difficulty (I am a lurker for about 2 yrs) that I am scared of quitting the easier route for one I am afraid of failing.

I just want to know

How many of you srna work or could work 1-2 days every 2 weeks

How many people have you lost from your class?

Do the majority of the students that schools decide to bring in make it out

Since most schools don't consider er as critical care experience and I will have to change jobs which type of unit do you feel provides for the best experience I know nm in MICU, STICu, burn unit and CCU at an university teaching hospital level 1 trauma center I feel confident about gaining employment in any one of them. I was thinking the CCU since they receive the open hearts post op would probably be excellent experience. I however worked as a tech in STICU and the variety of problems from various traumas would give expose me to a greater variety everything from critical GSW to increase ICP from head injuries.

Thanks in advance for any advice and for all the information you already provide on the board

Berry

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First, don't count on working the first year, after that maybe aweekend here or there. Second, many schools will take ER, the requirement is for 1 year in critical care, how that is defined is up to the school itself. Check with the ones that interest you. No one has flunked out yet but my classes are small 14 students, probably different as the class size increases. Finally, don't worryabout exactically which unit you transfer into, a good ICU is a good ICU.. Just make sure they are sophisticated and will allow you autonomy. Teaching institutions are far better for this than non-teaching!

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A little additional info on acute care experience.

It is true that schools vary on what type of unit they will count toward meeting this requirment. Where you work has an influence on getting into a program.

But I feel you are raising a bigger issue. What type of work experience gives you the best chance of being successful once you get into school?

This information is available. The council on certification keeps statistics on work history and performance on the certification exam.

Peds and neonatal ICU usually have the best pass rates. Any of the traditional ICUs are also excellent. The worst pass rates are for nurses with background in telemetry, ER, PACU and OR. CCU experience is a mixed bag, if the unit is a combined CCU/ICU the pass rates are better than for a straight CCU.

I have summarized the trends that I am familiar with for the last few years. Any given year, you might find some differences. And, of course, these are statistics. You can always find individuals who fall outside of the trends one way or the other. In other words, we all know great, successful CRNAs who had only OR work experience before going into anesthesia.

Thought I would share the info. What people do with the information is of course, up to them.

loisane crna

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Thanks Loisane. Just curious where the stats you reference can be found. I'm interested in reviewing those further.

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I have heard them quoted from various people associated with nurse anesthesia programs. There is usually one article in every AANA journal regarding education, and seems like I may have seen them referred to there occasionally.

loisane crna

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Speaking of the AANA Journal, do you guys think it would be a good idea for us wannabe's to subscribe just to check out and get a sense of what's going on in this profession? Or do you think it would be too over our heads? If you think it's a good idea, how would I go about subscribing?

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That is really interesting about the neonatal and peds icu nurses having such high pass rates. I only say that because most school post that they want candidates to have adult icu experience. I would think that they would not stipulate this since nicu/picu nurses do so well. Anyone have any insite on this?

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dontae,

I just received the Feb issue of the AANA journal yesterday. It is packed with a lot of good info. Some of it over my head, some not. There is a link on the AANA web site for subscription information. There is an article on CRNA attrition that is VERY interesting. Good topic perhaps?

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You can't subscribe until you are in a program. I tried, they sent me a couple of issues for free and returned my check with a note.

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Subscribe, subscribe, subscribe!!! Especially if you're a wanta be

I just got in to a CRNA program, the interviewers were very impressed that I subscribe to the journal, It came out in an effort to show how much I had researched the profession,

I would definitely recommend subscribing to it. some info is very deep and well over my head, but there is a lot of related info about the profession (ie history, legal issues, financial issues, etc), and the help wanted section in the back is great check out the job market.

I wonder if subscribing helped get in this year, if nothing else it made me better informed

matt

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WntrMute

I subscribed, when I was still in my AS program, I thought I told them(AANA) I was a RN student, this was in 2000 maybe things have changed??

matt

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Originally posted by arkgolfer

...There is an article on CRNA attrition that is VERY interesting. Good topic perhaps?

Piqued my interest, arkgolfer, just wondered exactly what the attrition is about? Where are the CRNA's heading?

I know myself this is not the only thing I want to do for the rest of my working days. I would like to get into clinical instruction and then go to chef school and open my own joint but still keep a foot in the OR.

How does anyone else feel about this---do you feel this is something you will until you can't push the stick of vec anymore?

Maybe I will feel different when I done with school....

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