Stamina, fitness & CRNA stress--how do you manage?

Specialties CRNA

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What steps do you take to remain healthy and fit so you can adequately handle the stress of the CRNA responsibilities and maintain the stamina that's required?

Thanks!

Of course, I do yoga. My instructor gives me private lessons in power yoga--he wrote a book on it--a good combination of stretching, yoga poses, balance, cardio and deep relaxation. I also lift weights 2 x a week, do pilates and walk about 3 times a week. It helps relieve the stress of anesthesia and life in general. One of the hardest lessons I have had to learn is to have times when I forget about work, patients, surgeons, politics and traffic. Exercise and reading good fiction helps.

Anesthetists have to find a outlet for stress somewhere; some drink, do drugs, overeat, etc--exercise is healthier.

By the way, I am over 65 and have been doing anesthesia almost 44 years and the stresses of the profession are still there, so learn how to deal with them early.

Yoga CRNA

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i must admit - being sick this wk and being in class every day has killed my origional work out routine...i am pooped....hopefully next wk when we are on a reg. schedule will allow me to get back into the swing of things...i have to go take a nap.....:chuckle

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Yoga wrote:

"Anesthetists have to find a outlet for stress somewhere; some drink, do drugs, overeat, etc--exercise is healthier."

Very important, yes, exercise. And humor:

http://www.gaspasser.com/totheones.html

deepz

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Also learn to maximize your time, what I do is get on the stationary bike and read my school stuff if I am really squeezed for time. although, I have not started the clinical part of the program, that is coming in March. Now lifting weights, well I have not figured away to combine both of those activities yet.

Being flexiable, is also very important, school will have to come first, which means some weeks I will not be able to exercise as much as I would like. But I do think it is very important to try to exercise whenever possible.

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I totally agree with the exercise part. However, proper nutrition is also essential to keep one alert and fit for this rigorous educational program and job thereafter.

I did not pass the CRNA board exam in June 1995 because of unhealthy diet and primarily because I was so burnt out after 1 1/2 years of graduate pre-requisite courses and 2 yrs of nurse anesthesia with graduate school program. I remembered drinking 8 cups of coffee a day just to keep me awake to study for long hours every day and to keep me going for several hrs with all the stress and running around.

Walking around the OR and the hospital was my sole exercise which was unhealthy too because I did not think it was relaxing for me. I took the CRNA board only once and never took it again. I am deliberating whether I should take it again or not.

Take it from yoga CRNA who has a passion for the job and who has a great wealth of experience as a CRNA and still going and going and going...

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i haven't yet started clinical (although that is only 2 wk away) but i have managed an hour wkout every evening (5 nites/wk)

i am lucky clinically - my site for the first year is dayshift only (no nites or on call) - so hopefully that will help some semblance of a schedule...

i had my husband rig a setup for my books in my face while on the elliptical machine....that way i am not wasting time...

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Originally posted by failedGRNA

I totally agree with the exercise part. However, proper nutrition is also essential to keep one alert and fit for this rigorous educational program and job thereafter.

I did not pass the CRNA board exam in June 1995 because of unhealthy diet and primarily because I was so burnt out after 1 1/2 years of graduate pre-requisite courses and 2 yrs of nurse anesthesia with graduate school program. I remembered drinking 8 cups of coffee a day just to keep me awake to study for long hours every day and to keep me going for several hrs with all the stress and running around.

Walking around the OR and the hospital was my sole exercise which was unhealthy too because I did not think it was relaxing for me. I took the CRNA board only once and never took it again. I am deliberating whether I should take it again or not.

Take it from yoga CRNA who has a passion for the job and who has a great wealth of experience as a CRNA and still going and going and going...

I just wanted to say you shouldn't give up on your goals!!!! Try agian with that exam!!! Ypu seem like you have done some retrospective analysis of what happened in the past. So learn form it and move on! Take a review course and study study study but really, why not give the exam another shot? You have nothing to loose. Good luck

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With regard to keeping up on fitness levels during school, I can imagine it could be quite a feat. I personally am not even in CRNA school yet, but even the transition from undergrad where I was able to work out all the time (I used to run xc, indoor and outdoor track during college) to adjusting to a "nursing schedule" with twelve hr shifts, night shift, day shift, the rotating, working days in a row... was pretty tough for me to keep up with working out. I am finally at the point know where I am able to balance working out, working full time and often OT, taking some prereq classes, and having a bit of a social life.... and it took me two years of working as a nurse to adjust.... I know CRNA is exponentially more difficult, so to those of you who are able to keep up with their fitness ... you deserve a ton of credit. :)

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Specializes in CVICU.

From that weblink article I read, "According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, out of 14,835 nationally, only 305 anesthetists are black. Of those, nine blacks are practicing in New Jersey. "

Is there really only about 15K people practicing? On the AANA website it says there are over 30K. How many anesthetists are graduating each year? I thought I saw about 2000/year in another thread?

Does anyone know the truth about each figure (#practing & # graduating) each year?

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I don't know the answer to the above post, but back to the flexability questions- a good quad/ hamstring stretch in the elevator or calves against the tire wall of the car before driving etc helps me!

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yeah, stretching is good.... worked out legs last wk - couldn't walk right for 4 days...not a good idea!!

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