Wanting to become a CRNA

2ndCareerRN · Jul 8, 2003

but is it wrong to want to become a CRNA because you want to be considered the "best". In my opinion, anesthesia is the most challenging work you can do, and I personally feel only the best are selected for it. The money's a definite plus, but for me it's the respect and being able to say I've made it, I am apart of an elite group of people. Does my reasons for wanting to become a CRNA sound superficial?

Yep!

bob

ava'smomRN · Jul 8, 2003

i would say yes

warzone · Jul 8, 2003

Absolutely not!

People go into a variety of professions for a variety of different reasons. Everyone needs something different from their job. I do not think one reason is better than another for entering into a certain profession.

It seems a lot of nurses only see 'charity' as being the 'right' reason to enter into the nursing field. Sure, you need to care about people to provide good care...but, any other reason you have is just as legitimate.

WntrMute2 · Jul 8, 2003

While I was trying to decine between NA school and NP school, one determining factor was that NPs are a dime a dozen these days, while NAs are still a pretty rare breed. It is a greater challenge and I usually take the most challenging path. I would not let that be the only reason tho!

shirleyTX · Jul 8, 2003

I appreciate all the honesty. There are other factors also in my decision such as the demand for CRNA's= guarenteed employment after graduation, the independance, variety, and over all job duties of a CRNA. But in my humble opinion, I still believe only the best are selected to be CRNA's and thats a driving force for me, personal goal I guess. I respect anyone in nursing and other nursing occupations, but nothing seems more challenging then becoming a CRNA and I respect and admire that.

MICU RN · Jul 8, 2003

Besides the challenge, just make sure you like the actual job duties. Personally, I am getting a little tired of nurses stating that you must be so caring to be a real nurse. Maybe it is just me, but I read plenty of comments on these nursing boards( not so much on this crna forum) where they constantly emphasize how important it is to be so caring. I have been a RN for 5 years in different critical care areas and while most of the nurses I have worked with are good people, very few will go aroung constanly talking about how important it is to be so caring and many would do something else if they could find a better career. Sure caring is important, but I don't feel that it is the be all end all to being a good nurse. First, I don't believe most nurses I work with including myself care about the patients anymore than the the doctor, RT, PT or any other health care provider. We are all suppose to be professionals and in doing so it is implied that we will put the patients best interest at heart. I think nurses get this skewed belief, while in nursing school, that we are some how the ultimate patient advocate and that we care more than anyone else. ANd if you don't feel that nursing is a vocation you are not a real nurse. Well, I feel that this thinking is part of the reason nurses get dumped on from all sides. The hospitals and doctors are used to the nurses doing whatever it will take to get the job done, even when it means unsafe patient/nurse ratios or low compensation. Now, I know I have gotten of on a tangent, but I feel it ties in with some of the comments concerning Shirely Tex, stating that one of the main reason she/he was interested in being a crna was the academic and clinical challenge. Just because the caring aspect was not expressed, does not mean she/he will not be an excellent crna and provide good anesthesia care. If that comment would have been posted on another professinal type forum for other challenging careers, I doubt if anyone would question their motives just because they didn't mention that "oh by the way I also care so much for the client or patient and promise to be the ultimate patient/ client advocate". Maybe it is just me but I don't see this type of ultruistic caring going at the bedside. Rather, I do see plenty of very hard working nurses, doctors, ect at the bedside who usually act very professional an deliver good health care to those who need it. By the way these comments are not directed at any particular comment, but rather many that I have reads over the last couple of years concerning how we as nurses care so much.

EricTAMUCC-BSN, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2003

Originally posted by MICU RN
Besides the challenge, just make sure you like the actual job duties. Personally, I am getting a little tired of nurses stating that you must be so caring to be a real nurse. Maybe it is just me, but I read plenty of comments on these nursing boards( not so much on this crna forum) where they constantly emphasize how important it is to be so caring. I have been a RN for 5 years in different critical care areas and while most of the nurses I have worked with are good people, very few will go aroung constanly talking about how important it is to be so caring and many would do something else if they could find a better career. Sure caring is important, but I don't feel that it is the be all end all to being a good nurse. First, I don't believe most nurses I work with including myself care about the patients anymore than the the doctor, RT, PT or any other health care provider. We are all suppose to be professionals and in doing so it is implied that we will put the patients best interest at heart. I think nurses get this skewed belief, while in nursing school, that we are some how the ultimate patient advocate and that we care more than anyone else. ANd if you don't feel that nursing is a vocation you are not a real nurse. Well, I feel that this thinking is part of the reason nurses get dumped on from all sides. The hospitals and doctors are used to the nurses doing whatever it will take to get the job done, even when it means unsafe patient/nurse ratios are low compensation. Now, I know I have gotten of on a tangent, but I feel it ties in with some of the comments concerning Shirely Tex, stating that one of the main reason she/he was interested in being a crna was the academic and clinical challenge. Just because the caring aspect was not expressed, does not mean she/he will not be an excellent crna and provide good anesthesia care. If that comment would have been posted on another professinal type forum for other challenging careers, I doubt if anyone would question their motives just because they didn't mention that "oh by the way I also care so much for the client or patient and promise to be the ultimate patient/ client advocate". Maybe it is just me but I don't see this type of ultruistic caring going at the bedside. Rather, I do see plenty of very hard working nurses, doctors, ect at the bedside who usually act very professional an deliver good health care to those who need it. By the way these comments are not directed at any particular comment, but rather many that I have reads over the last couple of years concerning how we as nurses care so much.

I agree.

shirleyTX · Jul 8, 2003

THank U MICU RN. It makes me feel better knowing that other people understand where I'm coming from. I mean, I was a funeral director before changing professions and believe me it's not easy everyday to see people grieving. And I know for a fact, I really helped the families I encountered. I just knew I could do more. I wanted to be on the other side. Where positive outcomes DO happen and death isn't the only topic. So anyone that questions my compassion is missing the point. If I'm going back to school for the next 4 yrs for my BSN- I'm not stopping until I hit the top, and we're all nurses or will be nurses so since we're all compassionate people, what reasons are out there other then what I've mentioned?

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2003

Shirley, I don't think those reasons are selfish at all. I am a caring person, but it's not the primary reason I went to nursing school!

CougRN · Jul 9, 2003

Caring is a part of our field but it is a career. There is nothing wrong with taking into consideration what compensation you will get from a career. If you enjoy what you do and you make a good living at it, then so much the better. Do what makes you happy.

tariet · Jul 9, 2003

Thank you again MICU nurse! I'm a new nurse (just over a year past boards) and I really appreciate your honesty, it basically sums up how I feel. I DO care about my patients, but I don't feel an over whelming need to be the "MOST CARING NURSE ADVOCATE" ever.

I am also thinking about a career as an CRNA. Working closely with them in the OR I get to see how they're really treated AND how they treat others. I get to see how they work with doctors (both surgeons and anesthesiologists), and how their scope of practice differs from other RN's.

For me the draw of nursing has always been from the medical point of view rather than the nursing point of view. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be the "best of the best". In my opinion I think that nursing could use more of that kind of drive. I give and care for ALL of my patients the same way(with humor, compassion and empathy), plus I feel that I do those I care for an even greater service by also being "medically" informed and prepared.

To ShirleyTX, there's a lot involved in getting your CRNA. Yes, it's great to think of yourself as the "creame du la creame, but there is SO much more that goes into being a good CRNA, (notice I didn't say the best) than the feeling that you've made it. The best CRNA's don't see themselves much removed from the regular RN's that scrub and circulate their rooms. In fact the best CRNA's associate themselves with nurses before MD's and provide the best patient care that I've seen. It's frustrating that most CRNA schools don't recognize OR experience! I find myself having to look for a transfer soon in order to meet the entrance criteria. I mean where else are you going to your future work enviroment then in the OR.

But as usual I digress, if you can make it through CRNA school I say go for it! There's nothing wrong with looking out after yourself and living up to your full potential. Just make sure you never forget that your patient is another human being and relying on you as much as they are the surgeon.

Tariet