[cooper]

Hi! I am a first year nursing student, and my ultimate goal is to be a CRNA. Can anyone give me any advice about the steps I need to take over the next few years to increase my chances of getting into NA school? Thanks for your help!

[meandragonbrett]

Have you read the old threads on the forum and the FAQ ?

Brett

[Jaybird]

You are doing the right thing by asking! It is a good idea to read that first thread. When I was starting nursing school, I had the same goal of becoming a crna, and now that I'm in anesthesia school I can hardly believe it! While in nursing school, I always kept it in the back of my mind. When I didn't feel like studying, I would motivate myself by believing I needed an "A" to get into anesthesia school. I also made sure to take a statistics class. I wrote papers about pain management and crna issues whenever I could chose the topic. I also went right into ICU as a new grad (don't let everyone tell you it's a bad idea - many people do it with no problem). I would also email the anesthesia schools you are interested in attending and ask for admission info. That way you can know exactly what you will need in the future! And shadow a crna if you haven't already. Then you can see exactly what you're getting into.
Good Luck and study hard!
Jay

[NCgirl]

Hey there- read the FAQ on this board, and try to pick your five top schools. Do research into what those five schools want, and try to get on that track. Also, I'd try to get in a high acuity ICU right out of school, and immediately start working on your GRE studying. Best wishes, and keep focused on the light at the end of the tunnel!