[pooh9869]

Hi.... I guess I am confused as to what the next step for me to take if I wanted to be a CNRA.... I am going to be graduating in Dec 2001 with a BS in biology... and I was never sure of what i wanted to do.. I think i now found a strong interest.. and i was just wondering where i would go to next? would i go to nursing school? and if so.. would it take the full four years since i already have a bio degree, and then CRNA school? Or just CRNA school? Thanks so much!

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Michele

[WntrMute2]

I'm a ICU nurse with 6 years experience and who is heading off to anesthesia school in August. So my info is preety current. In general you will need a bachelors in science nursing degree to be a nurse anest. Get it- NURSE anesthesia. Just joking sort of. Anyway, most 4 year nursing schools have a 1 year "accelerated or transitional" program for those with a BS in something that want a BSN. Go for the BSN as that is what most anesthesia schools require. Also, most require at least a year of critical care nursing as a prerequesitite. That said there are a few schools that will take those with a BS in something like biology and train you to be a nurse at the same time. I don't know exactly how that works but it does exist in theory. Personally, I would want some ICU experience, I don't know how you are going to handle complex tasks such as titrating vasoactive drips, transfusing blood, floating PA caths or merely managing your patient in a holistic way if you never have been a nurse. There is a mind set that goes along with being a nurse. Nursing is part of who we are, we take a bit of patient advocacy home so to speak. I think the act of being responsible for others' lives is a valuable lesson to be learned before attempting nures anesthesia. This is just my opinion it is not expert in any sense of the word. Good luck and feel free to e-mail me directly for more information.

[cretamae]

okay i just came back from freshmen orientation at lsu and the pre nursing program there is only like a year and then you apply for nursing school in new orleans, well i dont want to go to school there is there anyway around that, and i am not really sure what exactly i am supposed to major in to become a CNRA . I think I am supposed to become an RN first do a year of ICU or Emergency Unit then i can apply for Anesthesia school, is that correct?

signed so confused

[wtbcrna]

Originally Posted by cretamae

okay i just came back from freshmen orientation at lsu and the pre nursing program there is only like a year and then you apply for nursing school in new orleans, well i dont want to go to school there is there anyway around that, and i am not really sure what exactly i am supposed to major in to become a CNRA . I think I am supposed to become an RN first do a year of ICU or Emergency Unit then i can apply for Anesthesia school, is that correct?

signed so confused

Try this information page from the AANA it should answer all your questions. http://www.aana.com/BecomingCRNA.asp...enuID=6&id=108