[californianurse]

Well said Forest Forest

[KaeRN]

Originally Posted by Forrest Forrest Gump

Thanks to some for the congrats and well wishes.

The reason I posted here is to encourage others not to be bothered by the experienced ICU nurses telling others you should have the same years of experience that they have. I would not be going into a CRNA program right now if both I and the admissions committee didnt think I were ready.

I think it is great if you were well served by your years of experience. However it is very presumptive to think everyone should have your experience. Even that great CRNA which I shadowed (which he was great) thought that anything more than 1 year ICU experience was overkill. Additionally, he did not have ICU experience (similar to "Just a CRNA") prior to becoming a CRNA.

All the very experienced ICU nurses I work with readily accept me as a very capable cohort, and all think I will be a great CRNA.

To make blanket statements about how disturbing it is that programs would accept someone with my experience is not responsible. It can be discouraging to other highly competent and qualified, albeit lesser experienced, candidates.

Well said!
You will do great. I had a very smart and determined friend interview after only 6 months and he also got in. They would have been crazy not to accept him. I think it is very bold to apply so early... and I want a bold person taking care of my family member when they go to surgery!

Some people will be assigned challenging patients after only 6 months because they just get it and are eager to learn, and to the other extreme some people who have been critical care nurses for 5+ years still aren't the person anyone would choose to take care of them. I would say most of us probably fall in the middle somewhere, where we are having to work our butts off (on and off the clock) to shoot for our dream. Thank god when we do go to school we will be around a diverse group of people with different experience levels.

[NurseCutie]

So what school are you going to again?

[manavi]

Originally Posted by Hold'emRN

Gump,

You will do just fine! Do not let others discourage you. You will be taught what you need to know in school. You will not have to be retrained like some of these people with 5 years experience. That is why some of these people with so much experience get turned down for admission every year.

For which school do you serve on the admission committee? Do you have any more advice for prospective CRNA school applicants regarding why they may be turned down for admission?

[wildflower rn]

i would still like to know what school you were accepted into. most people accepted into a crna school post it on thier first post with pride.

again congrates on the acceptance, but the low experience factor is out of the ordinary. as a ccu supervisor, i would be concerned if a nurse with only 6 months experience told me he/she new as much as seasoned ccu nurse.

i think i had rather have a seasoned ccu nurse working on my family member rather than a Bold new ccu nurse. just my opinion

[RRTNeuroRN]

Congratulations Gump!!!! I think you will do great! I only have two years ICU experience and I will start school this fall.

Manavi,

I don't want to get anything started, but some schools do have students on the admission comittee and it just so happens that Hold'em was at my interview

[RRTNeuroRN]

Gump,

Congratulations on your acceptance!!! The committee must have felt you had what they were looking for in order to let you in. I am sure you will do fine. I only have two years experience and I will be starting school this fall also.

[MayisontheWay]

Gump,

Congratulations to you!

I've been following this thread and just thought I would let you know that while not everyone believes 1 year is enough, I believe the debate is legititmate. This issue should be debated, discussed, and held up to public scrutiny if anyone believes it poses a hazard.

However, you are in no way obligated to reveal information about yourself or your school. None of that is germaine to this discussion, and frankly if I were you, I would continue to ignore the requests, and remain on the high road.

May

[armynse]

Originally Posted by wildflower rn

i would still like to know what school you were accepted into. most people accepted into a crna school post it on thier first post with pride.

This information would be invaluable for those applicants aspiring to go to anesthesia school with only one year of experience(or in your case, 9 months).

i think i had rather have a seasoned ccu nurse working on my family member rather than a Bold new ccu nurse. just my opinion

My two sisters and I are all critical care nurses. When my youngest sister gave birth prematurely to twins (34 weeks) there was an occasion where a fairly new nurse was assigned to care for the twins. Long story short, that nurse lacked the experience or ability to provide the level of care that we expected for the intubated twin. We had her banned from caring for the babies. I won't go into the staffing nightmare that resulted for the manager of L&D. The educated public generally will not accept an inexperienced nurse caring for their critically ill loved one if they pick up on that nurse's weaknesses...they are very perceptive and will not hesitate to ask for someone with more experience.

IMHO, bold new grads present bigger problems than those willing to admit that they don't know it all.

[CCUROB]

Originally Posted by armynse

IMHO, bold new grads present bigger problems than those willing to admit that they don't know it all.

Wise words...