Why can't you go straight to CRNA School from BSN?

BigDave · Feb 2, 2006

Although money is always nice (especially after racking up loans), I think the vast majority of CRNAs actually enjoy the work. As in nursing, there are a variety of practice setting that can fit your style.

As far as having ICU experience, we had a hemodynamics lecture yesterday. The first thing the instructor said was "you should already know xxx so I'm not going to cover that." At the end, she said "I'm teaching you neuromuscular blocking drugs in two weeks. I have a lot to cover, so if you are not up to speed, you'll have to read ahead." There isn't time to teach nursing school in CRNA school.

The first day of class our director responded to my question that the most valuable thing we teach is clinical judgement. I consider that a direct advancement of skills learned in the ICU.

KVYEng · Feb 2, 2006

the myth:
accelerated bsn (1 yr)
direct hire into icu experience (1 yr)
a seamless transition into crna school (2 more yrs)
total: 4 years to a rewarding career
reality:
nursing school prereqs (1 or 2 yrs)
nursing school (assuming you get in the first try and its a bsn program rather than an adn 2 yrs)
icu experience (1-3 years assuming you are skilled enough to skip medsurg)
crna school (2 or 3 years)
total: 6 to 10 years (go w/ the avg. and assume 8 yrs)
if you are still at the starting point, you should consider that in this amount of time you could become an optometrist or a dentist. these are rewarding careers w/ high salaries that don't involve life and death. pharmacy is another doctoral degree that attracts a lot of enterprising people w/ an interest in science. on the non-doctoral front there are cardiac perfusionists, surgical pas and cardiac sonographers. i've seen job postings for dosimetrists (radiation dept.) that pay well over 100k. these fields would take much less time. you could work as a surg tech for 6 months to get to know the equipment and how the surgeons work w/ it and then look for a job in medical instrument sales (endoscopic and imaging equipment for ex.) its shocking how much money many of those medical sales reps are able to earn. med tech companies like sales people with engineering backgrounds. keep these other options in mind as you research a new career. good luck.

this is great information! i was thinking it would take at least eight years to get to graduation as a crna. thank your for the other suggestions and although the money is always a factor, i'm drawn to be a crna (for several reasons). it's funny how i managed to get an ms in industrial engineering and never really felt that it was right for me. i never even knew that one could be a crna and when i first heard about the job (through working in on an operational improvement project at my hospital), i immediately felt something, but hesitated because i thought it was too late to start. if only i would have started then, i'd probably be down with my bsn by now.

and i will never sell! that is not my personality or my desire.

thank you,

kvyeng

KVYEng · Feb 2, 2006

Although money is always nice (especially after racking up loans), I think the vast majority of CRNAs actually enjoy the work. As in nursing, there are a variety of practice setting that can fit your style.
As far as having ICU experience, we had a hemodynamics lecture yesterday. The first thing the instructor said was "you should already know xxx so I'm not going to cover that." At the end, she said "I'm teaching you neuromuscular blocking drugs in two weeks. I have a lot to cover, so if you are not up to speed, you'll have to read ahead." There isn't time to teach nursing school in CRNA school.
The first day of class our director responded to my question that the most valuable thing we teach is clinical judgement. I consider that a direct advancement of skills learned in the ICU.

I think it's pretty clear now. I'm willing to do the work to get to the goal.

Thanks All!

BigDave · Feb 2, 2006

Good luck!

I worked on airplanes for 15 years (avionics) before I even started on nursing. I'm 46 and in school now. I figure I'll have at least 20 good working years left in me after I finish CRNA school.

In2B8 · Mar 14, 2006

I absolutely loved "nitecap's" tales of a night in the ICU- I laughed so hard, because I think we have all been there before!

MissJoRN, RN · Mar 14, 2006

I absolutely loved "nitecap's" tales of a night in the ICU- I laughed so hard, because I think we have all been there before!

It read just like one of my favorite Monty Python skits but from a nursing point of view instead of a vacationer's. I could "hear" Eric Idle's voice as I read it! Thanks!

DebbieSue · Mar 14, 2006

I think that, from now on on this forum, 'shiznit' is going to be an inside joke!!

Priceless!!

And as for not getting why ICU experience is necessary, that is purely a matter of not knowing what one does not know. Our engineer poster does not have a clue......there is a LONG way from where he/she is now to where she/he will have to get to.

And as far as it being a 'heated' topic: please don't forget that CRNAs are NURSES. When one totally discredits getting nursing experience, it makes me think 'WTF??!!!'. Focusing so much on the CRNA part before one has a nanosecond of nursing experience is REALLY putting the cart before the horse. It riles me up when people assume they will be quickly capable of advanced nursing practice before they can even be called a novice. It seems very arrogant and chauvanistic to me. I see the same attitude lots of times in EMTs/paramedics. I've been doing advanced practice critical care nursing a long time, and I laugh at the idea that even 2 years makes one an expert. No way. Two years experience MAY result in competent practice. So all of these discussions about 'how much is enough, is 10 months enough? Is one year enough? I'm counting down the minutes left in my one year......' make me just shake my head in amazement. Believe me, those people who go into anesthesia with one year of ICU experience may come out with competency in performing anesthesia, but they are not critical care experts. And every experienced ICU nurse knows that. So, let's call a spade a spade: critical care nursing and doing anesthsia are two different animals. And the one is NOT simply an irritating stepping stone to the other. One is not better that the other, nor do you have to be 'smarter' to do one vs. doing another. I have lots of autonomy and accountability when doing critical care (depends on the unit) and just like not every assignment is life-saving heroics, not every anesthesia procedure is either. It is important to be respectful......

Debbie, CV CNS, MSN, etc.

UCDSICURN · Mar 14, 2006

I think that, from now on on this forum, 'shiznit' is going to be an inside joke!!
Priceless!!
And as for not getting why ICU experience is necessary, that is purely a matter of not knowing what one does not know. Our engineer poster does not have a clue......there is a LONG way from where he/she is now to where she/he will have to get to.
And as far as it being a 'heated' topic: please don't forget that CRNAs are NURSES. When one totally discredits getting nursing experience, it makes me think 'WTF??!!!'. Focusing so much on the CRNA part before one has a nanosecond of nursing experience is REALLY putting the cart before the horse. It riles me up when people assume they will be quickly capable of advanced nursing practice before they can even be called a novice. It seems very arrogant and chauvanistic to me. I see the same attitude lots of times in EMTs/paramedics. I've been doing advanced practice critical care nursing a long time, and I laugh at the idea that even 2 years makes one an expert. No way. Two years experience MAY result in competent practice. So all of these discussions about 'how much is enough, is 10 months enough? Is one year enough? I'm counting down the minutes left in my one year......' make me just shake my head in amazement. Believe me, those people who go into anesthesia with one year of ICU experience may come out with competency in performing anesthesia, but they are not critical care experts. And every experienced ICU nurse knows that. So, let's call a spade a spade: critical care nursing and doing anesthsia are two different animals. And the one is NOT simply an irritating stepping stone to the other. One is not better that the other, nor do you have to be 'smarter' to do one vs. doing another. I have lots of autonomy and accountability when doing critical care (depends on the unit) and just like not every assignment is life-saving heroics, not every anesthesia procedure is either. It is important to be respectful......
Debbie, CV CNS, MSN, etc.

Nail on the head Debbie, well said.