A day in the life of a SRNA

Nursing Students SRNA

Published

Hi All,

I'm just another one of many contemplating applying to CRNA school. Something that would be extremely helpful to me would be for current SRNA's to give me a snapshot of what your days are like as a SRNA. Worst / best / average, etc. Thanks.

Specializes in ER, OR, MICU.
Flare,

kudos to u and ur family. u'll always be in my prayer and I believe I got into a program is GOD's grace too. I'll be starting my program in Sep, I'll see how it goes.

How is it going?

Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence! My daughter was only 4 when I graduated from nursing school. I did it then and I am confident that I can complete CRNA school now. If anyone has more advice, it would be greatly appreciated!:typing

Definitely don't plan on working during CRNA school! We've already started making financial plans, and I don't start my first ICU job for 2 more weeks. Thanks again to everyone who posted, it's really interesting to read everyone's thoughts as they go through it all!

Specializes in Emergency Room.

Hey dude...Im a first semester SRNA student. All advice i have for you, is that its definitely worth it!!! However everything comes with a major sacrifice, and CRNA schools make sure they let you know from the beginning that you belong to them for 2 years, so, yes....its tough, yes, its alot of srudy, the more the better, no....you will not have time to go on vavation to the bahamas.(as one of my unwise classmates asked the administration....lol), but again......in the end its all worth it!!

I find the material, challenging, but also very interesting!

I feel like im in med school, although a med student said to me, and i quote...."dude, you're in anesthesia school?.....Good luck to YOU!!"

hope this answers your question.

Specializes in LTC, NICU, Med-surg.
ok...this is my day in the life with a husband and 2 kids (toddler and infant...for those of you with a family):

clinical day:

wake up at 0130 - because my infant is my natural alarm clock and he

is letting me know he wants to eat

0200 - 0400- do my careplan for my case and read if there is time

0400 -0430 - prepare bottles / clothes for the kids

0430-0500 - get dressed and packed for clinical (calculator, fine-tip sharpie, ezekial drug book, palm pilot, m&m book, clip board, 3 pens, stethoscope, nurse anesthesia pocket guide, lunch, anesthesia secrets book, oh yeah and my brain)

0500-0501 - kiss the family

0501 - 0510 - finally gather my things and get downstairs to start my drive

0510 - 0530 - drive to site & pray for a good day and for me and my family

0530 - 0540 - get to site and walk to or

0540 - 0630 - check my machine + circuit, draw up my drugs and prepapre syringes (induction - fentanyl, versed, lidocaine, rocuronium and/or vecuronium, propofol, succinylcholine reversal - neostigmine+glycopyrrolate other - atropine, ephedrine, neosynephrine), arrange my leads, check monitor settings / alarms, check suction, get blanket and 'pillow' arranged to ensure proper sniffing position, get intubating gear that i will use and may need (mac 3, miller 2, handle, og, bis, lube, alcoholol wipe, 4x4, 7.0 & 7.5 cuffed tube with syringe and stylet - tested - , lma 4 with syringe, esophageal temp probe or skin thermometer, oral and nasal airway, tongue blades)

0630-0700 - preop my patient and any others that haven;t been preoped

0700-0715 - go back and rearrange setup for patient and anesthesia type (general with tube or lma or mac)

0715 - 0730 - wait for surgeon to arrive in preop holding and take patient in with circulator

0730-0740 - apply monitors, preoxygenate and begin induction, start antibitiotics if ordered

0740 -0745 - make sure patient is breathing or on vent, turn on gases, do a sweep, secure tube and place all other items on patient if wanted / needed (bis, temp, og)

0745 - 0800 - case starts

0800-0845 - case ends

0845-0855 - patient wakes and is transported to pacu

0855 - 0905 - endure sarcastic remarks and eye-rolls from pacu nurse for whatever reason (ok so you forget to help them place the pulse ox because you are trying to recover from being yelled at in the room), give report, final charting and chart / billing check, place papers in appropriate box

0905-0915 - goto preop and check for patient and do history

0915 - 0920 - run back to room and change circuit, draw drug that you need, prepare setup

0920 - run back to preop and take patient back to or with circulator

this pretty much is the day until 1730

you get a 30 min lunch, do preops on inpatients if your cases are done before 1730 and if your cases arent done by 1730 then you stay

1730 - 1830 - pick up the kids if hubby cant, pick up food (hopefully something healthy)

1830-2000 - shower, make sure kids and hubby eat and kids bathed and ready for bed (note: dinner is a luxury for you)

2000-2130 - put kids to bed

2200- you finally get to sleep

0200 - start clinical day again

studying is done interim and class days are from 0700 to 1800

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

flaren,

i was beginning to think from previous posters before stumbling upon yours, that it was almost impossible for an individual with a family to even attempt a crna program. it seemed everyone else was riding solo and didn't have "motherly and wife" duties and therefore i couldn't quite relate to theirs, because i'm thinking well how would this or that fit in my own schedule? lol! i couldn't possibly enter a program as such. you have given me so much inspiration and drive to go for it no matter what! thanks for sharing your experience here, because i needed to know that this could be done.

funny thing is, i have a long road ahead of me, i still have to finish ns, wait a year after graduation to gain experience in an icu, take gre, and all that good stuff. but one way or another i will get there. i just needed confirmation that this could be done, and it was your post that confirmed my uncertainty. i wish you could someway or somehow send me a tad bit of your determination and persistence!!!

kudos to you and your family for all their support as well, i feel you will be one of the best crna's, and a great teacher/mentor to all srna's you my come in contact with throughout your career. once you've graduated and have ventured off into your rewarding career, please do not forget about us here, i would love to hear about your day to day grind once you have officially became a crna. take care and may god bless you and yours.............

Specializes in ER, OR, MICU.

A year later and I am still in it to win it - MUCH THANKS to GOD! My prayers worked :-):saint::yeah::yeah::bow:

Truthfully I don't know how I do it so it must be a higher power. It has been and continues to be rough but the emphasis has changed now. I am in class less and more clinicals focusing on specialty rotations. I guess they figured I had enough of Lap Choley's, cyst removals, and D&C's (for those of you in the program - you know what I mean LOL). :nurse:

The most challenging part is learning how to handle different and difficult personalities especially when they go out of their way to show they are smarter or to make you look stupid. It is really disheartening at times because I am an adult who has self-respect and I have high regard for self and others so when other 'adults' act in this way it really is bothersome and ANNOYING. None-the-less, I am still here, still married, with [now] a 1 yr old and a 2.5 year old who continue to get sick during every season. :eek: I just wanted to keep anyone who reads this and thinks they can't do it that they can.

It is NOT easy mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually but you always have to keep pushing forward. My family has been as supportive as they can and as understanding as they can. Just a note - I ALSO have to make sure I am understanding towards their needs as well. It is hard to juggle everything but I am still doing it. 1 and couple more months to go! Wish me luck and send prayers!!!! :up:

I am in the middle of my first semester of CRNA school, and am trying to juggle school, studies, clinicals, finances and family. It is a big job. I must say that I seriously spend well over 60 hours a week dedicated toward school. This is much more than I ever did as a nurse. What makes life even more difficult is that I am currently 7 months pregant with my fourth baby. Although life is difficult and this is a difficult transition for my whole family, the important thing is that we are all in this together.

My program is mostly didactic right now, and we will gradually be increasing our clinical hours with each semester. I am actually looking forward to more clinicals and less didactic because I am tired of spending countless hours in the library.

Specializes in SICU.

Hey Jennifer,

I sent you a PM.

Specializes in OR, ICU, CRNA.

Yes it can be done...

I am a first year SRNA. I am 37, married, kids 3yrs. and 5 mos. my wife will be attending her last sem. of law school during my 2nd and 3rd quarters. You have to make sacrifices. One strategy that has worked well for me is to help get the kids to bed by 830p, be asleep myself by 9p, wake up and do homework 2a-6(30)a while it is quiet. I often use every minute of downtime at school (i.e. lunch) to study. It took awhile to get into a groove but it is working. I am not ace-ing every test, but I am getting it just fine and keeping a solid "B". Straight A's are a hard thing to let go of when that mentality is what likely got you into CRNA school in the first place...just let it go. We all had to pimp ourselves to get accepted, now just stay in the pack. Everyone in a CRNA program is pretty smart--no need to compete.

B

I'm one of JenniferCCRN's classmates. I just wanted to say that it is certainly possible, though not easy, to manage a family while being an SRNA. I have two kids (2 yo and a 4 month old baby that I am still nursing). Like Beedog, I do a good bit of studying during the early morning hours. I think that if you're going to have a family while in school, its important to look at the structure of the programs you're considering. I specifically investigated programs that had clinicals in one local area so that I would never have to commute long distances or be gone from my little ones overnight. The first semester course schedule also works well for me here...we're out of class usually by Noon or earlier on most days and we can study for the rest of the day. Difficult, but doable...

Adonai

jennifer, adonai, beedog and any of the other working parents, especially moms who have posted, thank-you so much for your input. i'm in nursing school now with a 2 year old and i'm 19 weeks 5 days pregnant. my pregnancy has been kind of challenging b/c the hormones drive me nuts when i'm pregnant and unfortunately that means i tend to err toward being a stereotypically crazy pregnant lady. at any rate, i've been considering my goals and as a newlywed (june 2008) trying to picture and plan where academics, family and work all fit in my life.

hearing about what the experience is like for others and some of the schedules, coping strategies or mechanisms etc is very helpful in terms of getting an idea of what to expect and being mentally prepared.

i'll be applying to vcu's program (university of maryland and georgetown as well) sometime in 2012 or so, but i'm kind a a stickler for planning and preparedness so i've been doing my research pretty early. hence, i'd really love to find a mentor who can help me have an accurate picture of both practice as an rn and eventual crna, and life as a srna. this is my way of gaining insight, knowing what to focus on and expect as well as putting myself in the best position to excel.

also, an additional dimention to this for me is gaining insight into how other mother/wife students/professionals manage and cope.

having said that, i realize that most of you, if not all, have inordinately busy lives so finding the time to meet once a month or so and stay in touch through email or the phone may or may not be feasible but if it is at all possible, i would very much appreciate your time. in fact, in terms of maybe shaping this as not just an extrodinarily helpful favor you are doing for an aspiring student nurse with a strong desire to excel and succeed, maybe we could make our one meeting a month at a restaurant you would like to try (my treat of course) or something else that is going to be an opportunity for you a have a bit of a break.

i hope to hear from some of you and even if you're not interested if you know someone who may be, please pass the message along.

Hey Everyone,

I'm applying for the associated program for RN in march. Once i become an rn i plan on going for my bachelors. Once i'm done with all that, i've been considering nurse anesthesia an my permanent career. Only problem is, is i'll be working as an rn at the same time. Is it possible for an rn to work full time, while going to school to become a CRNA ( i really hope so!)?

I would really appreciate some imput.

Thank you!

L.

+ Add a Comment