i would like to dispel some of the myths that icu nursing is a requirement to become a crna. here is the excerpt directly from the aana website:
education and experience required to become a crna include:
a bachelor of science in nursing (bsn) or other appropriate baccalaureate degree.
a current license as a registered nurse.
at least one year of experience as a registered nurse in an acute care setting.
graduation with a master's degree from an accredited nurse anesthesia program. as of february 1, 2004, there are 92 nurse anesthesia programs with more than 1,000 affiliated clinical sites in the united states. they range from 24-36 months, depending upon university requirements.
all programs include clinical training in university-based or large community hospitals.
pass a national certification examination following graduation.
i am a cpt in the us army and a military trained crna who has performed roughly 150 battlefield anesthetics (some of the worst trauma you have ever seen)......i never worked in an icu. now that will depend on the school itself, but the aana does not stipulate that icu experience is necessary. i was a labor and delivery nurse for 4 years (all i ever did) before becoming an anesthetist. i had no difficulty with school ( the second ranked in the nation this year behind vcu) or my boards (my score 600/600). if anyone has any questions please email or post to this thread.
