Is becoming a CRNA in my future?

Nursing Students SRNA

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Hello,

I would like to begin by saying I am new to this site and am thankful for finding it, for no advice is better than one from someone who has been through it before.

I am Junior in High School, and am currently in the "searching for colleges" phase... horrible stage. Anyways, for sometime I have been interested in becoming a CRNA.

It seems like a profession I would enjoy, I have always wanted to end up somewhere in the medical field, but I didn't want to become a doctor. A RN was always there, but I wanted to be a specialized Nurse, then a friend reccomended looking into a CRNA. I love the sciences, and enjoy math (but not to the same extent). I have a desire to help people, yet I am more of an independent worker (I can work in groups, but I am definitely more efficient by myself). I am your typical overachieving high school student, good grades, difficult classes, outside activity on the side, all that good stuff.

Now, I know very little about becoming a CRNA. All of this college speak is foreign to me. For instance, once I graduate from High School I go to a college (I am considering UCLA, all the CSUs, and does UCI offer a bsn?), then... ?? Hahaha, Yes I would appreciate some guidance...

Other questions I have were:

Do you enjoy your profession?

If you had a choice to become a CRNA again would you?

Was the result worth all of the work?

and finally, did you have much time for anything else during your schooling (and after)?

I do have more questions, but none really come to mind at the moment.

Thanks!

ari

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How weird I am also a new member, Junior in highschool and posted nearly an identical thread which has yet to show up yet lol. I am in there with you man, right now I am looking towards Cal state Fullerton because they are affiliated with one of the two anesthesia schoos close to home, and the cost is much cheaper.

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Oh wow, that is surprising. :)

I was considering Fullerton as well. Originally I wanted to attend UCI, but much to my disappointment I found the school did not offer Nursing, or at least no BSNs offered.

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Specializes in LTC, ICU, ER, Anesthesia.

yes i love it, it's completely worth it, and i would absolutely do it again if i had the choice between it and something else

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I can't tell you about the profession because I'm not one yet, but I can tell you about getting in to a school because I did (YAY!)

First you need your BSN so you can take the NCLEX (the exam you take to get you license) and become and RN. You can get an ADN, but all the CRNA schools I've seen require a BS --in either nursing or a related science. Some will take only BSN so that is your best bet, it will give you more options.

then you work in an ICU for a minimum of one year. Some people say that's not enough, some people say you won't get in interview until 3 + yrs experience. I got an interview with approx. 18months experience at time of interview, so I don't know what to tell you. I think schools look at 'the whole deal' and experience is part of it, grades are part of it, etc. You want an ICU that has lots of ventilators, sedation, vasoactive drips, sick sick sick pts, and things like that. Most people say Surgical/trauma ICUs are best, or Cardiovascular (lots of drips I'm sure!) ICU. I work in Medical ICU but we see a ton of vents, drips, organ failures, etc. So it really just depends on the unit.

So, grades. Again, some people get in with 3.0 or a little under, but I think that is rare. The better your gpa the better your chances, so just remember that. Any bad grades you get you will have to explain to the admission committee. They want to make sure you can handle the material. Also a good GRE score is needed at most schools.

You need strong recommendation letters for CRNA school. If you can spend time shadowing a CRNA that always looks good. Most schools require ACLS, and some also PALS and CCRN. Good things to have anyway. I didn't have CCRN but just about everybody who I met at interviews did and so I was freaking out! I'm sure I'm missing some very important info but that's what comes to mind right now

So to sum up:

BSN (best choice!) or ADN and some other BS degree.

Become RN and work AT LEAST 1 yr in a high acuity ICU.

Good, strong GPA, good GRE scores, ACLS. PALS and CCRN required some places, HIGHLY recommended at others.

Shadow CRNAs so you know what you are getting into.:D

What else? what else. . . ? that should get you started anyways. Good luck!

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Wow, thank you so much.

Where did you go to get your BSN?

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Me? I got BSN from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. I have a previous degree from Texas A&M also. I think they now have a BSN program in College Station, but they started it after I started school in San Antonio.

There are lots of good nursing schools around. Just make sure whatever school you go to is accredited. They all have good and bad points, and like everything in life you get different opinions from different people about the same school/class/professor. But I think if you are a serious student you can make the best of your education no matter where you go. . .as long as it's an accredited (spell?) program, otherwise your degree may not be recognized. :yawn:

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