Just finished my first semester. Ask me anything.

MeTheRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 25, 2013

You should hear back soon! I tried both but ultimately preferred the laptop.

JSBSN · Sep 25, 2013

Really encouraging thread! Making me very excited for school!

Spoiled1, MSN, RN · Oct 2, 2013

Congrats to you!!! I am wondering what I should look for in a CRNA program--what's a good number of clinical hours, cases, spinal cases, etc. What questions should I ask the admissions committee? Forgive me if this has been answered already. :) Thanks!

Just finished my sixth semester of anesthesia school...ask me anything! What a relief it is to be going into my last semester! Starting to make a game plan for studying for boards, venturing out into the uncertain territory of CRNA recruiters and job apps. I have a few specialty cases that I still need, but otherwise I'm set as far as my numbers go. It's daunting to think of how far I've come in a little less than two years. It's very humbling to realize that you balance life and death every day in the operating room. I'm beyond lucky to have chosen this profession, and I don't regret it one bit.

lazarusstyles · Oct 27, 2013

Thank you so much for such a great topic! It has been a pleasure to virtually follow your journey through RNA school! I am trying to chose RN to BSN program at this moment and I am hoping to be done with all the necessary requirements for RNA program by 2016. I know I need one year of experience at ICU, but I am thinking I might be more comfortable with more than one year. Also, I need to take chemistry and physics as well. So I have some time to enjoy life before diving into extensive studies.

MeTheRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 30, 2013

I just wanted to stop in real quick and update. I am done with clincials in 39 days! Honestly it still hasn't hit me yet that this whirlwind ride will be over soon and I will graduate in 46 days! I already have a job lined up and am just finishing up a few numbers I still need. Just one more round of exams and I'll be a free man! Well at least until the certification exam. But enough about me, let's talk about you.

Ever since starting my journey into nursing and eventually anesthesia, there has always been someone along the way to tell me how bad of an idea it was. Whether it was CRNA's telling me about the stress of the job or other RN's talking about the impossibly saturated market, there's no short supply of nay-sayers in regards to becoming a CRNA. The best advice I have for you is completely ignore them. Almost every nurse anesthetist I know loves his or her job, and most disgruntled workers are annoyed with political/facility drama, not the profession of anesthesia itself. There are jobs out there, even in a saturated market like Florida. Yes the program is extremely tough, yes clinicals are grueling and at times discouraging, yes your life will be on pause for the next 28 months. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and dare I say it wasn't as bad as some people made it out to be. I'll revisit this topic when I'm actually a CRNA, but that's my opinion for now. If you want to make this your career, go forth and take it. Shadow first, watch videos online, make sure you have a legitimate interest in the profession and not just the paycheck. I have some classmates that are obviously just here to collect a paycheck and man does it show...

I look forward to some time off to consolidate what I've learned and get boards out of the way. I see a lot of vegging out on the couch in front of the TV in my near future though. I never had gray hairs until I started this program LOL! I need some major R&R after I graduate. Staying strong until then! Take care!

:roflmao:

nursejilly2005 · Dec 30, 2013

I just wanted to stop in real quick and update. I am done with clincials in 39 days! Honestly it still hasn't hit me yet that this whirlwind ride will be over soon and I will graduate in 46 days! I already have a job lined up and am just finishing up a few numbers I still need. Just one more round of exams and I'll be a free man! Well at least until the certification exam. But enough about me, let's talk about you.
Ever since starting my journey into nursing and eventually anesthesia, there has always been someone along the way to tell me how bad of an idea it was. Whether it was CRNA's telling me about the stress of the job or other RN's talking about the impossibly saturated market, there's no short supply of nay-sayers in regards to becoming a CRNA. The best advice I have for you is completely ignore them. Almost every nurse anesthetist I know loves his or her job, and most disgruntled workers are annoyed with political/facility drama, not the profession of anesthesia itself. There are jobs out there, even in a saturated market like Florida. Yes the program is extremely tough, yes clinicals are grueling and at times discouraging, yes your life will be on pause for the next 28 months. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and dare I say it wasn't as bad as some people made it out to be. I'll revisit this topic when I'm actually a CRNA, but that's my opinion for now. If you want to make this your career, go forth and take it. Shadow first, watch videos online, make sure you have a legitimate interest in the profession and not just the paycheck. I have some classmates that are obviously just here to collect a paycheck and man does it show...
I look forward to some time off to consolidate what I've learned and get boards out of the way. I see a lot of vegging out on the couch in front of the TV in my near future though. I never had gray hairs until I started this program LOL! I need some major R&R after I graduate. Staying strong until then! Take care!

Thanks for the advice! I am starting the program in February and am extremely excited but as the day nears I am also becoming more scared! I am finding it more difficult to fall asleep due to my thoughts racing! Thanks again for the encouragement!

Jill

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Dec 31, 2013

congrats to you! I just finished my first semester so the light at the end of the tunnel….well I can't see the light yet lol. I agree about the naysayers, if you want it bad enough, and enjoy the profession, you will get thru it and you will find a job that fits you. I keep thinking of making a new thread since you are finishing and I am just starting lol.

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Dec 31, 2013

Jill, feel free to post about your worries and we will try to allay them!

allnurses Guide · Dec 31, 2013

The funny thing after finishing school you will probably spend at least two months thinking there is something you should be doing every time you have a free minute. It's hard to get out of that routine of studying the whole time.

MeTheRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 11, 2014

Well...I graduate on Saturday! Clinicals were officially done on Friday. I looked at my last patient as he was falling asleep and told him "Congratulations! You're the last person I anesthetize as a student!" He smiled that droopy propofol smile and told me "good jooooooob!" LOL!

It is a surreal feeling. I feel like I just survived a really bad car accident. My sympathetic nervous system is revved up, and I'm wondering around aimlessly just excited to be alive. I wake up early in the morning with a cold sweat thinking I'm late to clincials! I still check the daily schedule, trying to figure out which rooms will run late and which assignments will be rearranged by morning.

It's so weird to be DONE. I still need to study for and pass boards, but my clinical obligations are OVER. NO MORE FREE ANESTHESIA FROM ME! EVER! God that's a good feeling.

Now onto credentialing. Already having a tough time with all the damn paperwork, and it's only going to get crazier once I start applying for Liability Insurance and hospital privileges. My estimated start date is in two months. Hopefully I'll be able to take the boards within the next 3-4 weeks. I just need a date so I can start making up a study plan. Because as of now, I've just been sleeping. A lot. Like 12-14 hours a day! But I deserve it after all of that.

I think I'll start a forum posting in the CRNA section called "Just started my first CRNA job, ask me anything!" That might be an interesting perspective. I'll keep posting on here until I've graduated though, and I have those four precious letters after my name!

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Feb 11, 2014

Congrats to you!!!!

Spoiled1, MSN, RN · Feb 11, 2014

Awww, Congrats to you!!!!!!