Just finished my first semester. Ask me anything.

Nursing Students SRNA

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Wow...I can't believe it's only been been 3 1/2 months! It feels like it's been at least a year. But finally, a few hours ago today, I took my last final and finished my first semester of CRNA school!

I figured this would be a good time to answer questions anyone may have about transitioning into a CRNA program.

I'm in a front-loaded program, so I can't really help out with any questions regarding clinicals, but if you have questions about didactics and transitioning into school, I'll take a crack at it!

Yes, MeTheRN, you are a great help to this forum. You are a nice person. I hope and pray you'll be blessed more...and that you'll have straight A's, and will automatically land a job as soon as you graduate. Goodluck and godbless!

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU.
Thanks so much for taking all the time and best of luck in your future - you're going to do great and it's almost sad the bedside is missing such a wonderful nurse :)

Wow thank you so much for this comment. It's probably the best compliment I've received on this website! I loved being a nurse because I love to help people, not just patients. If I can help clarify a few things about CRNA school, I'm definitely willing to do so. Some of my classmates make fun of me because they say I'm wasting my time or worse, saturating the CRNA market. Honestly, I like some healthy competition and the world needs more competent anesthesia providers.

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU.
I hope and pray you'll be blessed more...and that you'll have straight A's, and will automatically land a job as soon as you graduate. Goodluck and godbless!

Thank you so much! Man I wish and hope for the same things :)

I'm trying not to be too crazy with the grades though, my priorities are to become a competent anesthesia provider trained in full-scope of practice. The grades will work themselves out in the process.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Great thread & thanks! I don't know how you have so much time to spend on this site???

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Specializes in SICU.

Here's my question. As an RN, and especially in the ICU, you get to have some really impactful, really deep moments in patients' and families' lives. This is something that I consider very important. It's sort of what makes the crummy parts of the job worth it. My question is, do you feel as an anesthesia provider that you still get a comparable sort of opportunity to truly connect with patients and their families, or do you really not get much interaction with them because they're asleep most of the time you're working? Is OB different in this sense? Thank you for your response.

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU.

This is a really good question!!! When a lot of the nurses on my old floor found out that I was going to anesthesia school, some told me I would hate it because the patients are mainly asleep and I would not have patient interaction. I find plenty of patient/family interaction though. You meet the patient and many times their significant others and family when doing a pre-op assessment. You get to assuage their anxiety by explaining and educating them on the basic of anesthesia and detailing how you will keep them pain free. You are the last person they see when going to sleep and the first person they see when they wake up. You are reassuring and with them when you transfer them to PACU and normally you are the one who gives them a nice little bolus of pain meds before going back for your next case! If there are any issues, you are the one who gets called into PACU to take care of the patient. So in short, I get enough interaction with patients to satisfy my nursing needs. I have not had experience with OB patients yet, but I hear it's a different beast and can be a nightmare. Not exactly looking forward to it, but interested in learning the different regional techniques!

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU.
Great thread & thanks! I don't know how you have so much time to spend on this site???

I'm mostly active when on break from school. We just started a new semester, so the homework hasn't piled up to epic proportions yet...

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Starting an accelerated BSN program this Fall, and this thread really confirms my current beliefs that I will pursue becomming a CRNA down the road. I've considered PharmD, or research in genetics/proteomics but I would miss the human/patient interaction far too much. Much like you, my passion for science and medicine is what ultimately leads me to want to venture a bit deeper into the profession. I'm guessing CRNA will be more than sufficient patient interaction like you mentioned, and also provide that "science-fix" that I need.

Great stuff, and thanks for your time and willingness to share.

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU.
Starting an accelerated BSN program this Fall, and this thread really confirms my current beliefs that I will pursue becomming a CRNA down the road. I've considered PharmD, or research in genetics/proteomics but I would miss the human/patient interaction far too much. Much like you, my passion for science and medicine is what ultimately leads me to want to venture a bit deeper into the profession. I'm guessing CRNA will be more than sufficient patient interaction like you mentioned, and also provide that "science-fix" that I need.

Great stuff, and thanks for your time and willingness to share.

I'd definitely shadow a CRNA just to make sure you absolutely like it, but I think you will. It combines the best of nursing and medicine into one profession. Although we're not pharmD's, we do get to decide which meds to use for different scenarios during surgery. No physicians orders, no calling pharmacy to send up your antibiotics...we mix it and give it. It's fantastically different from being a nurse on the floor begging the docs for some pain meds and calling pharmacy to expedite the order!

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@MeTheRN, great thread! I found the thread in its entirety to be extremely useful! I am currently employed at Duke Uni on the Cardio-Thoracic Surgical ICU (I know it's a mouthful), and I'm approaching 6 months. I was an LPN in the US Army for about 5 years an was deployed with a Combat Support Hospital (CSH) and that's where I knew I wanted to be a CRNA. I met so many intriguing individuals who were CRNAs and let me pick their brains on numerous occasions.

I graduated in Dec 2011 with a 3.7 GPA /3.8 Nursing, and was the class representative for my class and also the representative for our college of nursing for the university (nerd..? Maybe, but I believe extra curricular activity is never frowned upon).

I took the job at Duke with a 2 yr commitment because I felt two years on the CTICU and the experience with vasoactive gtts, intubated pts, sedated pts (TOF), and the acuity of the population would prepare me for school. I will be taking the CCRN as soon as possible and had a question or two to ask.

How did you/ how long did you study for GRE? I just started and have a projected dye but wanted to make sure? Also what would you recommend to study from? Also I felt I could use a re-fresher in chemistry. What type of chemistry would you feel is suitable? I felt this would also show the schools I apply to dedication to knowing the material. I Aced all my A&P classes/labs and micro.

Thank you again do much for taking the time to help so many of us with our questions and congrats on your current success in your classes! Hope to hear back soon.

Dez

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Can u tell me how was physics and chemistry? Are the test in crna school multiple choice or free response?

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@MeTheRN, great thread! I found the thread in its entirety to be extremely useful! I am currently employed at Duke Uni on the Cardio-Thoracic Surgical ICU (I know it's a mouthful), and I'm approaching 6 months. I was an LPN in the US Army for about 5 years an was deployed with a Combat Support Hospital (CSH) and that's where I knew I wanted to be a CRNA. I met so many intriguing individuals who were CRNAs and let me pick their brains on numerous occasions.

I graduated in Dec 2011 with a 3.7 GPA /3.8 Nursing, and was the class representative for my class and also the representative for our college of nursing for the university (nerd..? Maybe, but I believe extra curricular activity is never frowned upon).

I took the job at Duke with a 2 yr commitment because I felt two years on the CTICU and the experience with vasoactive gtts, intubated pts, sedated pts (TOF), and the acuity of the population would prepare me for school. I will be taking the CCRN as soon as possible and had a question or two to ask.

How did you/ how long did you study for GRE? I just started and have a projected dye but wanted to make sure? Also what would you recommend to study from? Also I felt I could use a re-fresher in chemistry. What type of chemistry would you feel is suitable? I felt this would also show the schools I apply to dedication to knowing the material. I Aced all my A&P classes/labs and micro.

Thank you again do much for taking the time to help so many of us with our questions and congrats on your current success in your classes! Hope to hear back soon.

Dez

altho I am not in school it seems the consensus for additional chem is biochem or organic chem. I have know diff people to study for diff lengths for GRE! Studying for it myself right now!

good luck

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