Late night CRNA ponderings...

allnurses Guide · Dec 29, 2007

1) Should I be taking some graduate courses while I am gaining my critical care experience? (Physics, Chem, Stats, etc...)
2) I have applied to a Nurse Residency Program at Vanderbilt, a year long program in Critical Care Nursing with a commitment of one year. Will I be able to consider this 2 years experience in a critical care setting or just one year? Has anyone heard any good things about this program? Also considering North Carolina, Nevada, and Colorado. Any insight on good programs there for new nurses in critical care?
3) I will be graduating with around $40,000 in student loan debt. Is it possible for me to continue acquiring more school debt once I am in a CRNA program when my BSN debt is still unpaid in full? Also, once I graduate, will I be overwhelmed with school debt??? (things I ponder late at night)
4) My children will be 10 and 8 once I enter school, and though my husband is extremely supportive, how will these two years of intense sacrifices affect my little ones?
I would really appreciate any insight/information. I know it's a lot, but I am consumed with so many questions and no one to help answer them!!! Thanks!

1) Look at each school's requirements before taking a bunch of extra classes. Most of the time you are going to just need organic or biochem in addition to your statistics class that you already took. As for all those nursing theory/research classes that you took, if you get your MSN/MSNA you will be taking them all over again.

2) You should be able to count that as two years experience. Most people realize that their is an orientation process that all new nurses go through. I don't know anything about that area of the country.

3)Yes you can continue to incur school loans as long as you don't go into default. It shouldn't be that bad to pay off the debt once you become a CRNA. Even if you were to be pay back 2,000 a month in student loans after you graduated the average CRNA makes over 10,000 a month. If the debt really bothers you consider joining the military. You can either join before school, then go to one of the military/USPHS CRNA programs for free making decent money at the same time, or join after school and have the military help pay back your student loans.

4) Nobody can really tell you how this will effect your children, but don't plan on spending a lot of time with them while in school.

gasmaster · Dec 30, 2007

Be careful about taking grad classes. Many CRNA programs require that you take their courses and will not transfer them in from other universities or degree plans. The 2 schools I applied to will not include your time spent in an internship toward your critical care time but they only require 12 months ICU to apply. Also, one required the CCRN and the other strongly encouraged it. The average GRE at each school was between 1100 and 1200. PALS and ACLS are a must. Hope this helps a little. Also, call the financial aid offices at some schools with programs & ask them about your loans.

armynse · Dec 30, 2007

The other posters hit the nail on the head. Many schools will only give you credit for the one year of ICU that you worked independently. It's a good thing that your husband is very supportive...convince him to see the light at the other end of the tunnel. He will have to be mom and dad to your two children due to the demands of school. Many NA programs will quiz you about your family and your support network during the interview process to make sure that it is solid and will not interfere with your education. Hope this info helps...there are plenty of parents with young children that succeed in CRNA school.

MIM_RN · Dec 31, 2007

"Be careful about taking grad classes. Many CRNA programs require that you take their courses and will not transfer them in from other universities or degree plans. The 2 schools I applied to will not include your time spent in an internship toward your critical care time but they only require 12 months ICU to apply. Also, one required the CCRN and the other strongly encouraged it. The average GRE at each school was between 1100 and 1200. PALS and ACLS are a must. Hope this helps a little. Also, call the financial aid offices at some schools with programs & ask them about your loans."

"The other posters hit the nail on the head. Many schools will only give you credit for the one year of ICU that you worked independently. It's a good thing that your husband is very supportive...convince him to see the light at the other end of the tunnel. He will have to be mom and dad to your two children due to the demands of school. Many NA programs will quiz you about your family and your support network during the interview process to make sure that it is solid and will not interfere with your education. Hope this info helps...there are plenty of parents with young children that succeed in CRNA school."

Neurogeek and Armynse:

Thank you both for your input. It is greatly appreciated.

MIM_RN · Dec 31, 2007

Also, wtbcrna, thank you!