BSN at WGU to CRNA.

Nursing Students Western Governors

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I was wondering if anyone that has obtained their BSN at was having trouble getting into a CRNA program. From what I have been researching most CRNA programs focus heavily on your BSN GPA, and type of CVICU/CCU experience. I understand that WGU'S BSN program is a pass/fail type program with a set 3.0 GPA. Please correct me if any of my information is wrong. I am very interesting in applying to WGU's BSN program. Any input/advice is greatly appreciated.

Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.
Did you all meet up while in school and decide to do this?

Nope it's a long established practice. One partner was getting ready to retire and they were looking for a new CRNA to join to take his place. I worked casual in the ICU and ER in this hospital and wanted to go to CRNA school and was trying to figure out how to pay for it. They offered to pay for school if I would work for them when I graduated. This is a very rural area and it's hard to recruit people to live and work here. Well I am a country boy through and through and already lived in the area. After I graduated I went to work for them and an employee but very soon they offered to allow me to buy into the practice. I had to pay back the money they paid for my school since partners don't get scholerships but that was no problem since as a graduate with a job everybody and their brother wants to loan me money.

It depends on what state you choose to practice in. I choose Wisconsin cause it is among the states that allow independant practice for CRNAs and the pay is high. While I was in school my classmates and I were offered similar oppertunities by other practices but none offered the amount if time off I get.

Yea I couldn't live in a rural area I'm a city girl lol. But still kudos to your success.

Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.
Yea I couldn't live in a rural area I'm a city girl lol. But still kudos to your success.

Fiar enough but take me advice. Keep your desire to go to CRNA school to yourself unless you already have a good job in a high aquiety ICU. ICU nurse managers often hate to lose their nurses to anesthesia school and will go out of their way to NOT hire those who want to go.

Fiar enough but take me advice. Keep your desire to go to CRNA school to yourself unless you already have a good job in a high aquiety ICU. ICU nurse managers often hate to lose their nurses to anesthesia school and will go out of their way to NOT hire those who want to go.

Yea that's what I've heard. Thanks for the advice. Do you suggest any classes to take to make your application competitive like biochem or any other grad level coursework?

Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.
Yea that's what I've heard. Thanks for the advice. Do you suggest any classes to take to make your application competitive like biochem or any other grad level coursework?

I really struggled with physics and wished I had taken an entry level class before attempting aneshthesia school. I wouldn't have taken it for credit but just to get some background. As for grad classes I would just pick one that sounds difficult from the program you wish to attend so that is counts twords your degree and lightens your load while in the program. Getting accepted is no big deal. In fact I have never known anyone who applied and didn't get accepted, though I have known a few who had to apply twice.

Yea I figured later on before applying I should take some "hard sciences". Since the last time I took some was in undergrad n that was organic chem. But thanks for the advice appreciate it

I really struggled with physics and wished I had taken an entry level class before attempting aneshthesia school. I wouldn't have taken it for credit but just to get some background. As for grad classes I would just pick one that sounds difficult from the program you wish to attend so that is counts twords your degree and lightens your load while in the program. Getting accepted is no big deal. In fact I have never known anyone who applied and didn't get accepted, though I have known a few who had to apply twice.

Oh I think u said this before but do you honestly think its necessary to get a BSN before applying? I already have a BS in health and human performance n currently getting my ADN. I really don't want to pay for another bachelors unless I need to

Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.
Oh I think u said this before but do you honestly think its necessary to get a BSN before applying? I already have a BS in health and human performance n currently getting my ADN. I really don't want to pay for another bachelors unless I need to

Some programs, usully those based in big university schools of nursing require a BSN. Other schools don't. As I mentioned I have known people to get accepted to CRNA school with a wide variety of degrees. Certainly any degree in a hard science seems to be no problem. It all depends on the school and how they look at it. Before I wasted time and money getting a BSN I would apply with what you have and see what happens. I got a BSN simply cause I didn't have a degree and the BSN was by far the easiest and cheapest degree for me to get.

FWIW before anesthesia school I had never taken a chemistry class or any science class except microbiology at a community college. While challenging the CRNA program was doable for me, though I did have to seek some tutoring for some of the chemistry and physics.

Some programs, usully those based in big university schools of nursing require a BSN. Other schools don't. As I mentioned I have known people to get accepted to CRNA school with a wide variety of degrees. Certainly any degree in a hard science seems to be no problem. It all depends on the school and how they look at it. Before I wasted time and money getting a BSN I would apply with what you have and see what happens. I got a BSN simply cause I didn't have a degree and the BSN was by far the easiest and cheapest degree for me to get.

FWIW before anesthesia school I had never taken a chemistry class or any science class except microbiology at a community college. While challenging the CRNA program was doable for me, though I did have to seek some tutoring for some of the chemistry and physics.

Yea I've taken pretty much every hard science in undergrad other than physics, too scared lol. But yea that's what I'll probably do is speak to some admission counselors n see what they suggest. I just don't want to spend unnecessary tuition money if I don't need too.

Happy holidays

IndiCRNA:

Are you aware of which other states allow CRNAs to run an independent practice? Or, even better, do you know where this information can be found?

Thanks,

Zack

Hey man forget your float pay. I intentionaly went to work in a very low paying hospital specificaly cause I know that nurses from that unit get accepted to CRNA school at very high rates. I make about $60K less working at that hospital than I could have in a different hospital 3 hours away. However that unit got me into CRNA school and I have WAY WAY more than made up the difference. You wouldn't even believe me if I told you how much I make now.

I am 1/3 owner of an all CRNA practice. The 3 of us have the exclusive contract to provide anesthesia services of a smaller hospital. That means we get 100% of the bill rate for services. Our schedual is PERFECT. It goes like this. For two weeks I work mon-fri 6-8 hours a day doing schedualed cases. No call, no nights, no weekends. Then for two weeks I go on call 24/7 but have no schedualed cases. On average I work 15 hours a week during those 2 weeks but I am on call all the time. Usually I am called in for night OB cases and for trauma in the ER, and emergency cases. Fun stuff. We also provide on call intensivist coverage for the small ICU. That means I take calls at night to deal with issues with the ICU patients. We also run all the vents after hours. It sounds like a lot but it's not really and it's the only thing I have to do for those 2 weeks. I take call from home. I own a farm that I am setting up for hunting and I get a lot of work done and get in a lot of fishing during those two weeks. Then for two weeks I am OFF! So I get 2 weeks off out of every 6 weeks. Our schedual rotates like that in 6 week blocks.

All the income figures for CRNAs you see are for employees. I am the junior partner of our 3 CRNA group and I will make more than $300K in my first year. The senior partner makes over half a million. I expect to make over half a million within 5 years. We are NOT supervised by physicians in any way. We ARE the anesthesia department. We write orders on our patients and follow them so long as they are in the ICU or PACU. We are in negotiations right now to take over the pain managment service. That will add minimal work but a lot of income. We recently hired a CRNA to cover baby leave by one of the partners and we are paying him $120K for 12 weeks work.

Your float pay is nothing in compairison. Get it done!

IndiCRNA

I am 23 years old and am graduating with my BSN in May 2013. I have attended two Diversity CRNA Mentorship Programs (diversitycrna.org) that I can put in my application essay when I apply for CRNA school. I currently work at a Cardiovascular Step Down Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital as a Clinical Nurse Extern. I plan to get into SICU when I graduate. I really want to be successful like you and I need more mentors like you that can help me establish myself in the future.

Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.
IndiCRNA

I am 23 years old and am graduating with my BSN in May 2013. I have attended two Diversity CRNA Mentorship Programs (diversitycrna.org) that I can put in my application essay when I apply for CRNA school. I currently work at a Cardiovascular Step Down Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital as a Clinical Nurse Extern. I plan to get into SICU when I graduate. I really want to be successful like you and I need more mentors like you that can help me establish myself in the future.

Well I wish you good luck. I wish I had known about nurse anesthesia when I was your age. If I had I could have gone the NA school before the masters was required and avoided all the fluff involved in a masters program, I sure hope you are not telling anyone else about your plans for NA school. Keep it to yourself. Some ICU nurse managers won't hire you if they know you plan to leave as soon as you get your experience. When you do get into an ICU be a kick butt RN. That means be a team player, respect the senior nurses and their knowlage, work OT when they need you, get involved in qualiety improvement projects on your unit. Get any teaching experience you can. Remember you are going to have to ask your nurse manager for a reference letter and you need it to be a great one.

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