Acceptance from alternate list.

Robb · Mar 4, 2005

I'm just curious if anyone has been selected from the alternate list at MTSA in TN to start in July. I'm currently in limbo on the alternate list praying to get moved up.

I'll bet that no alternates will hear before May, when orientation begins. I could be wrong, and I hope that I am....I am in the same boat as you.

BodyGuard · Dec 18, 2006

As an outsider looking in, My wife has been Top Notch nurse for over 22 years. Always a scholar, we dated all thru highschool where she graduated Magna KumLaude, and also at the top of her Nursing class in College. She has worked many facets in the nursing field including OR, and 2 years of ICU to mention the last 10 years of her field.. Has taken all her core Classes and has a 4.0 GPA in All. She has interviewed this year for the 2nd time with 2 Nationally known schools in NC.She left Both interviews feeling Confident and Nailed All their questions, even the interviewers agreed on many of them and couple of them even said, "Thats the answer we were looking for".

She was not selected in 1 school an is on the alternate list for the 2nd. Can someone PLEASE explain to me How this can be. I know you have to jump thru hoops and dance the tune but last year they took somone in who had only been in nursing for 6 months, and who aquired their degree thru some Tech school or (Accelerated 2 year Nursing degree program) No experience, Book smart person, but still......HOw can these places think so shallow?

My wife has shadowed, 1st Assisted, you name it and is Highly Regarded when people in the medical community encounter her services.

Me, not being in the medical field at all, am having a hard time trying to realize the harsh reality of their selection process...We have made many sacrifices to get us to this point where we can live of 1 income with 3 teenagers. She is on the alternate list which I can say I am happy for her but We are just as much in limbo as we were waiting for that "Letter" to come in the mail. Somone please enlighten me. She has no Idea I am writing in this forum because I just found it. I am Totally baffled on this. You Nusrses are Super Special people. But I can see the competition is brutal when it comes to CRNA acceptance. Whoa! I would have put "Previous Postal Employee" on my Resume!!..hahaha..

BG

endorphinrush · Dec 20, 2006

Dont know what to tell you bro. That sucks. I wish you guys the best in the future though. I know several spectacular nurses that had to go back repeatedly before they were accepted. One went back 5x's before they took her. Be tenacious. and when she gets in and has no time for you b/c of academics, remember how much you love her and how spectacular she is

badgernurse · Dec 21, 2006

I feel your frustration. I am waiting myself to hear if I will be accepted after applying to a couple schools for the second year in a row. I look great on paper, have been involved in committees, CCRN, shadowed a CRNA, great recs and have been told I have good interviewing skills by someone on the board of a school I recently interviewed at. Rejection. I feel like screaming "Just tell me what I have to do to get in!!!!!" It's also very frustrating when candidates get in, only to drop out after a couple of weeks when they decide, "Ummm, this just isn't for me". All I can say is, the competition is brutal and has become more brutal over the past few years. What is the secret to getting in? I don't think anyone can tell you. There are many qualified applicants for every seat in the country and I truly believe part of it is a crap shoot. Tell your wife to keep trying and don't give up if it's what she really wants. Oh, and say a prayer for me. I should be hearing something from my school of choice any day now. Thanks, and good luck!

BodyGuard · Dec 27, 2006

Thank all of you so much for sharing this with me. I pray for all you and your successes present past and Future....Whoa man! I have cooled off alot, we've talked about it, and we're kool with it. I told her to keep on climbing, I got her back with everything else. I'll take care of the kids and finances and support her even if she has to go to school in another city and move there. Whatever it takes. Having no time for me?? ha haha...she doesn't have time for me now!! That won't be any surprise!!! We make up for lost time when we get the chance. We are still working on it. Refuse to give up.

I will keep you guys posted too. I like this lil community of brotherhood / Sisterhood you all have. And it helps to Talk to others about what you feel.

Just reading your reponses made me feel a lil better...I wish the Best for all of you!!

God Bless!

BG

jackson74 · Dec 27, 2006

You said she has 2 years of ICU experience. Perhaps the candidates that were accepted ahead of her have more ICU experience. I have 6 years of ICU experience and was just accepted to a school in NC. Also what type of ICU: rural or teaching hospital? Although I disagree, most CRNA programs prefer teaching hospital ICU experience; (I disagree with this notion because I felt I had more autonomy and used critical thinking more at a rural hospital where I had limited MD backup). Also, has she taken and passed the CCRN?

I'm not saying she didn't deserve to get in this time around, just giving you some things that she may want to look at if she doesn't get in this year. I researched this field for 8 years before applying, making sure I had all my ducks in a row because I know the competition is stiff.

dfk, RN, CRNA · Dec 30, 2006

sad or not, sometimes too much experience can hurt an applicant. especially when schools aren't looking for people that can't be unmolded or changed or whatever they call it these days.. i agree with the other posts to keep trying and do whatever makes one stand out, aside from the current accomplishments. for example, i moved from a small town icu to a big city teaching icu just to get the better experience to become a better candidate. i feel this really helped me land a spot. good luck ~

BodyGuard · Dec 9, 2007

Hello everyone. It has been almost a year since I last posted. Here we go again...that time of the year. Alot has happened since she last interviewed. I am not medically inclined whatsoever so I only know what I see and have heard. I hope she gets in this year. I realize how competitive it is and alot of what I have witnessed is still unanswered...but its a new year, more experience behind her now. She has worked her a#s off and has sacrificed so much of the normal family life. I know I know, everyone feels like they deserve a chance..I just want the selection process to be Fair. Experience and Knowledge should be put under the microscope.

I would like to throw this out there.

If Anyone of you were in a bad accident where you had to be Air Lifted out, Would you want a pilot flying the helicopter to be one who has been to IRaq, Desert Storm etc as a chopper pilot, Or one who just got out of Helicopter school last week or a month ago??

Ok..on the other hand, Once you got to the hospital, would you want a seasoned professional nurse who knows Anesthesia and knows the nursing world from many aspects from years of experience ...ICU too of course....? Or one who has only been a nurse for 6 months if those were your only 2 choices hypothetically speaking?. Not trying to be facetious here but I just want to know....

ctucker · Dec 10, 2007

I was accepted off the alternate list to the school that I am attending in fact of the 21 students 6 of us are alternates. I came from a real small hospital in the south and I do have to agree with someones statement about critical thinking skills. I have alot more critical thinking skills then most in my class due to the fact of not have MDs in the house. We had to learn how to handle are patients with out call the MDs we had LOTS of standing ICU orders, but knowing when to start the drips or just adjust the fluid and stuff like that. There are alot of students in my class that didn't really even know how to start IVs because all there patient had central lines. If you really want this then don't give up. I had to move 1000 miles away kinda on last minute notice but I wouldn't change it for the world. Just have faith that alot of people apply to like 5 schools and then chose from them which to attend and you will move up the list quick. Good luck to all of you applying this year. I know how hard it is to sit and wait.

BodyGuard · Dec 11, 2007

Thank you so much. I realize how competitive it is out there. And me, the only thing I know medically is how put on a bandaid.

I hope she gets in. I see things a little differently now that someone explained some of the reasons that they pick certain people....Knowing is half the battle.

BG