Advice for Aspiring CRNA, Please!

[Bad Username]

Hello! I am about to be a fourth year nursing student in a BSN program, and I would love to get a head start on anything that will help me become a CRNA in the future.

Background: I was recently hired as a nurse technician in a MICU/ SICU at a local hospital, and I love it. The RNs that I have been working with are fantastic at including me in patient care and providing learning opportunities. I love how in-depth the care is for each patient and how much critical thinking is required. I have found that I tend to make mistakes or forget things more often when I have to constantly rush to complete my tasks (I also pick up shifts on a Med/ Surg floor). The ICU really allows me to slow down, take a deep breath and use my brain, which is advantageous for someone who has zero habits to rely on.

I recently became interested in attending CRNA school after spending 4-5 hours in the OR during one of my clinical rotations; I loved it. The teamwork-oriented atmosphere was fantastic and unlike anything else I've experienced yet. I can almost say that I KNOW I want to work in the OR. Coincidentally, a few days after experiencing the OR, I played a randomly selected podcast while driving that explained how anesthesia was invented, how it works, etc., and I found myself captivated. I am easily fascinated by many things, but it was so interesting! (The podcast was Black Box by Radiolab if anyone is interested Black Box

- Radiolab).

TL;DR/ Summarization: As far as I know at this point, I am very interested in becoming a CRNA. What can I do to get ahead now and stay ahead? I am a great self-teacher and a very determined student; would it be possible for me to purchase some of the popular/ common first year textbooks used in CRNA programs to read through and takes notes on in my free time? Are there any other books/ journals that someone could recommend? Any other general suggestions?

Thanks for your time!

[jj224]

Oh god, save yourself the trouble of reading anesthesia textbooks! I'd say - finish off school with your grades intact. Keep making a good impression at work so you can hopefully be hired there upon passing the NCLEX. Once you start working, be a sponge! Learn as much as you can & start studying for CCRN. I used the Pass CCRN book - it had a lot of quizzes and questions that also provided rationale for the answers. Also, I think the AACN has a book, which is very dense, that I'd look to for additional clarification if needed. The rest of the things you can do to help your application will come after you have some experience at work. Not sure what your time frame is for applying to school. Some people get in with a year of experience and do fine. For me, at one year, I was just starting to be comfortable as an ICU nurse and it took me a bit longer to become a preceptor and charge RN - both of which helped my application. In my class now, we all have at least 3 years of experience, with me being at the lower end. Not trying to dissuade you from applying with less experience, but rather, if you do so, add other things to your application that will help you stand out among people with more experience (get various certifications, ACLS instructor?, etc.).

Also, shadow an acute care NP if you can. They do some pretty awesome stuff and they often work on critical care units vs the OR. Very different from anesthesia, but more similar to the critical care setting you're being exposed to now, which you may or may not like!

Good luck. There is a ton of good info here on this forum. Also, I'd recommend not telling coworkers / unit manager that you plan on applying to anesthesia school until its time to apply (not as a tech now at your unit, and not as an interviewee when applying after graduation). Training a new graduate is fairly expensive and is time consuming / exhausting for more senior nurses. Many units are losing staff to NP or CRNA school, so I know at my old hospital at least, if people knew you were coming just to put in your year before leaving for school, they may not be as apt to hire you. If they ask about future plans for school - say just that - I may go back to school in the future, but right now, I'm a few years away and I am focused on learning as much about critical care as possible.

[BigPappaCRNA]

Please, before you read anything else, please, please, please buy and read the book entitled "Watchful Care". This is where it all starts. This is the setting for your future.

There is just no sense or reason for you to buy or read any anesthesia texts. At all. Please study, read, and prepare to be the very best ICU nurse you can be. Soak yourself into your ICU career. In about three years, you will be about ready to move on to the next step of your career.

Good luck.