Advice for career as CRNA

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I am currently a junior in high school, I am interested in medicine and hope to get into the field of anesthesia (CRNA) but I would like to prepare as much as possible and get advice from people with experience. What I would like to do is take 2 years in a community college and then 4 to get my bsn after that I was thinking of joining the navy (Yes i am willing to fight for my country and no it would not just be for college, partially yes) and that's where it gets a little bit tricky in my mind. Would the time in the military count as 1 year in the ICU that is required to study to become a crna? Also the military would pay for my debts but i have also heard of programs in the navy that teach you how to become a crna, could someone elaborate for me? would I have to serve even more in the end? or would i just get the free training and that would count as the years i have to serve and just finish the rest without having to add on? if anyone has any better routes to become a crna that are shorter or more convenient then, by all means, please let me know, thank you.

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May I ask why CRNA? The navy does offer a program called USAGPAN that tuition is covered with a contract of service. That program does still require at least one year of ICU experience and their website details the information you would need. I recommend getting through nursing school and then determine what you really want.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I am interested in medicine and hope to get into the field of anesthesia (CRNA) but I would like to prepare as much as possible and get advice from people with experience.
Your thread has been moved to our CRNA forum. Good luck to you!
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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Military nursing experience in and of itself does not count as critical care experience. You need 1+years of ICU experience in or outside the military to meet the critical care requirements. Some nurse anesthesia schools will take experience other than ICU, but those schools are few.

The Navy sends all their active-duty nurse anesthesia students USUHS not USAGPAN. USAGPAN is primarily an Army program that accepts some USAF and VA students every year. https://www.usuhs.edu/gsn/advanced-practice-program-options

You can apply for a Health Profession Service Scholarship (HPSP) that will allow you to go to a civilian CRNA school before entering the military and the military/Navy/USAF/Army will pay tuition and a monthly stipend while going to school. You will owe year for year for the amount of time you used HPSP.

This is the general timeline if you enter the military as a new nurse without critical care experience and want to go to CRNA school:

Approximately 2 years on med-surg or clinic before being allowed to cross-train in ICU

1 year of critical care training

2-3 years of working in ICU before being able to apply to CRNA school

3 years of CRNA school

5 years payback for active duty CRNA school

Total: 13-14 years in the military to become a CRNA and do your payback for CRNA school. That timeline is on low end a lot of military CRNAs don't get in right away and end up being eligible for a 20year retirement by the time they are done with their payback.

The Army and USAF both now have direct entry for experienced ICU nurses to go directly to CRNA school on active duty.

Moderators, please move this thread to SRNA forum.

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What route would you recommend on being the quickest and debt free to become a crna?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
What route would you recommend on being the quickest and debt free to become a crna?

I recommend getting 2+ years critical experience as a civilian. Then you can decide if you want to be in the military or not. You can go to a civilian program pay for it yourself and likely make a higher salary initially as civilian CRNA.

You can join the military after paying for school yourself then take the 4 year multi-year bonus of 50K that the military offers right now and use that to pay off your school loans.

It is all relative though. You should first decide if you even want to be in the military, get accepted to nursing school, and then go from there.

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Thank you, this is somewhat relevant but could i go straight into getting a bsn after high school or is an AA required?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Thank you, this is somewhat relevant but could i go straight into getting a bsn after high school or is an AA required?

Yes, you can start your prerequisites right after high school and then go straight into a BSN program. An AA is not required for a BSN.

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Specializes in Urology.
What route would you recommend on being the quickest and debt free to become a crna?

There is no such thing as quick and debt free to become a CRNA. You're looking at minimum a 7 year investment at best. When I was in nursing school we were asked who wanted to be CRNA's. Over half the class raised their hands. Nobody had ever shadowed a CRNA, knew the job, knew the schooling, but everyone knew the amount of money they made. I suspect this is also your driving factor, money talks.

So back to my story about half the class raising their hands, this was over 10 years ago. You know how many of them became CRNA's? ZERO. Not one. Life happens. I'm not saying that you shooting for the moon to be a CRNA isnt going to happen, but its more often than not, unlikely. Go to nursing school first, do a 2 year degree its cheaper than a BSN (which you wont need right away). Get your feet wet, learn what its like to care for someone, you might end up hating it. You can then work and get your BSN while you work and get experience.

wtbcrna wrote a fantastic write-up for you about the military and what they offer. They have one of the best CRNA programs, its also very competetive. You will need 1 year minimum ICU experience, but its highly unlikely you'll be taken even with a year. On the civilian side, if you do decide to do this after life happens, do it before children, a wife, a mortgage, and anything else that will cost you money or time (you're going to need it).

In the mean time, just live your life. Don't hurry for a goal because you see dollar signs. A lot of people end up doing something else along the way. I started out wanting to do culinary, then became a nurse, applied to CRNA school but then backed out, and eventually started NP school instead. You gotta do whats right for you but dont use the $$$ as the guide.

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
There is no such thing as quick and debt free to become a CRNA. You're looking at minimum a 7 year investment at best. When I was in nursing school we were asked who wanted to be CRNA's. Over half the class raised their hands. Nobody had ever shadowed a CRNA, knew the job, knew the schooling, but everyone knew the amount of money they made. I suspect this is also your driving factor, money talks.

Point!

Everybody wants to be a CRNA. Half the time they don't even know what the initials stand for. Too much gold dust in their eyes.

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Just wanted to say, some of the other posts seem fairly negative. If you want to go to CRNA school and you know that now, great! I knew at 17 that I wanted to be a CRNA after shadowing in the OR as a high school student. I went directly into a BSN program, and directly into the ICU at a Level 1 Trauma center. I worked 2 1/2 years and now I'm starting CRNA this coming August, just a little shy of 7 years after my initial decision.

Financially, went through nursing school on a full ride scholarship from the DHHS called Nurse Scholarship Program, now called Nurse Corps, so no loans. Thought of military or reserves for grad school, but probably won't happen because gotta lose 30 pounds. í ½í¸’ But I chose a public school that offers in-state tuition and lots of scholarships for the program.

Point I'm trying to make, if you WANT it, go after it! It will take a little bit of time, but it's def possible. I would def recommend shadowing first though to see if you like it.

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