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Discussion

Advice for CRNA program

Hello all my name is Joe and I am a 25 year old nursing student with 3 semesters left and went into nursing to do anesthesia. I have 2 kids and work 2 jobs one being a PACU nursing assistant and other is a landscaper. I have shadowed tons of CRNAs and anesthesiologists. I have done multiple cases and have seen different types of situations from an emergency surgery where keeping the patient stable is difficult to a scheduled endoscopy.. my current GPA is a 3.58 kind of hard to keep my GPA up with my jobs. I am part of nursing research at my hospital and in men in nursing at my college. As to that I also am part of different organizations.. i want to get right into CRNA school because I have kids and I'm 25 which I won't graduate until I'm 27ish . I have a job lined up for the ICU but I was wondering if it's possible to apply with 6 months experience then by the time the interview comes I would have about 9 months then by the time I actually start the program I'll be over just a year experience .. I know I have time still but I'm trying to build my resume now as much as I can ... any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

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    • Featured Replies

    Yes you can apply before the 1 year mark required. As long as you have the experience before the actual program begins.

    However, you may reconsider applying with the minimum experience, as many applicants will have 3-5+ years experience more competitively, and nurses with the minimum experience in anesthesia school struggle during anesthesia clinicals.

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    • Author

    Do I have to have my 1 year complete before the interviews begin ?

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    Please do yourself a favor and wait until you have at least a year of experience before you apply. Don't use your ICU time as a box to check off as complete and a hoop you have to jump through. You have a ton to learn in the ICU and it's that invaluable experience that sets us apart from AAs.

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    you sound like a great applicant!!! I started applying when I had around 2 years experience and I will have 3 years by the time my program starts, same with my classmates. I think that is the best! Good luck!!!!

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    I graduated last May with my BSN and have been accepted to a CRNA program. It is doable but you have to be diligent. I took several courses while working full time as an ICU nurse. I applied to 2 programs with 8 months of experience and received interviews at both. I'm still waiting to hear from the other school I interviewed at. Several of my friends who applied with only one year of experience didn't receive interviews because they lacked additional classes/certs.

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    • Author

    What classes were you taking?? I'm willing to do do all it takes ... for the fact that I have kids and don't want to take off for too long of school.

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    I completed an internship in my CVICU one year prior to graduation. This resulted in a much shorter orientation period. My last semester of nursing school, I enrolled in Advanced Pharmacology (Graduate level). This previous spring I took general chemistry 1. I'm on an EBP committee on my unit and have charge/precepting experience. They look at the whole package and experience is just one piece. Good luck!

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    • Author

    You were able to enroll in graduate classes during last semester of BSN?

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    You were able to enroll in graduate classes during last semester of BSN?

    Yes. I took it as a non-degree seeking major.

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    • Author
    Yes. I took it as a non-degree seeking major.

    Did you take it online somewhere ? If so which school ?

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