Advice for "seasoned" individual going for RN

[Buckaroo93]

Hello all. I am new to the forum so if this is posted incorrectly, please feel free to move.

I want to become a CRNA. I live in Georgia, 43 yrs old and graduated in 1992 with a BBA Management. I am a "casualty" of the economy as I was laid off last summer from the construction sector (estimator/project manager). I have chosen to go back to school and become an RN. I am currently going to a technical college pursuing an ADN and so far, so good. Based on my grades (4.0 GPA) and the NLN exam (94) I think I have a pretty good chance of getting accepted and starting in the nursing program in Jan. But is this the best route? Am I wasting a lot of time getting the ADN? Should I consider an accelerated BSN program? Should I just continue on the path I am and look at the RN-MSN (CRNA?) or is that even available? What about the RN-BSN route?

A LOT of questions I know but I don't want to waste time and money, neither of which I have a lot of. :)

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

It will really depend on your situation financially. I'll give you the route I took and I was just accepted into CRNA school.

I did my ADN and worked ER a few years before I decided I wanted to do anesthesia. Most anesthesia programs require at least 2 years of critical care experience. I then did my RN-BSN online through the University of Wyoming because they are one of the cheapest programs around. The timing worked out nice because I was able to complete my RN-BSN while gaining critical care experience in the ICU and working full time. I have zero student loans because of the cheap tuition for my ADN and the cheap tuition for my BSN.

If you do an accelerated BSN you will most likely be looking at a lot of $$$ tuition wise. You also have to consider what others have said that the job market is not that great right now for nurses, especially new grads. Competition for anesthesia school is tough so you will need to get specialty certifications, maintain high GPA, etc to make yourself stand out.

Really it comes down to if you want to do anesthesia than do it. The great thing about nursing is that if during your journey you decide it isn't for you or you want to do something else like NP than there are many options available. Good luck.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

By the time you get you BSN and the years of critical care experience required (Yes, I know they state that only one year is required but the typical student has five to seven years of experience), you will be pushing 50. Yes, you might even graduate at 50 but you will be deeply in debt. I work for a very large corporation and I see very few people working beyond early 60's. Yes, the occasional cushy old man job is around but they usually go to the guys who have worked the longest in the department.

[montecarlo64, ASN, BSN, LPN]

I graduated from an LPN to RN program (ADN) in May 2010. I had been an LPN since 1993 & it took me since 2004 to do prereqs, and the RN program while working full time. I was 45 years old when I graduated last year (3.89 GPA) & to do over again I WOULD NOT HAVE pursued the RN..I am from indiana, and I applied to 20 positions at 8 different area hospitals with only 2 interviews & 1 offer for a part time position 1 1/2 hour away. I make only $3 more an hour in LTC (where most of my career has been). Hospitals disregard the LPN experience & most LTC really would rather have an LPN. I am hoping that as I gain more "RN" experience I might be more marketable in the hospital setting. I am working in a management position, but my true passion is critical care. At your age, I would think long & hard before putting in all of the money and effort. I also would recommend that you shadow nurses in different settings to make sure that it is a career that you will be satisfied with, in whatever position you may secure. It is hard work & it just keeps getting harder. Your current degree should help you get to a management position quicker, but I am not sure that you will have enough time in your career to get to CRNA. I wish you good luck with your endeavor!