Anyone attended previous Nurse anesthesia school and withdrawn

Published

Hello,

I recently made a difficult decision to withdraw from my anesthesia school because it just was not the right fit for me, I felt like I would be doing myself and my future patients a deservice if I continued. The environment just was not conducive to learning, without going into details.

My gpa is great and I left in good standing. I was wondering if any one has made this decision and reapplied to a different school and if so, what was the outcome.

Thanks,

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am so sorry to hear that you decided to drop out. I haven't heard of anyone ever dropping, but I have heard of people being kicked out. If you don't mind my asking, what school were you in. I looked @ some of you past posts, and I want to guess that it was Youngstown. I've not heard anything positive regarding that school and the way they treat their students. That's the school that the person I know was kicked out of part way through their last year. This person was an "A" student. Akron took 'em after that. Again, I'm really sorry.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I withdrew after almost being half way done. Hard decision. I don't regret withdrawing. I regret choosing to attend. I regret the wasted learning, i.e., intubating, line insertion, inducing, maintaining, emergence.

I think the condoned hazing is a disgrace in graduate education.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am so sorry to hear your stories and I agree completely that the hazing is sadistic and has to stop. Yet people will defend it in much the same way people will defend hitting their kids ... it's the only way they'll learn ... people don't learn like that ... or i sure don't

I already spent several years in a graduate program that was not for me and dropped out. My biggest regret is that I did not drop out sooner, like on day one. The program and concerns were completely different, but I do not want to find myself in remotely the same position.

I'm trying my best to steer clear of any program that tolerates hazing practices. And especially any program where the director finds it sporting.

If you are reluctant to post here, please pm me with a heads up. The programs I am looking into are in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Boston and Albany.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sorry, I got side tracked. Back to your question, before reapplying, I think you would need to have a frank discussion with the former program director and other instructors to find out just what they will say if and when called and to see if any of the instructors will be supportive of your plans; hopefully, one or two would be willing to write a reference. Even though the school was a poor fit, most people would not want to get in the way of your further pursuits.

Perhaps not all, but most applications ask about whether you've attended another program. Not that you would lie, but it could be tempting. The anesthesia community is rather small, and lying on the application is sufficient grounds for dismissal at any point in a program.

When it comes time to interviewing, you will have to be ready with some clear and simple explanations for why it did not work out, what is different now, I might even hire a profession interview prep person to make sure that I didn't sound angry or bitter, etc.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This is really alarming. Hazing!??!! I mean Ive been dreaming of attending nurse anesthesia school 3 to 5 years from now..but with these unlikely comments that I ve been reading itsreally discouraging.. I mean really hazing?!!?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

yea I heard of people offered the option to withdraw or else also. I heard that u become one of the untouchable and no other school will ever want u. It tough u wasted lot on money, time, and effort. But some people say it a lie and u may find a school that is a better fit. Ur guess is as good as minds

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in DNAP Student.
Hello,

I recently made a difficult decision to withdraw from my anesthesia school because it just was not the right fit for me, I felt like I would be doing myself and my future patients a deservice if I continued. The environment just was not conducive to learning, without going into details.

My gpa is great and I left in good standing. I was wondering if any one has made this decision and reapplied to a different school and if so, what was the outcome.

Thanks,

Your latest post indicated your started 2009. Does that mean you are going back to CRNA school?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Open Heart.

I'd like to hear how hazing is defined in this situation....anyone?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well, first of all, just so everyone knows it's not whining, I have never once considered pimping to be hazing.

Hazing is being pushed, hit, shoved, slapped in totally non-emergent situations. By CRNA or MDA. And don't talk about taking legal action, that is such a joke if you know the environment of SRNA programs. Hazing is being humiliated in front of the whole OR for not taping eyes the way that day's doc or CRNA prefers. Hazing is one doc screaming at you for holding the ETT until it is secured and the next day another doc screaming at you for not holding the ETT until it is secured. Ditto for the way you hold the bag. Hazing is having every single move you make criticized for the whole entire day by the CRNA. Hazing is having lies told about you--specifics that you and the teller are absolutely sure did not happen. Hazing is whenever either the MDA or CRNA yells, demeans, mocks, insults the student.

There is no place for crap like this in graduate school. If you tell me that such actions are necessary, I will tell you that you are full of ****. I never saw a surgeon mistreat any CRNA the way I saw CRNAs/MDAs routinely treat SRNAs. So don't tell me it's to teach you to deal with irate surgeons. Most nurses who get accepted into CRNA programs have practiced long enough to learn how to deal with irrational docs.

I was never once asked to leave the OR so I don't know how what I was doing was so horrible. I never once left the OR of my own volition, even when I was really unreasonably provoked.

There is no good reason for the hazing that occurs. It's a self-perpetuating culture. You survive the mistreatment, and turn around to do it to the upcoming students. I was told over and over that it would get better when they had the new incoming junior SRNAs to abuse. How pathetic is that???

Sure there are people who make it through this. That does not make it right or desirable. And there are people who are not able to learn well under those conditions. Is that a negative???

So, I say, avoid anesthesia school if you react poorly to bullying, verbal abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse. You will be less likely to be able to perform your best, no matter how smart you are or how much superb very-high-acuity-high-stress ICU experience you have. I imagine guys who thrive in the military might have an edge, given the similarities with basic training. Maybe it is necessary for people going into warfare to be treated/tested that way, but I hardly think that doing anesthesia is the equivalent of warfare. As far as I know, the SRNAs at the military CRNA programs who are being trained to do anesthesia in warfare, are treated very professionally in their programs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I heard hazing more times in small programs with one or two hospitals. They tend to pick the one or two that is different from the rest of the class as a target. Choose ur school wisely or u maybe sry and lose lots of money and time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Open Heart.

I would expect a certain level of crap put on the students....i think there even is in the ICU when you are a new nurse....however this sounds a little over the top......is this the norm at all programs?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion