Become A Nurse Just To Be A Crna?

USFguy · Feb 7, 2005

I am a BSN student at University of San Francisco (USF) and I have plans to become a Nurse Anesthetist, but understand that I must first learn the skills and art of nursing at the bedside (ICU, CCU, Med-Surg. etc.) before even thinking about anesthesia. I disagree with the other post about keeping your ambitions about anesthesia a secret to your nursing professors and employers. My nursing professors are very supportive and encourage all the students to move into some advanded practice role (NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS) or obtain further graduate education in Nurse Adminisration, Informatics, etc. (i.e. MS in Healthcare Sydtems Management). I know of Columbia ETP program and there are many others around the country for other APN roles such as NP or CNS, like at UCSF here in San Francisco. I think this is just another way for schools to deal with the nurse shortage and it is attractive to students that don't want to deal with the stigma of "just being a nurse." That is unfortuantate and is a unforseeable consequesnce of these programs. I had a MEO (Master's Entry Option Grad...had a BS in Psychology and then went straight to becoming a Pych NP) instructor who had very little respect for bedsise nurses (ADN or BSN) and saw herself as superior. That's kind of like "biting the hand that feeds you" to me. If it weren't for bedside nursing, our roles wouldn't even exist! That is our base, our foundation. That is how CRNA programs are oriented, on the nursing model. If you want to do this ETP at Columbia, I say go for it, but just remember you will always be a nurse! I don't care how much you get paid!

USFguy · Feb 7, 2005

I am a BSN student at University of San Francisco (USF) and I have plans to become a Nurse Anesthetist, but understand that I must first learn the skills and art of nursing at the bedside (ICU, CCU, Med-Surg. etc.) before even thinking about anesthesia. I disagree with the other post about keeping your ambitions about anesthesia a secret to your nursing professors and employers. My nursing professors are very supportive and encourage all the students to move into some advanded practice role (NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS) or obtain further graduate education in Nurse Adminisration, Informatics, etc. (i.e. MS in Healthcare Sydtems Management). I know of Columbia ETP program and there are many others around the country for other APN roles such as NP or CNS, like at UCSF here in San Francisco. I think this is just another way for schools to deal with the nurse shortage and it is attractive to students that don't want to deal with the stigma of "just being a nurse." That is unfortuantate and is a unforseeable consequesnce of these programs. I had a MEO (Master's Entry Option Grad...had a BS in Psychology and then went straight to becoming a Pych NP) instructor who had very little respect for bedsise nurses (ADN or BSN) and saw herself as superior. That's kind of like "biting the hand that feeds you" to me. If it weren't for bedside nursing, our roles wouldn't even exist! That is our base, our foundation. That is how CRNA programs are oriented, on the nursing model. If you want to do this ETP at Columbia, I say go for it, but just remember you will always be a nurse! I don't care how much you get paid!

By the way, anyone know how hard it is to get into Columbia's program? I am a second semester sophmore graduating in 2007, so I have a ways. I really want to move to NYC and go to Columbia. What kind of GPA do they want and course work. It looks like they basically require the same courses a pre-med student needs (i.e. Chem, Physics, Calculus, etc.). If anyone who goes there or did , can you respond?

Also, I wonder is there CRNA program is conveting over to the DrNP degree or not since they just got that degree approved. Anyone?

mwbeah · Feb 13, 2005

Hey Lookingtobecrna,You never did tell us how your information seeking at Columbia went???????

iliket3 · Feb 13, 2005

Nothing wrong with going into nursing to become a CRNA. However, with that being said, I begin my first ICU job in June. Knowing myself the way I do :) , I will not apply for NA school until I feel a certain level of comfort in my ability and skills as an RN. Time is not on my side. I'm older and want to be a CRNA within the next 5 years or so. That means I do not have the time to hang out on med-surg before going to ICU just to "perfect my skills as an RN." Don't mean to offend anyone but that's just plain the way it is. And not to be stubborn - but I don't see a single thing wrong with it.

ICUsleep · Feb 13, 2005

I will not apply for NA school until I feel a certain level of comfort in my ability and skills as an RN. Time is not on my side. I'm older and want to be a CRNA within the next 5 years or so. That means I do not have the time to hang out on med-surg before going to ICU just to "perfect my skills as an RN." Don't mean to offend anyone but that's just plain the way it is. And not to be stubborn - but I don't see a single thing wrong with it.

I agree with you 100%. You will need to conserve more energy (and time!) for going to CRNA school and learning about the procedures you will actually be performing than to spending it working med-surg. There is nothing wrong with what you feel and plan to do. Working years on med-surg isn't what will get you into CRNA school anyways...they want to see if and how much ICU experience you have. Good luck!:balloons:

KrisRNwannabe · Feb 13, 2005

LookingtobeCRNA,

I don't think anyone wanst to discourage your goals. I think it is perfectly fine for you to want to further your career. I think the issues are with some of these programs. There is another discussion about NP degrees. For some people (some) the 1 year of experience in ICU may not be enough. Please keep in mind that these upper level specialized careers were meant for experienced nurses. Please realize that just because you have taken a whole host science classes doesn't make you a better nurse. it makes you a nurse that took a whole bunch of science classes. A nursing degree just gives you small look into the profession. You don't even begin to learn until you are working in a job. Lots of people (me included) worry that rushing through programs in the fastest route possible may not be the best choice. In the discussion about the direct entry NP programs my point was this. You can be a cashier at target, rush through a accelerated BSN, then through a MSN program for a NP degree and graduate and Boom you are a NP. So as a new grad you go to this NP for help and find out she has never worked as a nurse or has worked as one for less than a year. yet is in a NP role. As a CRNA you hold a patients life litterly in you hands. It requires not only book smarts but experience in high stress situations. I have a cousin going through a CRNA program. In speaking with several CRNAs she was strongly advised to get a few years of ICU experience before applying. I advise you to speak with previous grads from this program and see how they are functioning. It is unfortunate but schools don't always tell you the whole story. Also, talk to CRNAs from other programs and explain the type of program you are interested in. take their opinions and advice along with the previous grads and compare and contrast. that way you can feel confident with your decision. Sometimes the forums get out of hand, but normally it is because most everyone on here wants the best for their patients. I have seen very few people be mean and nasty just for the fun of it. Nurses are advocates for their patients, if they get heated about their opinions, it is only because they want the best for their patients. Since you will be a CRNA, you will be a nurse too and will probably share their strong will to advocate for your patients. Good luck, and please let us what you decide, and if you need help we will be here!!

Kris

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Feb 13, 2005

who would you choose to put you under? someone with all my experience as a crna or someone with the minimum?
i hope you expect your surgeon to have had more than 1 year of experience before opening you.
expecting nurses to be held to higher standards only helps us reach our full potentials. if we accept lower standards, then we'll get lower results. it has nothing to do with going on..... it has to do with knowing, as a profession, we approve and send our best into these programs so we ALL look like winners in the end.:)
trish rn bsn cen (recert ccrn in april)

:yeahthat: I was actually thinking the same thing regarding NPs, After following the dead-horse beating of another thread (NP Education- a rant).

I've never had the occasion to visit an NP (for my own health), but when I was at the Gyn the other day, I noticed a second NP had joined the practice. And often if the MD is backed up, they will ask if you wouldn't mind seeing the Np or PA instead. I thought to myself, is the NP a nurse with 3 yrs of experience, all part time while rushing through NP school? I sure hope not. :uhoh3:

Sheri257 · Feb 13, 2005

...and some students probably do have some attitude...like "why should I care about this, I'm going to be a CRNA!" I would never say anything like that. I am there to learn as much as possible, just like everyone else.

A girl in my class just said that exact same thing the other day. Ironically, she's just flunked a semester and has to repeat but, somehow, she thinks she'll get into CRNA school. She actually thinks she'll be able to charm her way into a program, even with lousy grades. Go figure.

:lol2:

Sheri257 · Feb 13, 2005

Incidentally, I'm basing this question on what others have posted on this board ...

But don't the CRNA interviewing committees ask a lot of questions about your ICU experience? Aren't they trying to find out if you know your stuff?

If so, that would probably be an indication that ICU experience is invaluable and, the more experience you have the better. That is, if you want to ace the interview.

:coollook:

apaisRN, RN, CRNA · Feb 13, 2005

I've never had the occasion to visit an NP (for my own health), but when I was at the Gyn the other day, I noticed a second NP had joined the practice. And often if the MD is backed up, they will ask if you wouldn't mind seeing the Np or PA instead. I thought to myself, is the NP a nurse with 3 yrs of experience, all part time while rushing through NP school? I sure hope not.

Frankly, if I became a women's health NP I wouldn't be any more

prepared by my one year of med-surg and two years of ICU. Female plumbing is a whole different field.

Not that I disagree with you. My feeling is that CRNAs get to do a really cool job and make a good living with a total of only 6-7 years education. We pay for the privilege by doing a lot of our learning on the job, in ICU. That's what CRNAs ARE - experienced ICU nurses who went a step further. If you don't want to be a nurse, be a PA or AA.

lookingtobecrna · Feb 14, 2005

Hey Lookingtobecrna,You never did tell us how your information seeking at Columbia went???????

hey mwbeah it went great i was extremely pleased. The only negative was the price of the bsn portion something like 54000 for the one year. other than that i think it is a great opportunity once u are accepted. u r promised a spot only once u work as a critical care nurse for 1 year u can continue onto the clinical portion. critical care can be pacu, or nicu it does not have to be micu or sicu. It is extremely competitive u must have really good overall gpa cutoff being 3.5-3.6 it is actually perfectly suited for me so iam definetly applying for may 06.

being a bio major from ny i have taken more than required for the program 1 year of physics, orgo, gen chem, biochem, micro, neurology etc. The director informed me that this was definetly a plus for me as long as i have good grades. i have nothing less than a B+ so things r looking good. He informed me that i should try and do good on the gre and do some volunteering in order to make myself a more well rounded applicant..he also said to shadow a crna which iam trying to do. I will keep everyone posted on my progress and whether i am accepted. thanks to everyone for the negative and positive comments they are a real motivator.

lookingtobecrna · Feb 14, 2005

by the way im not going to post on this forum too much since my post are being quarantined from the little argument some of us had. my post dont show up until the following day so its really annoting and irritating. i just lurk most of the time but very little.