Becoming RN solely to become CRNA

Nursing Students SRNA

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How many people do that? Is it advisable? Did you / would you?

Specializes in Anesthesia.
I am a prenursing student. I will be applying to Nursing school next week. I only want to be a CRNA. I wish people would stop judging. It does not mean I would be incompetent. I always wanted to be a doctor and when I could not afford the money nor the time, I decided to go for pharmacy; then, one day I was reading about CRNA's and I know that from that day on, I have only wanted to become a CRNA. No need to lecture me. I have done all of my research about CRNA's. The only thing I am missing is to shadow a CRNA. No matter what people may say, I will keep my grades up and I know one day I will be a great CRNA.

I am sorry but this post is hilarious. You wanted to be doctor but didn't have the money (most physicians get loans to get through school by the way) or want to put forth the time/effort to become one. Then you wanted to be a pharmacist, and now you want to be a CRNA with out even have worked with a CRNA. All this at the ripe old age of 19.

Just for you know it takes a bare minimum of 7.5yrs if everything goes right and you goto the shortest nurse anesthesia school to become a CRNA.

No worries though I changed my mind/major many times before actually becoming a nurse/CRNA.

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I personally just don't care to spend two years in the ICU or even less really.

What if you get through nursing school and into the ICU, then can't get in to anesthesia school? Can you live with that? Because it's a very real possibility. Some people never get in.

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I am sorry but this post is hilarious. You wanted to be doctor but didn't have the money (most physicians get loans to get through school by the way) or want to put forth the time/effort to become one. Then you wanted to be a pharmacist, and now you want to be a CRNA with out even have worked with a CRNA. All this at the ripe old age of 19.

Just for you know it takes a bare minimum of 7.5yrs if everything goes right and you goto the shortest nurse anesthesia school to become a CRNA.

No worries though I changed my mind/major many times before actually becoming a nurse/CRNA.

Let me clarify. I wanted to be a doctor; however, a lot of things came my way. I had to move out of my parents house and I had to support my self. I could not dedicate 12-15 years to school in order to become a doctor. Also, I am not a big fan of student loans. Anyway, I currently work full time and go to school full time. I am dedicated to become a CRNA. Right now my GPA is 3.87 and I just sent my application for nursing school. Then, I hope to get a scholarship that will pay for my BSN while I have to work for that hospital for three years; THen, I will start getting ready to apply to CRNA school. Thank you very much. It does not matter what my reasons are; no matter what anyone says. I'm going to become a great CRNA. I think it's a great thing that I know what I want to do at such a young age. I have sacrificed a lot to keep my GPA as high as it is. As a matter of fact, this summer I am enrolled in 20 credit hours and have so far made all A's.

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Specializes in CVICU/SICU-MICU/OR/PACU.

To the OP: I appreciate your honesty and determination. The journey is long and grueling to becoming a CRNA. It will take more then a high gpa to get into any program, expecially by the time you start applying. You have to remain focused. You are looking at applying by the time you are 26 y/o. Rough estimate. Anything is possible, and dont let anyone on this site discourage you.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Let me clarify. I wanted to be a doctor; however, a lot of things came my way. I had to move out of my parents house and I had to support my self. I could not dedicate 12-15 years to school in order to become a doctor. Also, I am not a big fan of student loans. Anyway, I currently work full time and go to school full time. I am dedicated to become a CRNA. Right now my GPA is 3.87 and I just sent my application for nursing school. Then, I hope to get a scholarship that will pay for my BSN while I have to work for that hospital for three years; THen, I will start getting ready to apply to CRNA school. Thank you very much. It does not matter what my reasons are; no matter what anyone says. I'm going to become a great CRNA. I think it's a great thing that I know what I want to do at such a young age. I have sacrificed a lot to keep my GPA as high as it is. As a matter of fact, this summer I am enrolled in 20 credit hours and have so far made all A's.

Good for you stay motivated, but I should point out a few things.

1. It takes at least 7yrs bare minimum to become a CRNA with the average time probably somewhere around 10yrs from start of undergraduate school to actually graduating CRNA school.

2. You haven't started nursing school yet, and a big part of your anesthesia application is going to be your gpa for the last 60hrs of school.

3. You had mentioned never having shadowed a CRNA I would highly recommend shadowing a CRNA before committing yourself to a career that you might end up really hating. Most CRNAs are very open to having people shadow them to see what being a CRNA is all about.

4. You are basically going to put the same time into becoming a CRNA as you would a physician (4yrs undergraduate, 3+yrs RN experience, and probably another 3yrs for NA school). You can get scholarships/loans and loan forgiveness/paybacks a lot easier going to medical school/being a physician than you can for NA school. It isn't unusual for CRNAs to come out of school with 200K+ in student loans.

5. The most important thing is to stay motivated. I think staying motivated is probably the biggest factor to getting through NA school.

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You are doing good so far. Your GPA may drop in nursing. You will need to work very hard to maintain it. CRNA is not short either. You will need 2-4 years of BSN (I don't know where you stand right now, but if you are applying then you should have 2 more years to go), 1 year min. ICU experience which will probably be 2 years until you apply and get in, and 2-4 years of CRNA. By the time you graduate they may start requiring DNP. However, you will be earning money in ICU.

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To the OP: I appreciate your honesty and determination. The journey is long and grueling to becoming a CRNA. It will take more then a high gpa to get into any program, expecially by the time you start applying. You have to remain focused. You are looking at applying by the time you are 26 y/o. Rough estimate. Anything is possible, and dont let anyone on this site discourage you.

Thank you very much. I always appreciate constructive criticism.

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You are doing good so far. Your GPA may drop in nursing. You will need to work very hard to maintain it. CRNA is not short either. You will need 2-4 years of BSN (I don't know where you stand right now, but if you are applying then you should have 2 more years to go), 1 year min. ICU experience which will probably be 2 years until you apply and get in, and 2-4 years of CRNA. By the time you graduate they may start requiring DNP. However, you will be earning money in ICU.

Thanks. I really plan to spend at least 2 years in the ICU. and about my gpa, I will quit my full time job to focus soly on school. I do plan do shadow a CRNA; however, I simply do not have the time right now.

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Good for you stay motivated, but I should point out a few things.

1. It takes at least 7yrs bare minimum to become a CRNA with the average time probably somewhere around 10yrs from start of undergraduate school to actually graduating CRNA school.

2. You haven't started nursing school yet, and a big part of your anesthesia application is going to be your gpa for the last 60hrs of school.

3. You had mentioned never having shadowed a CRNA I would highly recommend shadowing a CRNA before committing yourself to a career that you might end up really hating. Most CRNAs are very open to having people shadow them to see what being a CRNA is all about.

4. You are basically going to put the same time into becoming a CRNA as you would a physician (4yrs undergraduate, 3+yrs RN experience, and probably another 3yrs for NA school). You can get scholarships/loans and loan forgiveness/paybacks a lot easier going to medical school/being a physician than you can for NA school. It isn't unusual for CRNAs to come out of school with 200K+ in student loans.

5. The most important thing is to stay motivated. I think staying motivated is probably the biggest factor to getting through NA school.

Thanks for the info. I do not mind constructive criticism.

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Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.
I hate to say this, but the number one reason people WANT to be CRNAs in the first place is the moohla $$$. Sure, there may be a FEW people who are interested in it, but let's face it...CRNAs make a crapload of money and live a very comfortable upper-middle class lifestyle.

I don't think there is anything wrong with that. How many doctors wanted to become plastic surgeons or anesthesiologists just for the money. Do we think of them less? Honestly if someone finds money as a drive or motivation then kudos for them. As long as they do their job correctly. I would rather be put under with a person who is satisfied and happy with their job, financially secure (no financial stress which is a big time stress and has caused a lot of divorces) and competent with their job.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I don't think there is anything wrong with that. How many doctors wanted to become plastic surgeons or anesthesiologists just for the money. Do we think of them less? Honestly if someone finds money as a drive or motivation then kudos for them. As long as they do their job correctly. I would rather be put under with a person who is satisfied and happy with their job, financially secure (no financial stress which is a big time stress and has caused a lot of divorces) and competent with their job.

Yep, you hear sentiments like this a lot from people who aren't CRNAs, if you want a profession to grow and be respectable it won't be by people who are only in it for a paycheck.

I don't begrudge people from wanting a nice paycheck, but I don't want to work with CRNAs or MDAs that are just in anesthesia for the money. You can tell the difference in how they practice, and it isn't for the better of patients.

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I think we are getting bogged down in "nurse think" that tries to divorce economics and health care. That somehow it is wrong to want to be have a good paying job. From what I understand of CRNA school, those that go and in for a rough/challenging two-three years. If we are going to put that sort of effort into our education, shouldn't we be fairly compensated for it? As far as a profit motive, I would much rather be treated at a for profit hospital than at the VA (do a google search on the VA exposing their patients to HIV).

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