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?

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.

The university by me that offers a CRNA program is already making it a DNP program in 2012.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Pulmonary, Anesthesia.

DNP isn't mandated until 2025, and I seriously don't see the requirement moving to 2 years, especially if we move to a DNP.

People becoming an RN just to be a CRNA because they want to be a CRNA I have no problem with. People who want to be CRNAs so they can sit on a stool and make money I do have a problem with because they don't care what happens to the profession as long as they get that nice pay check. So they accept their autonomy being taken away piece by piece until some says "hey! You don't really do anything! Why are we paying you so much?" and by that time it's too late to do anything.

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DNP isn't mandated until 2025, and I seriously don't see the requirement moving to 2 years, especially if we move to a DNP.

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Well DNP IS happening at my university in 2 years, not 15. Just because it isn't "mandated" until 2025, doesn't mean schools aren't making the move earlier.

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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.

Moreover, there are many easier routes one can take if they want to get into a job or profession just to make money. Seriously, someone who already has a BA or BS degree can go to grad school for 1-2 years, get their MBA and work in the business/financial or IT world- making enough money to lead an upper middle-class lifestyle (esp. if they are single and/or without any kids). Why the heck would someone want to go through all those years of school JUST to make six figures every year? Granted, there are nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals who go the CRNA, PA/NP or MD route because they: a)want to stay in health care; and b)can't see raising a family on their current salary. One would think that anyone who got into health care solely for the money in the first place would (very quickly) grow tired of all the negatives that one has to put up with (paperwork, politics, difficult patients and families, etc).

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DNP is a good thing. CRNA master's programs were more than 2 years anyways, they were almost three years. DNP will probably be 3-4 years, which is worth it because it is a terminal degree, you get full compensation and are able to teach if you wish.

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DNP isn't mandated until 2025, and I seriously don't see the requirement moving to 2 years, especially if we move to a DNP.

People becoming an RN just to be a CRNA because they want to be a CRNA I have no problem with. People who want to be CRNAs so they can sit on a stool and make money I do have a problem with because they don't care what happens to the profession as long as they get that nice pay check. So they accept their autonomy being taken away piece by piece until some says "hey! You don't really do anything! Why are we paying you so much?" and by that time it's too late to do anything.

I agree. Besides, the only way to become a CRNA is to become an RN first.........

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I don't think there's anything wrong with going into the field just because you want to be a CRNA. I've wanted to be a Nurse for a while now and eventually would like to be a CRNA. I'm still taking pre-reqs to get into Nursing school, so I know I'm far away.

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I personally see nothing wrong with entering nursing with the sole purpose of becoming a CRNA, IF you know what you are getting into. What if you dont make it? CRNA programs are very difficult to get in. That being said, there is a good chance you might not get in then what? Will you quit nursing?

I have thought about all these things, it probably helps that I am in my early 30's and know what I want. I wish I would have gone straight to to nursing school from high school but at that time I wasnt sure about what I wanted then my life took a detour into motherhood lol

Anyway, I think you have to enter this knowing it will be a long process and in that process you have to be a GREAT nurse FIRST. I feel that if for some reason I did not get into a CRNA school I would probably get into Administration or something after some experience, but I love the health field and know I will be happy there.

I dont see myself doing bedside nursing for too long because its not my passion. However at my age I dont see Medical School as an option for me to become an MDA. Therefore, this is the perfect way for me to go. To each its own. Money is also a factor but it cannot be the sole reason for doing anything. I cant imagine being rich but miserable 60 hrs a week:p

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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).

umm don't you know nursing is supposed to be a calling.otherwise you can't be a good nurse. and money shouldn't be important. real nurses don't need monetary compensation b/c the warm fuzzy feelings are payment enough.

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umm don't you know nursing is supposed to be a calling.otherwise you can't be a good nurse. and money shouldn't be important. real nurses don't need monetary compensation b/c the warm fuzzy feelings are payment enough.

I'm sorry, but "warm fuzzy feelings" do not pay the bills....to each his own I guess...People must understand that many enter the nursing field for various reasons....money may not be the sole factor, but trust me, money isn't an excluded factor..Anybody who says it is are lying...

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Specializes in icu/er.

i may be wrong, but i sence some sarcasm in the post from mcuubed 45. i used warm and fuzzy feelings for the down payment of my triton bass boat.

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Specializes in School Nurse.

I agree you need to be a certain type of person to be a nurse, but never in my life felt a calling to it. And I started nursing school at the age of 27, and have been doing it for 20 years. I run into people (teachers, counselors etc) who tell me daily that they couldn't do what I do. I am not embarrassed to say that one of the major reasons I got into nursing was a X-ray tech friend of mine told me nurses make more money than he did when I was thinking about becoming an X-ray tech.

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