Books for CRNA School?

[kukukajoo]

I am currently going for my RN but will be applying to CRNA colleges when the time comes. I am wondering what books you have all had to get and also what books you recommend that you have also bought.

Since i will be having "downtime" between colleges, I feel i should keep fresh in studying as well as getting a jumpstart on what I will need to know later.

Thanks!

[newkarian]

I am a BSN that is currently in the process of interviewing with CRNA schools. I have found the Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthesia by Stoelting very help ful to prepare myself for the process. I would use the book to learn intracellular method of action on your commonly used ICU drugs. Also the physiology chapters in the back of the book are pretty helpful. The Lange physiology series are also pretty good books to study up on. Another thing that might be helpful is to get a good CCRN prep book. Studying up for the CCRN will not only help show what areas you are weak in but make you a better ICU nurse in the end.

[kukukajoo, LPN]

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!! Now I can read to see if this really is what I want to do and learn during the process! I figure the knowlege will somehow help me as a nurse!

Being a single mom of three, I had to plan WAYYYY ahead just to go to Nursing school and it is still a struggle financially as two (twins) are in college now and last one will be in 2 years.

[SproutRN]

I feel it's my choice to want to learn ahead so why shouldn't you want to help me here? I don't see why everyone is so unwilling to share their school's book lists or favorite study guides.

kukukajoo,

If you really want to decide if you would like to go to anesthesia school, contact someone in the anesthesia department at a hospital to "shadow" a CRNA for the day or a few days. This will allow you to see exactly what our daily routine is and allow you to make a better decision for yourself.

I'm sorry you think that noone is trying to help you. It's just that all of us that have been through CRNA school know that trying to prepare for anesthesia school ahead of time is really moot. Other than pharmacology and physiology, I'm not sure how nurse anesthesia books will help you in your current practice. The anesthesia information in the books is can be quite challenging and probably best learned while in anesthesia school and not on your own.

I'm sure you know that once you finish RN school you'll need 1 year of critical care experience. Some folks recommend taking the CCRN exam. The preparation for this exam will help you with important critical care basics.

Best of luck to you.....

SproutCRNA

[bisson]

i just got to say one thing- you're still in nursing school and already you have enough downtime to read crna books?

i know you said you plan on doing it while in between colleges, but why not master the skill you're doing now? you still have to do your baccalaureate and ICU experience. i think it would be jumping the gun a bit of you are already reading crna books before even doing a day in ICU

of course no one can tell you what to actually do with your life, it's just an opinion. but these are opinions coming from people who have been though a lot of nursing years . I honestly can't even image how you're going about studying crna text before even getting your feet wet in ICU. i know they don't teach you that stuff in nursing school.

it just doesn't look like a strategic move to make at this point in your journey.

like others have said, if it's experience as an CRNA you're looking for, then you won't find it in a text book. shadow a CRNA to see what it's really like.

[kukukajoo, LPN]

I said I was interested in reading some for information and deciding wether it was what I wanted to get into for sure. I am pretty certain but who knows it will be a few years away still. I am surprised that you think information gained would not be relevant to my career as a nurse. Who knows if I get bored enough I may read right thru the list! I know I will lose some of the knowledge and also not understand a lot of it, but when i finally do learn the theory it will make so much sense then and that much easier to learn.

I undertand I will need at least a year, maybe 2 in critical care- I have been looking into this for two years now. Wanted to be a nurse since I was a little kiddo. Like I said, I made a lot of changes last few years to even be able to go to college. I was way below poverty and in a very abusive marriage for years. I left only making $5,000 a year knowing I would rather starve or freeze to death than live another minute with a monster. I was opressed, supressed, beaten, and abused like you could not imagine. I could write a book about my life expereinces that would be an inspiration and have actually started dabbling with stores here and there. Nothing but death would stop me now from reaching my dreams and goals!! When one is supressed for so long, when finally free they emerge like a butterfly ready to fly! That's where I have been for the last few years- it just took me a bit to find my way- working three jobs at a time sometimes and these jobs paid barely min. wages but I made it and so have my girls!

I am shadowing in the OR on Dec. 8th and can't wait! It is all so interesting to me! I plan on seeking the same experience with other hospitals. I do lots of volunteering locally and have made some wonderful contacts that have helped me advance my life and learning.

As far as downtime, I seem to have a lot more than I ever expected. Although I have whats considered a full courseload I only have the actual Nursing classes and clinicals left to graduate so my time is eaiser than others who had not taken any of the required courses. I have a 3.92 GPA so I am not worried about that. I have also taken many extra courses that were relevant but not required. I wish we had better science offerings!

I already have been talking to a local hospital about working for them when I graduate, and maybe even this summer as an LPN. Haven't decided yet as I am looking at an externship in the ER at another hospital as well. Plus I already have offers in home health care but that will not help me toward this goal.

Honestly I am almost bored with the content we are learning in nursing school- it is the utmost basic and very easy to learn. I thought it would be much harder than it really is. I have much older editions of the same books and they have been so watered down it is pitiful. When i study, I read both sets of books to get the most information. Yup- you guessed it I read ahead last year! Good bedtime material!

I need a bigger challenge and I think some advanced reading will keep my interest! You have to understand I was one of those kids reading dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedias. I taught myself how to read very young and never stopped. I will read pretty much anything put in front of me- which sounds like it will be helpful with some of the texts listed above, lol! I have read books that should never have been published!

My plan at the moment is to get my ADN, be working as an LPN this summer in some sort of critical care, and continue once I get my RN. I will continue on for my bachelors, maybe transferring next year if my grandmother passes (she needs me local and school now is only 2 miles away). I am actually going to start this summer taking some of the classes at the other college that are needed for my bachelors so I will be ahead. I may even take one with my second semester as we actually have less hours and I can take one online, maybe two(This would be a gen ed needed to graduate). Many will be repeats of classes I can't transfer so should be easy. Will test out of some as well.

Things will work out and I already feel like I am thriving.

[kukukajoo, LPN]

I posted a long post and it is gone!

[dfk, RN, CRNA]

you know kukukajoo,

i don't disagree with your vigor.. i too had the same feeling prior to entering school.. and i can assure you we are not alone.. what the basis of this thread is getting to is that you should really enjoy the non-anesthesia school for now, since it will encompass your life when you enter it... i too wanted to get ahead, and some said go for extra and many said just relax and wait until you have to... in my opinion, do what makes you want to sleep and wake up .. who cares? read basics of anesthesia.. read physiology.. do nothing more than whatever.. it will help you, mentally, but in the end, getting there is half the battle.. there will be PLENTY to peruse and absorb once in school... BUT... if you really want to get ahead, do what i did... not anesthesia text, blah blah.. but i got anesthesia secrets by Duke.. great grasp and great concept... no matter what u decide, enjoy..