BSN sophomore standing for CRNA apps

suzanne4, RN · Jan 5, 2004

You will not be accepted into anesthesia school without any critical care experience. No way around that. There should be no problem with you graduating in three years as you will still have your BSN. But you do need actual ICU experience as an RN. That will never be waived. Competition is getting tougher now all of the time. Right now most schools want at least two years critical care, and by the time you finish they may want five. Just take things one day at a time. Take care of getting your BSN first, then go onto the next step.

Good luck with your studies but don't try to push yourself. You may actually find a different area of medicine that you like better. Don't pick something just because you think that is where the money is.

TraumaNurse · Jan 5, 2004

You should be careful not to bite off more than you can chew! You may only hurt your chances of getting into CRNA school if you take more than you can handle and your grades suffer. You obviously sound very motivated, but the courses you are talking about taking (if you will be allowed to take them) while still in high school is more work than you can imagine as a high school student.

I'm not sure you killing yourself trying to do these courses will even save you any time. As suzanne4 said, by the time you are done, the min amount of required nursing experience may actually increase, so you may have to spend a few years working in the ICU before getting accepted to anesthesia school.

Enjoy your college years. Have some fun! But stay focused and get good grades. Burning yourself out too early may only hurt you in the end. JMHO.

kmchugh · Jan 5, 2004

Originally posted by MJB
For those who tell me not to rush, I am determined to become a CRNA in the shortest time possible. It's an urgent situation.

Overall, I think your plan is pretty good. I would think most programs would look upon you as highly motivated. But, remember your priorities!

First, you must graduate high school. Yes, you can take some concurrent classes at a community college, and that will help you. But, from the plan you've outlined, it looks like between now and next August, you are going to try to finish high school and take roughly 15+ hours (if there are no labs) of college level work. You may rush yourself right out of competition for CRNA school. All the urgency in the world will mean nothing if you try to do so much that you do poorly in these classes. Or worse, if you concentrate so hard on the college level classes that you fail to graduate high school.

Remember that these classes you are planning on taking are looked at very hard by CRNA program selection committees. Therefore, you must work hard at them, and do well.

I'm also a bit concerned that a HS Senior would tell us that its "urgent" that they become a CRNA as quickly as possible. Not that there is anything wrong with wanting to achieve your goals quickly. Remember, though, that you have chosen a difficult course. You must give yourself time to do this and do it well.

Kevin McHugh, CRNA

pleasetakeme · Jan 5, 2004

Boy are you motivated?? How hard to do all that and go right to grad school? I believe it is essentialy to practice as a nurse for awhile prior to any advanced degrees.. just my 2 sense..

MJB · Jan 5, 2004

Thanks a lot for everybody's advice.

Yeah. I do understand that I have to do clinical work for atleast one year.

Here's my plan:

18 yrs old. (Jan. 2004-August 2004)

-graduate high school

-do the five prerequisites for sophomore standing at Middlesex County College, NJ

2004-2007 enroll in BSN program at The College of NJ

-sophomore year: shadow an ICU nurse as well as a CRNA

-before junior year: take classes for GREs

-junior year: scout the leading teaching facilities and get my foot in to a place that I know that I want to work in after I graduate

Right after graduating (age 21), work in ICU at a major teaching hospital.

Work for 84 hrs/week, 52 wks/year, very few off days and very few vacations (If my mother can do it, I can do it). Get all recommended certifications.

After 6 months of working (which will be about 1 year for most, but I doubled the work in 6 months), I will apply to the best CRNA schools.

In one year, I hope to get in. I'll be 24 years old when I get out.

IS THERE ANY ADVICE TO WHAT I COULD DO BETTER??? Like instead of working like a robot, should I take graduate classes instead? Which will speed up the process more?

Also, can anyone tell me the recommended certifications for CRNA applicants?

I know of people who have gotten into CRNA school with one year experience. It can be done. And I am determined to become an example of that.

Thanks for everything. Please respond.

heatherbless · Jan 5, 2004

Why do you plan to work 84 hours per week/52 weeks in one year? That sounds totally crazy to me--you have plenty of time to become a CRNA--and when you apply that young--they may look at your other quals, etc....take you time--there is so much more to life than just work--you are barely old enough to share life experience much less--your future life plans for the next three years. Slow down--or trust me-you will burn out.

Best, hty/

TraumaNurse · Jan 5, 2004

First of all, working 84 hrs a week will not give you a year of experience in 6 months, it gives you 6 months experience with some overtime money for you and a lot to Uncle Sam!

I think taking graduate courses and getting A's in them would be more beneficial for getting into CRNA school than showing the admissions committee you can work yourself to death by working 84 hrs a week!

As far as certifications, you will need ACLS to work in ICU. It may be helpful to get PALS and TNCC. After you have experience as an RN, take the CCRN.

I think it's great you are so motivated but your over zealous plan shows how little you know about what you are getting into. You have a lot to learn! Focus on one thing at a time. Keep us up to date on your journey.

cnmtocrna · Jan 5, 2004

Take a deep breath and calm down...I got tense just reading your post. Your goals are great and you are motivated, but you are not going to enjoy the journey as much if you stress out about this. Just take the right classes and study hard to get good grades. Read a lot to build your vocabulary - it's much better than studying lists of words. Take advanced math to help with the GREs. Work as a nurse extern in ICU. Get other hobbies and interests, you should be well rounded.

I was a nurse-midwife at the age of 24 - it certainly can be done. So, I'm giving you advice (I guess that IS why you posted, right?), and I have been there. I don't understand why it is "urgent" to be a CRNA at the age of 24. It's cool if you want to be an anesthetist, go for it. You might be one at 24, or maybe 25 or 26, what is the difference really?

Now, this 80- plus hours a week in the ICU is just enough to make me keel over thinking about it...not just physical exhaustion, but mental...do you have any idea how much hard stuff you will be dealing with day in and day out? If you are the least bit empathetic, you will be affected, and believe me, you need your time away. There are people attached to all those lines and monitors, and families attached to the people. Maybe I'm crazy, but it affects me - some days more than others. I relish my four days off to relax and recharge, and I think I'm a better nurse when I am there because of it. I'm sure many will agree. Good luck, you'll be fine....and then 10 years later you might decide to go back to school to become an midwife.....

Sarah Kat · Jan 5, 2004

Originally posted by cnmtocrna
I got tense just reading your post.

Yeah, ditto!

Originally posted by cnmtocrna
There are people attached to all those lines and monitors, and families attached to the people.

Yeah, and working 84 hrs a week (which is literally HALF the hours in a week) can endanger those people as well as yourself and your license. It can be done, but I imagine it shouldn't be done week after week on a regular basis.

I don't want to be discouraging, I think being a CRNA is a great goal (it is my eventual goal as well). I just think that all of the other posters are correct in recommending that you slow down and smell the roses. Don't get me wrong, I wish I had been a bit more motivated when I was your age, but I would never trade all of the real life lessons I learned. You have the whole rest of your life to work your butt off. Remember if you start working your butt off that young, they'll be no butt for you to rest on when it comes time for retirement!

new-camc2006 · Jan 5, 2004

Don't get too excited about getting into CRNA school after only one year of ICU experience (or nursing experience). First you have to graduate high school, graduate the BSN program, and then pass RN boards. And most of the people I interviewed with for CRNA school had at least 3 -4 years of nursing minimum. Just because the minimum requirements say one year of ICU, does not mean that is what they will accept. There is a lot of competition out there and everyone applying has the minimum requirements. You may find in school you don;t even want to be a nurse. How much exposure do you have to CRNA's? Do you know anything about the job? It is great to have goals, and I say go for it! But don't set yourself up for disappointment if things don;t happen by your schedule. And don;t get burned out already. I changed my major in college from chemistry before going into nursing, and you may change your mind too. Nursing is not for everyone. And don't just plan on being a CRNA for the money. CRNA's get paid a lot because they work hard, and it is as close to being a doctor as a nurse can get. They have a lot of responsibility for the pay. And not everyone has the stomach for nursing or the OR. Why do you say it is so urgent to become a CRNA by a certain date?

kmchugh · Jan 5, 2004

Originally posted by MJB
Right after graduating (age 21), work in ICU at a major teaching hospital.
Work for 84 hrs/week, 52 wks/year, very few off days and very few vacations (If my mother can do it, I can do it).

Yes, you could do it. However, working 84 hours a week isn't going to help you in the least, and will probably hurt you terribly. You run the risk of burning yourself out. Do that, grades slip, and the next thing you know, you've tripled the amount of work you will have to do to get into CRNA school, and even then you may NEVER get in.

After 6 months of working (which will be about 1 year for most, but I doubled the work in 6 months), I will apply to the best CRNA schools.

The requirement for admission to CRNA school is one year in an ICU. There are no waivers for that year for hours worked or anything else. So, you can work 120 hours a week if you want, it won't make any difference. You must finish one year.

See the comments in the CRNA FAQ about applying to the "best" CRNA schools.

In one year, I hope to get in. I'll be 24 years old when I get out.

It can be done. I will again tell of my friend who graduated nursing school in May and immediately went to work in an ICU. The following November (six months later) he sent his application to a school for CRNA. He was interviewed in January, and was accepted for school the following August provided he finished the year in the ICU before beginning school. He was nearly a straight A student, and did exceptionally well on the GRE.

IS THERE ANY ADVICE TO WHAT I COULD DO BETTER???

Yes. BACK OFF! Your concern for "speed" has me nearly convinced that you won't make it. Sorry to be so blunt, but you are not giving yourself enough time. Look at what you are planning in just the next six to eight months. Finish high school AND take 15 hours of college course work, mostly in the hard sciences. College ain't high school, the work is much more demanding. It's usually recommended that the average student must spend two hours in self study for every hour spent in class in order to do well in college.

Every CRNA program requires a final GPA of 3.0 or better just to apply to the program, and generally, a 3.0 (that's a "B" average) isn't good enough to get in. There are between 5 and 8 applicants for every school seat at each of the CRNA schools. That makes for an extremely competitive field of applicants. You are going to hurry yourself right out of the running.

Also, can anyone tell me the recommended certifications for CRNA applicants?

I know of people who have gotten into CRNA school with one year experience. It can be done. And I am determined to become an example of that.

You will need BLS and ACLS to apply to a CRNA school. Other certifications, such as TNCC, ABLS, and PALS can also be helpful. CCRN is also very helpful, but with the timeline you have set for yourself, you won't be able to work enough to take the test before applying to a school.

Yes, it can be done. See the story of my friend above who did it. But, all this leads me to another difficult question.

Why the hurry, and why do you so badly want to become a CRNA so quickly? Do you really have a burning desire to be a CRNA? Is anesthesia what you want to do with your life? Or are you attracted by something else, perhaps the salary a CRNA can command? Rest assured, the path you are choosing is no cakewalk. It is probably the most demanding, difficult path in nursing today. And its happened time and again that people who applied for any reason but the desire to do anesthesia just don't make it. It's too tough. The difficulty alone weeds out those who are interested in anything but anesthesia.

I'd hate to see you burn up the road trying to get there, only to find out you had burned the bridges behind you.

Take a long look at this thread. I am a CRNA. There are others, CRNA's, student nurse anesthetists, RN's looking to get into the schools, and nurses who are just interested in helping a potential future RN who are all telling you the same thing. Slow down. The path you are choosing is tough, very tough. You are, with your timeline for getting it done, making it so tough that you stand a very good chance of never making it. Pay attention to the people who have been there.

Kevin McHugh, CRNA