Can I have your opinion, please?

allnurses Guide · Oct 17, 2005

I would go the reserve route and continue to work in the ICU. It is going to take 3-5 months usually to get all the paperwork and everything else you need to get in the military anyways. I worked in a Level 1 trauma center for a year before going on active duty. Also if you go active duty you will have to deal with time on station requirements and other things before you apply. Here is the link to the Army school/admissions site http://www.dns.amedd.army.mil/crna/.

Good Luck!

sandman1914 · Oct 17, 2005

IHowever, after reading some of the more recent posts on this board, with regard to the 'ICU criteria', I'm wondering if maybe I should instead just go Active Army once I graduate. Also, being familiar with some of the negative aspects of nursing (my wife is a nurse), I'm not too sure I want to deal with the lack of professionalism that can be found on the civilian side, sometimes. What I'm asking is:
1) If you have an Active duty candidate w/o direct ICU experience and a USAR candidate w/ direct ICU experience, who gets the spot?
2) If going Active duty initially after graduating, is it likely that I my plans for nursing anesthesia may not come into fruition for 3 - 5 years, due to the realistic aspects of military life?

For your goal of becoming a CRNA, I believe taking the route of the Army's program would be the fastest route. Annually the Army does not recieve enough qualified applicants to fill all available seats. You have a couple options.

1. Your senior year( using your 2007 grad date) start working with an Army health care recruiter in Jan to start the process of applying to the CRNA program for the June 2008 class as a direct assession candidate. Make sure by that time you have completed as many eligibility requirements as possible. Here is the link. http://www.dns.amedd.army.mil/crna/Application_Information/application_info_for_civilians_and_reservists.htm

Just make sure you begin working in an ICU immediately upon graduation to fulfill the time requirement. This route would allow you to get into school 1 year after graduation.

2. You could go the Acitive duty or reserve route to apply and I believe the earliest you could enter the program would be two years due to the time on station requirement. Just look in the section on the above link.

Here are a couple links to other threads that give further insight to your question.

https://allnurses.com/forums/pre-crna-inquiry-forum/117748-is-there-any-crna-schools-did-not-fill-seats.html

https://allnurses.com/forums/nurse-anesthetist-crna/124970-hot-off-press.html

Lambert5883 · Oct 18, 2005

Wbtcrna and Sandman,

Thanks for your input. It is greatly appreciated. I will definitely look into the "direct accession" pathway.

sandman1914 · Oct 18, 2005

Wbtcrna and Sandman,
Thanks for your input. It is greatly appreciated. I will definitely look into the "direct accession" pathway.

No problem.

Lambert5883 · Oct 28, 2005

Sandman,

I spoke to a health recruiter (Army) today, who also plans on pursuing nurse anesthesia, but some of his information was a bit skewed. I'm not trying to suggest that he purposely tried to deceive me, but some of the statements he had made did not fall in line with data that I have read regarding pre-requirements for nursing anesthesia, as applied to the Army's CRNA program.

His basic premise is that I would be more assured of gaining entry into the the Army's CRNA program if I were Active Duty, as opposed to gaining entry via the "direct accession" pathway. He asserts that one's position as Active Duty personnel is more attractive, when applying to anesthesia school than some civie basically "off the street."

He also stated that in pursuing the direct accession path, requirements for entry are more stringent, or rigid, than those for Active Duty. In reading the data contained in the link you had provided, I do discern a difference in requirements between the two and can see his point, but it does not reflect an implicit sense, or mentality, of one having to "jump through hoops."

My main interest, of course, is that of time-line since I'm 41. He stated that it could take 3-4 years before a new active duty Nurse Corp. officer could engage in the CRNA application process. He, also, said the same time-line could hold true in direct accession, since civilian requirements for entry would encompass 2 years ICU, CCRN and ACLS. His point on this is that since I'm already 41, the Army could determine that I'm too old to to apply and be accepted into anesthesia school, if by the that time I'm 45-46.

He said that he would send me materials with more details. I must say that I think the best thing at this point is to go Reserves after I graduate, do my year of ICU, and then apply (if this route does not require CCRN).

Any thoughts?

allnurses Guide · Oct 28, 2005

Never forget that you are number/quota for your recruiter. I think either route has its benefits, but with Army's recent problem w/ getting enough applicants for their CRNA program I still believe the direct accession pathway is the shorest path.

sandman1914 · Oct 28, 2005

Sandman,
I spoke to a health recruiter (Army) today, who also plans on pursuing nurse anesthesia, but some of his information was a bit skewed. I'm not trying to suggest that he purposely tried to deceive me, but some of the statements he had made did not fall in line with data that I have read regarding pre-requirements for nursing anesthesia, as applied to the Army's CRNA program.

The data that is available in a written form is the key. Just any other promises a recruiter will offer you, ensure everything is in writing. In this case, he may be speaking from hearsay or just a complete misunderstanding of things in general.

His basic premise is that I would be more assured of gaining entry into the the Army's CRNA program if I were Active Duty, as opposed to gaining entry via the "direct accession" pathway. He asserts that one's position as Active Duty personnel is more attractive, when applying to anesthesia school than some civie basically "off the street."

From what I have seen, the people that run the program want qualified applicants, period. This notion of favorable applicants is news to me. I WAS ACCEPTED AS A DIRECT ACCESSION APPLICANT. Granted I am currently in the Navy, my application pathway called for me to apply as a civilian via direct assession. A friend of mine did it this route also and was accepted along with me and I know of a current SRNA that went this route last year.

He also stated that in pursuing the direct accession path, requirements for entry are more stringent, or rigid, than those for Active Duty. In reading the data contained in the link you had provided, I do discern a difference in requirements between the two and can see his point, but it does not reflect an implicit sense, or mentality, of one having to "jump through hoops."

The requirements for entry into the program are the same. The addition packets that are required for direct accession applicants are just the paperwork that has to be completed to enter the military. Technically there is no difference. You are just doing your entry paper at the same time you are applying to school. Those that are active have already completed the paperwork. There was no jumping through hoops. Everything was straight forward as it was laid out on the website. I had a few bumps due to my particuliar circumstances(interservice transfer), but not in general.

My main interest, of course, is that of time-line since I'm 41. He stated that it could take 3-4 years before a new active duty Nurse Corp. officer could engage in the CRNA application process. He, also, said the same time-line could hold true in direct accession, since civilian requirements for entry would encompass 2 years ICU, CCRN and ACLS. His point on this is that since I'm already 41, the Army could determine that I'm too old to to apply and be accepted into anesthesia school, if by the that time I'm 45-46.

This is where your recruiter is flat out wrong. You only need 1 year of critical care experience by the time class starts. This intern means you can apply to the program before you have completed your 1 year of critical care experience. This is what I had to do. CCRN is nice, but NOT REQUIRED. I don't have a CCRN certificaiton. The bottom line is you grad in Jan07, you will be eligible for the Jun08 class. That doesn't appear to be 3-4 years to me. That sounds like a ploy to get you to join sooner to fulfill his requirements.

He said that he would send me materials with more details. I must say that I think the best thing at this point is to go Reserves after I graduate, do my year of ICU, and then apply (if this route does not require CCRN).
Any thoughts?

Once again I say tell your recruiter to substantiate his claims with documentation. You could also call directly to the program to verify what I have told you and get the final answer.

Lambert5883 · Oct 28, 2005

Thanks, again, for both of your opinions on this matter, wbtcrna, sandman. I will speak to another health recruiter in another geographical area that is close to me, and hear what they have to say -- seems like I'm shopping for a recruiter...and I loathe shopping!

Also, I will call and speak directly to someone at AMEDD who can answer any question I may have on the subject of direct accession into their graduate nurse anesthesia program.

Thanks again.