When did you decide?

Specialties CRNA

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When did you decide to become a CRNA? Or, to put a different spin on it, how long have you been thinking about it? Did you go into nursing with the intention of one day being a CRNA? Or was it something that you considered after you'd been practicing as an RN--maybe even in totally different field--for a while? It's interesting how different people from different backgrounds wind up in the same place...

I first caught the vision in 1988 while in paramedic school. My only reason to become a nurse was to be a CRNA. I finished my ADN in '94, then kids came along, and this and that. I am finally finishing my BSN this May(49 days till graduation), and will start TWU in August. I made sure I stayed in critical care areas this whole time, with the exception of a 2yr management fiasco, so I would have the experience to qualify for school.

I never heard of a CRNA until I moved to the US from Canada in '95 and started in the ICU. A guy I worked with was leaving to go CRNA school and when he told me what CRNAs were all about, I knew that was what I was going to do. It took me a while to finally go back and finish my BSN, but now that I am done with that, I am looking forward to interviews for CRNA school.

not to be flip, but if you read my blog its all there.

Craig

I started looking into it in high school..I knew that I was going into nursing and had a family friend that was a CRNA and based on my interests, she encouraged me to consider it...I focused some of my college nursing courses in anesthesia (worked with a CRNA as an elective/independent study). I also had another indep. study in the ICU-with the intent of applying to their critical care internship program. Continued working in the ICU for several years-then switched gears temporarily and went into medical sales-NOT my cup of tea-pays the bills-but after some soul searching I have figured out that I truly miss interacting with pts and the "rush" of a good "sick one"... So, now I'm just waiting to start CRNA school in the fall...That's my story;)

Jamie

Wanted to do anesthesia ever since I understood what it was. Wanted to be a CRNA for probably 2-4 years now.

brett

Thought about it briefly in nursing school, but the idea of moving to go to school wasn't an option due to my husband's job. I currently work on a medical floor and I've come to realize this is not want I want to do for the rest of my life. I started thinking about becoming a CRNA again, and the more research I've done the more I want to do it! It really seems like an exciting, autonomous career that I want to be a part of!

I took a health occupations course my sohpomore year in high school. Decided on nursing for many reasons, one of which is that it offers so many diverse areas to specialize in. My senior year of HS, I wrote an essay to get a scholarship for nursing school. I did whatever I could to get cash, parents were not in a position to help me financially, it was all financed by hard work, loans, and supportive encouragement from family and friends. Senior year of my BSN program landed me in a SICU rotation and decided that was the place for me. Few years later, needed to further my education and again looked at the options. Anesthesia gave me the best of autonomy, independence, and potential income to recoup my educational expenses (still had BSN loans to pay off). Finished anesthesia school, love my jobs. Not a typo, I work full-time at a large hospital, do officed-based anesthesia few times a month, and will do an occasional locum tenens assignment. A few years after I finished anesthesia school, I was visiting my parents and went through some papers in a box. I came across that essay. The last sentence read that I would pursue higher education beyond the BSN, possibly as a nurse practitioner or as a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Have wanted to become one ever since I heard about it through a nursing school buddy who wanted to go to G-town (he was active duty Navy) in 1998. Explored the option more in-depth during senior year of BSN and shadowed a couple of CRNA's--one who actually discouraged me somewhat because he acted as if it was the worst choice he had made---but I really knew it was what I wanted when I started working in CVICU and talked to MDA's about their jobs and shadowed in the OR. Now, almost 3 years after graduating I am heading to VCU in the fall.

I didn't even know what a CRNA was until I shadowed a PA (I was originally considering PA school) after my junior year in college. I immediately went home and did a ton of research on the profession and now 2 years later I'm in a 2nd degree BSN program and haven't changed my mind!

I'm coming out of lurk mode to answer. I found out about CRNAs when I first started thinking about becoming an RN just last year. I knew that I would not be satisfied as floor nurse for my whole career and wanted an advance degree eventually. That was around the same time I found this board. After reading a lot of the post here, I knew it was for me. Number 1 reason (along with many others) is because of job satisfaction, I want a career that I love to do and not dread my work. Which leads me to a question...

Sam,

you said that one CRNA was trying to discourage you, this is the first time I've ever heard this happen. So I was wanting to know why was he discouraging you? Why did he not like being a CRNA?

Working as a circulator in the OR as my first job out of school REALLY turned me on to the idea. Through my discussions with the CRNAs during cases I learned that....Every one of them LOVES their jobs!! They were also very encouraging and highly recommended the profession.

I think it's a wonderful marriage of intelligence and technical skills. It really interests me to learn more.... and the advanced CRNA education appeals to me more than the NP.

I'm definately a wanna-be.

Looking forward to another 4-5 years of school.

Anne:D

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