Chances of getting into CRNA school after failing out of an ADN program?

Nursing Students SRNA

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Hey guys. I decided several years ago that I wanted to become a CRNA, and after originally earning a B.S. in Biology, I returned to college and began an ADN program. However, I failed out of the third semester (out of five) of that program -- and not with a "D" (as most people who fail seem to fail with), but with a stinking, glorious "F." To make matters worse, I was originally attending a university's satellite campus, which decided to NOT matriculate another cohort to follow the one I was (formerly) enrolled in, and I tried to re-take the class I failed during the next semester at the main campus located several hours away, but things just didn't work out.

So with all that having been said, at this point, it's looking like my only option is to completely start-over as a brand-spankin'-new RN student at a totally different program. Luckily enough, I applied to and was accepted by several local ADN programs (as well as a BSN program), so the opportunity to attain and capitalize on that coveted second chance is there.

HOWEVER... even if I do decide to follow-through on starting over at one of these new programs, what will the previous failure mean in the context of my future chances of getting accepted at a decent CRNA program? Will most CRNA programs see that I failed out of a program, couldn't hack re-taking the failed course and managing to continue on with the aforementioned program, and reject me outright? Or would I still have a decent shot at receiving, at the very least, a trickle of interview invites... provided I blast through the new RN program and graduate with a 3.8 - 4.0 GPA?

For what it's worth, my GPA after the failure is right at a 3.5; however, this is also taking into account my previous Biology B.S. grades. I have also already taken upper-level courses such as physics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, and neuroscience, all as requirements for my Bio degree, so there really aren't many more classes I can think of to take to improve my GPA and impress CRNA admissions committees.

At this point, is it really even worth still trying to become a CRNA? If so, should I just focus on applying to programs that only calculate the most recent 60 credits' worth of courses into an applicant's GPA? ... But even if I manage to graduate from the new nursing program with a 4.0, are there some CRNA programs that have strict policies forbidding the consideration of applicants with previous nursing course failures, regardless of whether they tried to "redeem" themselves by starting over at another program? Thanks in advance for any advice you guys would be willing to offer!

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
That sucks! But I'm curious -- if she applied after being there for 9 months, and knowing that most CRNA programs have admissions cycles that begin a year before (intended) matriculation, wouldn't she have still been working at the facility for about another year, even if she had been accepted to CRNA school? In other words, even if she had applied and gotten in, she still would've been at the facility for at least another year, right? Wouldn't that have given her around 2 years at the facility by the time of matriculation to CRNA school?

Once again you are missing the point. She not only blatantly lied to the NM who was gracious enough to give her the opportunity to start off in the icu, she also disrespected the unit by using them with no intention of giving back. In short, she burned a bridge and may not get another chance again. If you are already planning on burning bridges by leaving in five months (which is ridiculous as many ICU orientations are as long as six months), I would consider another career path entirely. It seems as though you don't want to put in the necessary effort it takes to get into a CRNA program makes me believe you do not have what it takes to stay in one.

A more realistic pathway for you:

2 years for RN license and job

Several months of icu training, assuming you get directly into icu

2 year of ICU to get CCRN credentials

1 more year to cement your knowledge and or apply to crna school.

That totals to five years...and that is without any hiccups in job search and being told to work in med surg for a year prior to getting the icu job.

If you aren't willing to dedicate your time and jump through hoops, I'd pick something else.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
Once again you are missing the point. She not only blatantly lied to the NM who was gracious enough to give her the opportunity to start off in the icu, she also disrespected the unit by using them with no intention of giving back. In short, she burned a bridge and may not get another chance again. If you are already planning on burning bridges by leaving in five months (which is ridiculous as many ICU orientations are as long as six months), I would consider another career path entirely. It seems as though you don't want to put in the necessary effort it takes to get into a CRNA program makes me believe you do not have what it takes to stay in one.

A more realistic pathway for you:

2 years for RN license and job

Several months of icu training, assuming you get directly into icu

2 year of ICU to get CCRN credentials

1 more year to cement your knowledge and or apply to crna school.

That totals to five years...and that is without any hiccups in job search and being told to work in med surg for a year prior to getting the icu job.

If you aren't willing to dedicate your time and jump through hoops, I'd pick something else.

You're wasting your fingers, I've tried pointing this out and only met with refusal to see any other path but apply in 18 months. Why the op asked for advice when he obviously had no intention of taking it is beyond me. I think your plan is a good one. Plus who knows if they'll even make it through nursing school! There are so many steps between where they are right now and applying to CRNA school, it's almost laughable to be so focused on the end without paying attention to what's right in front of him!

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
That sucks!

If you are saying it sucks for us then I agree. If you are saying that sucks for th nurse then I disagree.

But I'm curious -- if she applied after being there for 9 months, and knowing that most CRNA programs have admissions cycles that begin a year before (intended) matriculation, wouldn't she have still been working at the facility for about another year, even if she had been accepted to CRNA school? In other words, even if she had applied and gotten in, she still would've been at the facility for at least another year, right?

The two years contract doesn't begin until after the 9 month nurse residency. So in realiety it is a 33 month contract _IF_ they make it through the residency and are offered a job in ICU, not all are.

This nurse, like all of our nurses, was asked specificaly if they intended to complete the contract in exchange for the high qualiety training we are providing (at full RN pay rate plus benifits). She replied in the affirmative. By applying to NA school so soon she demonstrated that she had no intention of fullfilling the contract she agreed to and signed.

She wasn't accepted to NA school, but I am fully confident that should would have been had she applied with two full years of solid ICU experience under her belt. Now she won't get the chance for a long time becuase she is woking on med-surg and will not be hired back into ICU. Because her husband is a dairy farmer, and our hospital if a long way from any other hospitals her oppertunity to work in another ICU is very limited.

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Wow. What a bunch of ***** in this thread. The whole hating on people for wanting to be a CRNA is getting pretty old, guys.

OP: While I agree with most in this thread that after 5 months you know very little, DO NOT let anyone hate on you for wanting to be a CRNA before you are in nursing school. Honestly I think most people who take on this view are projecting for some reason or another.

Fix your grades by retaking classes. Get >1 year ICU experience. I got in to a top tier ICU as a new grad. You'll be fine.

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Specializes in OR.

She wasn't accepted to NA school, but I am fully confident that should would have been had she applied with two full years of solid ICU experience under her belt. Now she won't get the chance for a long time becuase she is woking on med-surg and will not be hired back into ICU. Because her husband is a dairy farmer, and our hospital if a long way from any other hospitals her oppertunity to work in another ICU is very limited.

This is what I meant.

What's "easy to see" is that she totally blew her possible future career in one stupid, poorly chosen flounce... probably because she thought she was above the necessary work, too. ... or because she entered nursing seeing dollar signs at the end with a CRNA. I'm not even sure _I'll_ do it. It kinda scares me, but I love being in the OR, too and my reasons have to do with personal experience. If it doesn't work out, I also have something to fall back on (ICU nursing).

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Specializes in SI/CV ICU and ER.
Wow. What a bunch of ***** in this thread. The whole hating on people for wanting to be a CRNA is getting pretty old, guys.

OP: While I agree with most in this thread that after 5 months you know very little, DO NOT let anyone hate on you for wanting to be a CRNA before you are in nursing school. Honestly I think most people who take on this view are projecting for some reason or another.

Fix your grades by retaking classes. Get >1 year ICU experience. I got in to a top tier ICU as a new grad. You'll be fine.

Not trying to be a ****, I'm just sick of everyone and their brother thinking it's easy to get into anesthesia school and succeed.... Especially prefacing it with the fact that they've already flunked nursing school once. This person is a great candidate for AA school, they would fit it great with the AA's I know.

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Just quickly reading your post, it seems to me like you are overthinking your future. Ever heard the saying "one day at a time"? Engage life one day at a time and I think you will save yourself from some anxiety. What will be, will be. Start over. Strive to the best of your ability to get the best grade in each course that you take from here on out, and the CRNA goal will take care of itself when the time comes. That said, best wishes for attaining all of your goals.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
Wow. What a bunch of ***** in this thread. The whole hating on people for wanting to be a CRNA is getting pretty old, guys.

OP: While I agree with most in this thread that after 5 months you know very little, DO NOT let anyone hate on you for wanting to be a CRNA before you are in nursing school. Honestly I think most people who take on this view are projecting for some reason or another.

Fix your grades by retaking classes. Get >1 year ICU experience. I got in to a top tier ICU as a new grad. You'll be fine.

It's beyond ironic that you're calling us names then turning around and giving the exact same advice every single person on here has given. Not one single person has said not to apply to CRNA school. What everyone has said is to wait a bit and focus on actual nursing school and nursing. Maybe if you weren't projecting you would have realized that.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Wow. What a bunch of ***** in this thread. The whole hating on people for wanting to be a CRNA is getting pretty old, guys.

OP: While I agree with most in this thread that after 5 months you know very little, DO NOT let anyone hate on you for wanting to be a CRNA before you are in nursing school. Honestly I think most people who take on this view are projecting for some reason or another.

Fix your grades by retaking classes. Get >1 year ICU experience. I got in to a top tier ICU as a new grad. You'll be fine.

Wow, how could you have missed the fact that he has only received advice that would HELP him go to NA school?

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
Wow, how could you have missed the fact that he has only recieved advice that would HELP him go to NA school?

Right??? Sigh, some people these days. Guess you can't fix stupid.

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Not trying to be a **** I'm just sick of everyone and their brother thinking it's easy to get into anesthesia school and succeed.... Especially prefacing it with the fact that they've already flunked nursing school once. This person is a great candidate for AA school, they would fit it great with the AA's I know.
Hey sevo -- I considered AA school and actually took all the pre-requisite courses required by AA programs as part of my first degree. Unfortunately, the hospitals in my area, all of which FORMERLY employed AA's, no longer hire them because the CRNA's decided that they felt "empowered" a few years ago and threatened to quit if anymore AA's were hired. So even with the CRNA profession being in a state of oversupply with the record numbers of new grads being pumped into the job market, I guess that says at least something about job security, eh?
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Once again you are missing the point. She not only blatantly lied to the NM who was gracious enough to give her the opportunity to start off in the icu, she also disrespected the unit by using them with no intention of giving back. In short, she burned a bridge and may not get another chance again. If you are already planning on burning bridges by leaving in five months (which is ridiculous as many ICU orientations are as long as six months), I would consider another career path entirely. It seems as though you don't want to put in the necessary effort it takes to get into a CRNA program makes me believe you do not have what it takes to stay in one. A more realistic pathway for you: 2 years for RN license and job Several months of icu training, assuming you get directly into icu 2 year of ICU to get CCRN credentials 1 more year to cement your knowledge and or apply to crna school. That totals to five years...and that is without any hiccups in job search and being told to work in med surg for a year prior to getting the icu job. If you aren't willing to dedicate your time and jump through hoops, I'd pick something else.
Thanks for the advice; I guess the only thing I don't understand is why everyone insists that I'll have to work upwards of 3 years as an ICU nurse before I can/should even think about applying to CRNA schools. As I stated earlier in the thread, most of the former ICU nurses I know locally worked for 6-12 months at the most and then applied to CRNA programs. They all were accepted to at least ONE of the schools they applied. So again, if others (and many of them, it seems) have gotten accepted with less than 1 year of experience, why is everyone so convinced that events will play out differently for me?

I acknowledge that things COULD go awry -- I could fail at my new program, I might not be hired into the ICU right out of school, I might die before I graduate -- but what's wrong with proceeding forward with the intentions of achieving a preferable outcome?

Also, to clarify one thing... someone mentioned that they thought I stated it was my intention to not only apply to, but to matriculate at a CRNA program with only 5-6 months of experience. That's not what I meant. What I was *trying* to say was that I'd like to APPLY after obtaining about 6 months of experience. Since most programs matriculate each new cohort of students approximately one year after that particular admissions cycle ends, that would give me about 1.5 years total of ICU experience by the time I actually start a program.

For example, let's say I successfully graduate next December, take/pass the NCLEX, and start working in the ICU in January, assuming everything works out up to that point (and it might not!). Then I apply to CRNA programs the following August, receive interview invites, and I interview at a few programs in, say, October of 2015. At least one of them accepts me, and I'm all set to matriculate the following August/September of 2016. So by the time I would actually start the CRNA program, I'd have ~20 months of ICU experience. However, I'm getting the feeling here that you guys have the perception that that wouldn't be enough time spent honing my ICU skills... ?

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