Clinicals in CRNA Program

Specialties CRNA

Published

Just wondering if someone can give more of an understanding of how clinicals go in the program. Do you get paid for clinicals? Did many of you have to relocate for them? I have read a couple of things on the website for a program I interested in and a couple of things intimidate me a bit.. wondering if anyone can allieviate my fears lol .. here are the sentences that worry me most : "Clinical students (RRNAs) are scheduled 5 shifts per week on the average. Shifts are typically longer than 8 hours. RRNAs are on a rotating call schedule and should expect to work 40-70 hours per week on the average."

and

"These facilities may not be in the same geographical location as the student's primary training facility, thereby, requiring the student to relocate for the length of the specialty rotation - usually one to two months."

Still very much in the research phase of this option .. but any response would be welcome

Thanks

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Hello and welcome to the wonderful family of allnurses.com. Enjoy your stay, and best of luck to you. :)

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It really will depend on the program. I assume since you they say RRNA, you are talking about the schools out west. Here in NJ, I am based out of 1 main hospital and then will rotate out to about 3-4 others for a month at a time. Because of the number of hospitals in this area, I do not have to commute any more than 30 min from my home.

As far as my OR time, I am in the OR 4 days/week and class 1 day/week (Integrated program). I rotate call and do 3-4 call shifts/ month (either 16 hr weekday or 24hr weekend). Most of my days are 9-10 hrs plus the call. which adds up to 40-60 hrs/week of clinical time plus another 8 hrs of class time. Like I said, each program will be different, and if a program is front-loaded, the clinical component will be much different than what we do. Hope this helps a little.

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Dawdett,

Back when I trained....SRNAs did, in the meat and potatos phase of training, work 5days a week. We'd usually do 7-3p shift unless we were scheduled on 2nd, or call. Now, the over 8hrs/day comes in the forms of: 1. finishing the case you're doing at 3p if that's what's expected, 2. coming in early ie...5:30am to set up for your cases, meet patient etc... and 3. preparing for the next days' cases ie...seeing pre-ops. So yes, it's highly probable in any program you attend that your hours will be over 40 every week.

Now the other, about clinical rotation sites: This depends on the program you attend. Some only require 1 hospital setting for all their needs while others depend on many >5 sites to be able to meet the needs of the SRNAs. I travelled twice to Baltimore for a rotation at Shock Trauma for 2 weeks. They put us up in an apartment but we paid for food and gas etc.. So you have to be flexible when you attend school and plan for these side rotations.

Some anesthesia programs provide a stipend, some do not, so NO, SRNAs do not get paid for their work. You need to plan ahead financially if you plan to attend school.

Good luck.

skipaway

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No Way

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The program you were probably looking at was Texas Wesleyan University where I start in 11 days. It really depends on where you do your phase 2 at (clinical phase). If you go to fort worth, your commutes to other sites will be minimal because all you rotations will be relatively close. I'm going to california for my phase 2 (san bernadino). My out-rotations are in loma linda, los angeles, and san diego so its not going to be that bad. Its all in where you apply and get selected to as far as the commute between sites. Now as far as the hours, take in account that you have to do preops, intraops, postops. That's not going to take 4 hours and you go home. You basically work until your work is done. It make take 40 hours, might take 70. I stop at this. Texas Wesleyan is one of the oldest programs in the country and has a 100% board pass rate for anyone who has ever graduated. Enough said

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Thanks for all the great feedback.. very much appreciated

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Do you get paid for clinicals?

Wouldn't that be great?! Instead we pay to be there! :chuckle

Sprout :nurse:

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