*CONFUSED* High School Student

[Hari2001]

Hi my name is Hari,

I am currently in my Sophomore year of High school and I have started to look into careers in the medical field. I noticed how there are endless fields to enter once you become an RN, more specifically I was looking into Nurse Anesthetist. I've read several articles on how the education path goes when entering this field but they all don't seem to make sense to me. I am an excellent student goes as far as my grades go, I do well in pretty much all the classes I'm currently taking, and I try to challenge myself by enrolling in Honors and AP. I read up on how to become a Nurse Anesthetist and they state you must get a BSN, then become an RN, then work in a critical care unit for 2 years (atleast), and then apply for anesthesia school.

My main question is...

1) What steps should I take starting from senior year of High School to become an RN?

2) I read other articles talking about having to take prerequisites if I was to enroll in a 4 year, Bacheolers nursing program, what does this mean?

3) What is a prerequisites, and when am I supposed to take this?

4) What is the difference between someone who gets a 2 year associates degree for nursing at a community college, compared to someone who gets a 4 year Bacheolers Nursing Program?

Please just clarify to me the steps required to enter schooling from Highschool, to RN, to Nurse Anesthetist because there's mixed information on different sites and I'm confused at this point..

Thank You!

PS - if anyone is either a nurse anesthetist or knows a lot about this profession, please message me your email so I can contact you with any questions I have.

[caliotter3]

1) Excel in school, paying particular attention to science courses. 2) You have to take prerequisite courses whether you enroll in a 'two year' (usually ASN) program or a 'four year' (usually BSN) program. Prerequisite courses give background information needed to understand the "whys" of nursing. Examples: anatomy, physiology, psychology, microbiology, etc. Different programs may differ from each other in these courses. One school may include math, another English, while a third also looks at nutrition. You normally complete the prerequisites, or most of them, before you can apply to the nursing part of the degree. This is where the competition heats up. Those with the best grades (as well as best records in other criteria) are the ones that are selected. 3) Go onto the websites of all the local schools that offer nursing programs and look at the criteria for selection. Each one will tell you what their prereqs are, and how you are to apply. 4) If at all possible, you want to get the BSN at the start of your nursing career. Many hospitals and other employers limit their hiring based on whether or not one has the BSN, or has a BSN program in progress.

These are simplistic answers to your questions to get you started. Others will come along and expand on them to provide other possibilities and specifics.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Caliotter3's feedback is spot-on.

If your ultimate goals is CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) - this is a graduate degree. First, you'll need to have at least 2 years of experience as a critical care nurse; this is a requirement for acceptance into CRNA programs. NOTE: you'll probably also need to have your BSN, as many hospitals (where critical care units are located) are no longer hiring ADN nurses. Competition for acceptance to a CRNA program is fierce & it is extremely difficult to continue to work during the very intense clinical training period - because this is normally associated with 'on call' requirements to respond to surgical cases as they become available.

During nursing education, you will be exposed to many different clinical specialties. You may discover that your true passion is pediatrics or orthopedic nursing. There are a lot of possibilities.

One step at a time. Contact your local nursing programs to find out what pre-requisite (general education) courses, admission tests, etc. they require. Then start taking those courses. Many people do this at a Community College because it is much more cost efficient. Before you know it, you'll be on your way.