Considering CRNA school, need advice

[pemyers93]

Obtained my ADN first, finished BSN a year ago. Experience working as an RN: 9 months adult telemetry, 2 years peds emergency med (level 1 trauma center), and currently working imaging sedation and recovery/interventional radiology (peds). I have been told that most CRNA schools will accept 2 yrs ICU or ER experience, but that most will not accept peds ER experience. Does anybody have any personal observations of this "rule?" I HATE working adult med, I'd rather dig my eyeballs out with a spoon! If I have to go work with adults for a while to go back to school, I guess I will, but it will be a huge deterrent for me. I have no interest in working as a CRNA in the adult world.

Also, what are some top notch programs out there? I currently live in St. Louis but am willing to relocate anywhere.

[CCRN_CSC_0710]

In my class of 15 we have 1 who did pediatrics (in a pediatric cardiac ICU), and she did work with adults for a year. We do 18 months of clinical and 2 of those are in pediatrics. If you only want to do pediatrics then CRNA is not right for you and you should look into pediatric NP.

My program does not accept ER experience. I've personally never met someone who got in with only ER--a guy I worked with had worked in a level 1 trauma ER for 5 years, and did not get accepted to the 20 schools he applied to, went to the ICU for 1 year and then got in. If you want to use the pedi ER experience you have to prove you have significant experience with titrating vasoactive drips, vents, invasive lines, etc (not getting told by a doctor to increase your epi gtt but doing it yourself).

I have a friend who went to Barnes-Jewish in St Louis and loved it. She had 5 years of adult ICU experience prior to applying. For other schools there are many listings available, just search for it.

[jj224]

Most schools don't count ER as critical care experience. If you don't want to work with adults, contact the school you'd like to attend and see if they allow PICU or NICU. Not all do. The majority of the patients you work with during clinical will be adults, but obviously different than working with inpatient adults.

If working with adults in any setting is off putting to you, look into pediatric NP. My wife is on the fence between peds np or neonatal np because she doesn't like working with adults.

[guest769224]

I have no interest in working as a CRNA in the adult world.

Good luck, your job opportunities will be rather slim if that's an absolute.

[therockobama]

I would suggest you find the right reasons first in wanting to become a CRNA (besides doing it for monetary reasons) first. Try shadowing one in your hospital and see if you even like it. Know that CRNA school will be extremely difficult and is a HUGE investment (not working plus loans=easily $150,000/year investment that you're not making and losing)! Plus you'll be working majority of your time with adults so if you can't deal with that, you'll have an extremely difficult time. So try to have an open mind, see what about the profession you really like and go from there.

P.S.

However, if, you are decided on becoming a CRNA, based on your work experience, I would suggest that you try to get a surgical ICU experience (adult or peds). That would open more options for you as most schools look highly on surgical ICU (trauma, cardiothoracic, or neuro)