Hello everyone! Im a cvicu rn who is in a dilemma choosing between going to crna or pharmd route..
I can imagine myself working as a retail pharmacist, I like interacting with patients/customers, and I like the business side of it.. While at the same time, I can also imagine myself working as a crna in an outpatient or plastic surgery ORs, dealing with more stable patients than the busy and stressful icu that I work at..
Anyways here are some factors I'm considering right now( pls correct me if there's some that are not accurate)
crna = 2 to 2 1/2 yrs full time school,
pharmd = like 1 yr part time school for pre reqs and 3-4 yrs full time school
crna and pharmd almost the same cost of school (if im not mistaken, around $120k) but crna will make more and will finish school sooner (pharmd 90k to 120 k average, crna 120 to 150 k average, they say you what you make is almost the same with a family medicine doctor)
Pharmd is more in demand because not all states have crna
Respect factor, I think both has their due respects... although pharmd will deal less with the "no, im not a doctor (anesthesiologist), im a nurse anesthetist" type of situation.. I think crna will be called doc more because of the work setting thus more explanations to do.. Because they will ask and you will have to explain to them that you are not a nurse and at the same time not a doctor(anesthesiologist)..
Crna I think is more stressful, anything can happen when you're giving anesthesia.. It's actually not just giving anesthesia.. eg, you might need to start pressors or give boluses.. its also kinda scary(for lack of a better word to describe it) knowing that its always a life and death situation everytime you are behind that or table... plus you might have to deal with egoistic and very demanding surgeons.. Ive heard stories of anesthesia providers and surgeons yelling at each other during surgery..
Anyways, some might say that I should do what I want to do.. yes of course, but Im also considering the financial factors, working conditions, respect given, and the work opportunities..
stan-you are pretty funny; sad but funny nonetheless. It's obvious that you are insecure in your nursing job; as are a few CRNA who tout their abilities as "equal" to an anesthesiologsit. That point of view is totally silly.
You are pretty funny to, you assume you have any knowledge of my field, I did not realize that there was any degree of osmosis when writing a check, tell me what is the effect of milrinone on preload afterload and contractility along with it's mechanism of action? Please describe the mallampati scoring system? Could you please describe the structure of the lumbar plexus and the dermatomes covered by a lumbar plexus block, the risks and benefits and which surgery and conditions it would be appropriate for and what comorbidites would make it a poor choice?
These are all very basic questions in the field of anesthesia as you are such an expert these should be an easy answer, if not you clearly do not know the first thing about anesthesia, writing a check does not give you any insight whatsoever.
I would recommend crna. Pharmacists often work 60 hours a week to get over 100000 a year. Scheduling is much better for crnas. I wouldn't recommend aa if your already a rn. They aren't in every state, and they aren't independent providers. They are completely controlled by physicians. Technically they aren't suppose to make any decisions on their own. I have a lot of respect for pharmacists. But all the ones I know work all the time. I started off working just three days a week, twelve hour shifts. Now I work just two days a week, and make what a pharmacist does.
I would recommend crna. Pharmacists often work 60 hours a week to get over 100000 a year. Scheduling is much better for crnas. I wouldn't recommend aa if your already a rn. They aren't in every state, and they aren't independent providers. They are completely controlled by physicians. Technically they aren't suppose to make any decisions on their own. I have a lot of respect for pharmacists. But all the ones I know work all the time. I started off working just three days a week, twelve hour shifts. Now I work just two days a week, and make what a pharmacist does.
Hey, it's not all about money. I've often said, if I had to do it all over again, I would be a pharmacist. They have much more variety of work settings, including research and academia. They don't have to work 24/7 365 days a year. There's no emotional debt. Your environment is clean.
Hey, it's not all about money. I've often said, if I had to do it all over again, I would be a pharmacist. They have much more variety of work settings, including research and academia. They don't have to work 24/7 365 days a year. There's no emotional debt. Your environment is clean.
CRNA's can also teach and do research. Nor need they work 24/7/365. Yes, some holiday/night/weekend coverage will likely be required, but nothing like most floor RN's have to do. And some Pharmacists also work 24/7/365.
OP, the choice is yours and you seem to have made it. So good luck and go do it.
Stan, dude, you sound kind of arrogant. Even if writing a check doesn't give one knowledge, without Mom's check, the student might not be a student. Just my 2 cents.
Yes, that's true, CRNA's can do research and teach but that's the rarity. Pharmacological resesearch is big business. And yes, you can get a CRNA job without call but I had to work 24 years before I got that deal.
no education is BS....................crna usually undergo 2 years of additional nursing-school "anesthesia" training and are possibly qualified (with supervision) to administer anesthesia...............I was/am a crna who went to med school and became anesthesiologist (MD)..I don't give a tinker's damn about being called "doctor"........as a physician, I realize that anesthesia is beyond the skill set of a nurse (crna or otherwise)........been there, done that.........after med school, I realized that crna practice should be and MUST be supervised by an anesthesiologist.......................solo crna who are "militant" shame on you....you are nurses and you should be concerned that your patients get the best care....................a "solo" crna is like a student pilot flying an airliner
Stan, dude, you sound kind of arrogant. Even if writing a check doesn't give one knowledge, without Mom's check, the student might not be a student. Just my 2 cents.
I think Stan's point was that paying a tuition bill doesn't give someone any knowledge of the profession. If that is the only basis for speculating how a CRNA or PharmD should, or shouldn't practice, it's weak at best.
Hey, it's not all about money. I've often said, if I had to do it all over again, I would be a pharmacist. They have much more variety of work settings, including research and academia. They don't have to work 24/7 365 days a year. There's no emotional debt. Your environment is clean.
I am not quite sure why you quoted my statement; what you said doesn't really relate to what I said. Just wanted to some clarification. It isn't all about money, the only crna I know who hates her job chose it because she wanted to make money. She was from a very rich family and just wanted to support her lifestyle. She still practices, but only because she has too. Should always pick a profession by what you enjoy, though money is always a factor.
stanman1968
203 Posts
paying for it does not include an understanding, proximity does not lend expertise...this I hope you DO understand.