CRNA Schools No Experience Required

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Hi-

Im in progress of completing my BSN currently, and am interested in becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, and my question is whether any schools exist that require no previous work experience.

Basically it comes down to the fact that I am impatient and would like to finish all schooling at once and start my career immediately as a CRNA. I have great GPA and GRE, the only thing I lack is the experience. Any options?

Specializes in Anesthesia.

No, I didn't state that on this thread anywhere that I could find. It is a possibility to apply before having one year of critical care experience with the understanding that you gain the needed experience before school starts.

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It sounds like Columbia.

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can i add i am a BSN holder and want to consider in CRNA... i work as a SNIF... and its really hard to find an area or hospital that can hire you or gain experience... also i want to add... i am just getting my MSN to DNP... by chance because i know i will get good grades that will make it competitve... and pass the GRE is there a chance i can get in

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I a little bit confounded as to why CRNA programs require at least one year of Critical Care experience, when Anesthesiologist Assistants programs have no such requirement. Both CRNAs and Anesthesiologist Assistants end up doing the same job and from all indications, earn the same salary. Additionally, you do not need to be a Nurse, much less a RN to become an Anesthesiologist Assistants. I'm not a CRNA, but I'm trying to understand if the critical care experience is even necessary. Can someone explain to me like I'm a six year old why there is a discrepancy between these two Anesthesia Professionals?

FYI, there are about 10 Anesthesiologist Assistants Schools throughout the US and about 17 States that license Anesthesiologist Assistants.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I a little bit confounded as to why CRNA programs require at least one year of Critical Care experience, when Anesthesiologist Assistants programs have no such requirement. Both CRNAs and Anesthesiologist Assistants end up doing the same job and from all indications, earn the same salary. Additionally, you do not need to be a Nurse, much less a RN to become an Anesthesiologist Assistants. I'm not a CRNA, but I'm trying to understand if the critical care experience is even necessary. Can someone explain to me like I'm a six year old why there is a discrepancy between these two Anesthesia Professionals?

FYI, there are about 10 Anesthesiologist Assistants Schools throughout the US and about 17 States that license Anesthesiologist Assistants.

You couldn't be more wrong about CRNAs and AAs!

First and foremost that 1 year of critical care experience is designed to have it where nurse anesthesia programs don't have to teach the basics of hemodynamics, ventilator use/settings, critical care medications etc. AAs start from scratch they have to learn how to take vital signs, how to do a health assessment, and all the other things that most RNs have several years experience doing prior to starting school.

The anesthesia care team (ACT) model is the most common anesthesia model in the U.S. with around 60-65% anesthesia practices being ACTs. There are anesthesiologists only (the smallest type and the most expensive), mixed models with anesthesiologists and CRNAs that do not have any or little supervision of CRNAs, and CRNA only models (that are the most cost effective).

CRNAs and AAs will never be the same for the simple reason that no matter where AAs practice they have to be supervised by anesthesiologists. CRNAs have no such requirement and it is usually facility policy that requires CRNAs to have any supervision in order practice not state or federal requirement.

CRNAs can be and are independent anesthesia providers in the military and all over the U.S. Where CRNAs can and do increase access to anesthesia care AAs can never be independent and do not increase access to care. What AAs and the ACT model do are increase anesthesiologists bottom line by increasing their billing compared to doing their own cases without any increase in patient outcomes/safety. Anesthesiologists can bill 2x more by "supervising" than by doing the anesthesia case themselves.

http://www.aana.com/newsandjournal/Documents/cost-edu-non-phys-anes-prov-0214-p25-31.pdf

http://www.wana-crna.org/pwdocs/ChartCRNAvsAA2012.pdf

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Specializes in Acute Dialysis; CVOR.

I get what youre saying about access, but Im not sure thats what the person was asking about. What is the actual job/role/duty difference between a CRNA and AA? Besides/beyond/aside from independent practice....what can a CRNA do that an AA cant? I have wondered this for quite some time but never really know. Its like the age old battle between PA and NP or RNFA vs SFA....a lot of the time the difference is autonomy, but no real difference between actual duties/roles....

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I get what youre saying about access, but Im not sure thats what the person was asking about. What is the actual job/role/duty difference between a CRNA and AA? Besides/beyond/aside from independent practice....what can a CRNA do that an AA cant? I have wondered this for quite some time but never really know. Its like the age old battle between PA and NP or RNFA vs SFA....a lot of the time the difference is autonomy, but no real difference between actual duties/roles....

1. AAs have to have an MDA to work. CRNAs can work independently. CRNAs can do the preop assessments without having an MDA sign-off on it. CRNAs can write their own orders. CRNAs can dictate their own anesthesia care.

2. AAs have to have an MDA sign off or do the preop assessment. In general an AA will never do the preop assessment or decide the type of anesthesia.

3. AAs in general are not taught how to do CVLs or regional anesthesia.

4. AAs cannot work in the military.

5. CRNA can and does do everything that an MDA can when providing anesthesia.

http://www.wana-crna.org/pwdocs/ChartCRNAvsAA2012.pdf

The only place that make AAs and CRNAs are interchangeable is in restricted ACT practices. You cannot truly compare two professions when one has to work directly under an MDA and have all their care dictated to a profession that can does work independently providing all aspects of anesthesia care without the need for input from anesthesiologists.

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Specializes in Acute Dialysis; CVOR.

I will say its nice to see the differences laid out that way....makes it easier to decide which route to go ...thank you

Minus a few things, it does seem like more of a difference in flexibility and autonomy over anything else. Im still toying with the idea of CRNA but honestly my real true issue is completing more pre-reqs. Seriously not liking the idea of taking physics :-( Nor am I liking the idea of another FT masters program. Eh I have a 3 year work commitment to figure it all out lol

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I will say its nice to see the differences laid out that way....makes it easier to decide which route to go ...thank you

Minus a few things, it does seem like more of a difference in flexibility and autonomy over anything else. Im still toying with the idea of CRNA but honestly my real true issue is completing more pre-reqs. Seriously not liking the idea of taking physics :-( Nor am I liking the idea of another FT masters program. Eh I have a 3 year work commitment to figure it all out lol

I don't think there are many NA schools that require physics. I have taken physics and teach NAs I don't really see a need for a full semester of physics in order to understand the "physic" principles taught in NA school.

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Specializes in Acute Dialysis; CVOR.

That actually warms my heart. Seems like they all had the same organic chem/physics requirements when I first began my college journey....ofcourse that was quite a few moons ago. Organic chem I was ok with....physics was another story

Thank you again :-)

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