Crossroad: need advice/thoughts on my route

[ASCATRN, BSN, RN]

Hello everybody! So before I start here is a little background about myself:

I am a new ICU nurse but before this I was (still occasionally) a Med surg nurse for about 4 years. I also had experience in rehab nursing, and leadership (I was a supervisor and an assistant unit manager before my ICU experience).

Like a lot of people I want to further my education and career. I am equally interested in both CRNA school and NP school. Not sure if it is because I am in a new environment, but the ICU setting has really sparked my interest. and I am really intrigued with anesthesia. So naturally my first choice would be CRNA school (but again, NP is something I do not mind also).

I am presented with the opportunity to go to NP school (almost) essentially for free (between work tuition reimbursements, scholarships, etc) now. I can start this program this fall and again almost all of it being covered.

So here are my thoughts on this: I think I will do it, by the time I finish the NP program, I will have about two years of ICU experience and will be ready for CRNA school. If I do this path, I will always have a backup if I didnt get into CRNA school, and it might even strengthen my candidacy.

Would you guys do this route if you were in this situation? Thoughts on this route?

[rn409, BSN, RN]

You should do what you think is right for you... but that is an awful lot of work and time for just a “back up career.” Will the money cover books and travel costs as well (for clinical days)? Time is so valuable to me I would not be willing to spend all that time getting to NP level if I wasn’t completely invested.

If you feel really strongly about your dream to go to CRNA school, then do that. Talk to an admissions counselor to see what will give you the best chance. Get your CCRN, get observation hours. Make sure your grades are on par with their expectations. Retake classes if you have to. Several people I’ve known have gotten in the first time, and some have had to reapply and got in the second time or decided after shadowing a CRNA that it wasn’t what they wanted.

If you do continue with the NP track then apply to CRNA school- it can come across as you being overqualified (they’re both, I think, equal level professionals regardless of the pay difference). Also, they’re going to ask you why you decided NP wasn’t for you. It’s just something you might talk to an admissions counselor about to see what their perspective might be.

[rn409, BSN, RN]

You’ll always have the opportunity to try for NP school afterward and may have a better feel for the type of specialty you would most enjoy.

[ASCATRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the advice rn409...I have this crazy idea where I would work as a CRNA for two days and work as an NP for the other Two... no reasons, just to keep things different ?.

But yeah, my GPA is good (my BSN is 4.0), but I lack ICU experience AND the ICU i work at is a level 2, unfortunately most the schools doesnt like the ICU place I work at,

so my thoughts are "hey might as well finish NP school, while getting my ICU experience, so I at least have a back up plan if things doesnt go according to plan"

[rn409, BSN, RN]

That’s an expensive and time consuming back up!!! Regardless of the actual schooling is free, there’s always costs associated with school not covered (travel expenses, etc). Although time is more valuable to me... to each their own. I wish you well either way!

[saongiri]

I say go for it!

[ASCATRN, BSN, RN]

thanks for the advice guys

[Med_RN]

Both NP and CRNA are good choices or extension of an ICU RN.