Did anyone take the RN - CRNA route at Case Western

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Not the BSN to CRNA the straight RN(adn or diploma) to MSN program they offer, if yes how many years of experience did you come in with?

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Not the BSN to CRNA the straight RN(adn or diploma) to MSN program they offer, if yes how many years of experience did you come in with?

sent you a pm.. i'm willing to correspond with anyone about experience/case western if you pm me. thanks.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

i am a current nursing student and i am also interested in a straight RN to CRNA masters program and i am looking for information. i am a new memeber so i cannot send a PM

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I am just a pre-nursing student and admit I don't know much but have been researching CRNA since the beginning, just starting school this fall (the reason I'm going for my ADN literally, is to be a CRNA, no other goal for me, so I've been researching and researching). I asked one of our universities in Florida if there were any RN-MSN, etc., with a condensed version of BSN and MSN before/with an anesthesia program, and I was told no. Then, in hindsight, I thought what a stupid question I had asked. You can't do an anesthesia program without 1-2 years (in my state) at minimum of critical care, so there cannot be a RN-to anything near CRNA because you have to get your experience first.

I'm hoping to get into critical care immediately (or as soon as possible) and do that while doing my Bachelor's, then when I'm done with my Bachelor's, I've also acheived the experience needed for an anesthesia program, but you see what I mean, if it starts at RN, how do you ever get your critical care experience?

Anybody out there with any pointers for critical care and/or advice on how to get into it asap, please let me know. Although I have learned a lot about CRNA, I am just starting to check out the critical care aspect of my adventure.

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studentinnursing,

Are you working in a hospital right now in any capacity, i.e. nurses aide or unit secretary? If not, definately look into it, and try to get into an ICU in any aspect you can. Although, most hospitals will hire new grads right out of school. But if you get in while in nursing school, they'll hire you as an RN over someone else, and you'll already be familiar w/ the employees of the unit. It will also help you decide if it's for you. Alot of nurses eat there young, but if they already know you from working you in there unit, they might only bite, and you can bite back.>: I personally enjoy working w/ new nurses. Good luck in your endeavor. And there are RN to MSN routes w/ anesthesia options. Just go to google and type "anesthesia educatuon". I think it's the second one that has a list of every nurse anesthesia school in the country. Hope this helps!

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Thanks so much! I was told that, be a nurse's aide or something like that while I'm in school, which I may do when I'm a little closer to graduation, or at least doing clinicals and can meet more people in the hospital. I'm still doing prereq's now. But my grades have always been 4.0; I went to school for medical transcription and have been doing that for 13 years from home, so I don't wanna let go of this job yet, too easy to work whatever hours I can and then I can attend school full-time, was hoping to stick with it til very close to my ADN. With 2 kids I have to spread myself across the board every day, and having to go somewhere to work while attending school full-time and taking care of 2 little ones is scary to me right now. But, finally putting my baby in daycare next Tuesday! so I am moving forward.

I have another question, where I live it is very rural. I have only 2, yes 2 hospitals, within 30 miles of where I live, so is it going to be harder to get into an ICU? or are they gonna go by my grades (if at all) and competency, or am I looking at a long wait to get into an ICU no matter what. I don't know how it works at all, do I start in the ER, then wait for an opening in ICU, etc. One thing going for me is I do know an ICU nurse at the hospital where I will do my clinicals, so I'm hoping she can give me some insight too.

I have to keep my grades up first, then when I'm comfortable with knowing I can keep doing well in school, Lord knows I have to have a high GPA, then I will jump into the hospital scene. In addition to have the GPA for CRNA, I am hoping to get a transfer scholarsip from the community college to the university, which usually require about 3.75 GPA.

Thanks for all your help!

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Thanks for letting me know about RN-MSN. In my state, they don't have any, but there is a new anesthesia program starting this fall at one of the universities, so they may offer it but can't get much info yet.

I didn't want to move too far, i.e., out of state. I already have to move my kids in 5 years (if I stick with the community college, they have an RN-BSN as well as the ADN program, so I'm hoping for that) to do my MSN. However, no matter where I go to school, I am planning on moving back to where I live now (there goes all the nice contracts who pay for reimbursement right out the window, I think). So maybe it won't matter where I do the MSN since I'm moving back here anyway.

Thanks for the info, I'll check AANA for their anesthesia programs in the surrounding states and see what there is.

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studentinnursing,

Your ambition is refreshing, and I commend you for going to school and raising children. I couldn't do it. I'm not sure how hard it will be to get into the hospitals where you live. Have you looked @ their job boards to see how often they have jobs available, and what, if any, experience they require? You could call the nurse recruitment office and asked if they ever hire new grads. How big are the hospitals where you live? I'm in the Cleveland area and jobs in icu for new grads is endless. You could do ER while waiting for an ICU position to open up, but how long might you get stuck there? And if you want to go to anesthesia school right away, you might not want to waste so much time in ER. What state do you live in? Are you able to move sooner to work in a big teaching hosptal? I know there are some rn to msn routes out there. I just can't remember which ones. If I come across them I'll let you know. By the way my name is Julie. :>

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Thanks, Julie. They are not big, just regular old hospitals :) I'm in Florida, and I really would love to be accepted to Orlando's UCF program, but if I can't get my 2 years ICU, I can't even apply. They have like 1 huge block with 3 hospitals in downtown, plus there's Florida Hospital and another I can't remember the name of, supposed to be like one of the best in the country for cardiac and neuro, I think. Problem is, what if I move there and then don't get accepted?!

My plan, although probably disillusioned, is doing my prereq's to BSN here at the community college, so then 5 years from now, my oldest will be changing schools, on to middle school, so I was hoping to complete 5 years here and then move to wherever they accept me for CRNA, then move back here probably, I absolutely love it; I'm a city girl and it took some getting used to, but I love raising my children here, so I'm hoping to actually only move when I get accepted. I think if my grades are good enough and, God willing, I'm a good nurse, I shouldn't have a problem getting in where I want, but like I said, it'd be gamble moving to a bigger city with more hospitals and then not get accepted and then have to move agian. Don't get me wrong, I'll do whatever it takes, but I'm trying to make it easy on my oldest.

I'm gonna get in touch with my relative in ICU and ask her about it, see if I can shadow her while I'm in school, how long it took to get into ICU, etc.

I did look in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, all of which have only 2 anesthesia programs a piece I think it was, and Florida actually has 8, but University of South Florida told me she hadn't heard of any accelarated programs period, but I'm be on the hunt.

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Name's Alicia, by the way. Oh, and I did look for CRNA jobs there, cause it's so rural, I was wondering if my "plan" will work as far as coming back home to work, and they are hiring 1 CRNA and so is the other hospital! Now, if I can just keep watch on the ICU . . . we have such a shortage, and maybe it's everywhere, but from our county, we are seated first in the RN programs and then the surrounding counties; this county has lots of retirees, tons of doctor offices, and nursing homes; you'd think they'd have another hospital close by! That's okay, I'm gonna get in, just don't know how and I'm working on finding out. I'm still 2+ years out, so by the time I'm an RN, and do my clinicals at that hospital, I will hopefully have figured out how.

Course if I find an accelarated program, I'll have to regroup I think :)

Soon to be :nurse:.

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studentinnursing,

With your ambition I'm sure you'll get into the hospital you want. Shadowing in the ICU w/ your family member is a great idea.

When you talk to your family member, ask her what types of pts. they get, what vasopressors they use, do they have pts. w/ Swans-Ganz caths, baloon pumps, etc. A lot of schools want you to have experience with these medical devices (usually seen in open heart units, CCU's). The Cleveland Clinic prefers that applicants have this type of experience. Does it make you a better anesthetists? I sure it helps, but I know some CRNA's that worked in small community hospitals that didn't use Swans or baloon pumps, and they did very well in school, and I'm sue they are very good CRNA's.

I'm sure you'll get into CRNA school. Just keep your GPA high, Get good references, IF GRE required make sure you get at least what the school requires, but higher would be better.

I know moving to get your ICU experience isn't what you really want, but keep in mind that if you really want to be a crna, you may have to move. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to move back once you graduate (unless they specifically state "no new grads"). But if you get into a good school that has tons of OR time, it will help tremendously.

I plan on applying to Case western/Cleveland Clininc either this fall or next (awaiting husband to get a job-he just graduated w/ his Master's in Marketing Research). From what I hear, you get so much OR time at The Clininc. They >200 surgeries daily.

I'm still searching for an RN to MSN anesthesia program for you. If I find one I'll let you know. I know a guy on this forum posted that he was starting a program just like.

Sorry, if I sumtimes get off track. If I every don't anwer a question you have asked, let me know. I obviously don't have all the answer b/c I'm not currently a SRNA. But I'll do my best to help answer your questions.

Julie:clown:

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I am just a pre-nursing student and admit I don't know much but have been researching CRNA since the beginning, just starting school this fall (the reason I'm going for my ADN literally, is to be a CRNA, no other goal for me, so I've been researching and researching). I asked one of our universities in Florida if there were any RN-MSN, etc., with a condensed version of BSN and MSN before/with an anesthesia program, and I was told no. Then, in hindsight, I thought what a stupid question I had asked. You can't do an anesthesia program without 1-2 years (in my state) at minimum of critical care, so there cannot be a RN-to anything near CRNA because you have to get your experience first.

I'm hoping to get into critical care immediately (or as soon as possible) and do that while doing my Bachelor's, then when I'm done with my Bachelor's, I've also acheived the experience needed for an anesthesia program, but you see what I mean, if it starts at RN, how do you ever get your critical care experience?

Anybody out there with any pointers for critical care and/or advice on how to get into it asap, please let me know. Although I have learned a lot about CRNA, I am just starting to check out the critical care aspect of my adventure.

Our plans are very simular same ADN-BSN-CRNA route. I will be attending Bryant and Stratton starting for this Fall semester.

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