Does employment at a facility affiliated with the school help you get in?

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Out of curiousity, I was wondering if anyone knows if it helps to be employed by the facility running the CRNA program. Is this something they look for admissions criteria? Does anyone know?

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I would think that it could potentially help if you meet all the minimum requirements.........and some of the "right" people can give you a reference. If there are some MDAs or CRNAs who know you and your work, they could give you a positive reference. That reference may mean more to the interview panel if the panel respects the opinion of the person writing the reference. It always can't hurt to have something that may make you standout among applicants. I do, however, know of several people who work at a facility with a CRNA program who were not accepted. I do not know why each one did not get in, but as you probably know, it is highly competitive getting into a program. You need to do everything you can to make you standout from the other applicants. Of course, each applicant is looking to do the same. Best of luck!

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from personal experience a big YES.....

one of my clinical choices turned me down for other students in the program that just happened to be employed by them - but i am glad - i am much happier w/ the hospital i secured for clinicals....

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At my program, no. Some debate around if it may even hurt you.

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I believe it may help, but can also be a hinderance.

If everyone likes you thats great. But if someone in the right position doesn't, it can suck for you.

Personally, I think it's probably better interviewing as an outsider.

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthetist.

All of the above responses sound reasonable. Think of this other aspect... if there is a hospital or area that is having difficulty hiring, (like the Hawaiian Islands) and you live there, and plan to return, then maybe that will pursuade the school to accept you. Especially if that area is also one of their clinical sites.

I would think that those areas would include Florida, Tx, Hawaii, etc. Florida is rumored to have pretty high need for CRNAs (rumor is they treat CRNAs poorly, tho). MDAs running the show with CRNAs in the room "handing the meds" to the MDAs. Like I said, that's just rumor. No insults intended.

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florida has alot of availability on gaswork - and they have some pretty high paying rates - higher than around here!! i saw one w/ a sign on bonus of 15000.00 every 3mos for the first year.....

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Living in Florida I have been comparing salaries and they are very good and competitive. I believe this thread was about the possibility of improved chances of getting into CRNA school if you are employed by the same hospital. My question is similar but has to do with the school. I am looking at Barry U. in Miami Shores and was wondering if I got my BSN there (transfering ADN), would that improve my chances of getting into their CRNA program?

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I know of a few schools that it is a benefit. But if you are not well liked by some of the people at the hospital for any reason, valid or not, then it will hurt you.

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All the above are excellent points, but I think it comes down to whom do you want to help the most. If you find satisfaction in helping the people you're serving, then you will automatically do a good job, and that good job will show through no matter if certain people don't like you personally.

Also, if you're helping the people you want and if things don't pan out, then getting rejected by the school of your dreams won't hurt as much. At least you did truly helped people in need, and you took some enjoyment from that rather than simply put in some time to climb a ladder.

That's not to say that you should stay put if you see greener pastures elsewhere. There are so many things out there to learn, and I don't know of any single hospital that offers everything. For example, the other day I treated a patient that had HHNK and renal failure. Another day before that I had a patient with leukocytoclastic vasculitis, but ECMO or CVVHD is not offered at my hospital. If things don't pan out, I would like to go to another hospital and learn about these things. Life is all about self-improvement, pushing myself at a pace that I feel comfortable with, and right now, I feel that I'm too young to remain still. I want to keep learning.

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Originally posted by PilotJim68

Living in Florida I have been comparing salaries and they are very good and competitive. I believe this thread was about the possibility of improved chances of getting into CRNA school if you are employed by the same hospital. My question is similar but has to do with the school. I am looking at Barry U. in Miami Shores and was wondering if I got my BSN there (transfering ADN), would that improve my chances of getting into their CRNA program?

Dear PilotJim:

I start the CRNA program at Barry in January 2004. I don't think that simply getting your BSN at Barry would help your chances as Barry's CRNA program is through the school of natural sciences and not the nurseing dept. Barry places a lot of emphasis on the sciences and as you may have read the interview is the key factor in getting into a school. The anesthesia faculty at Barry are wonderful and probably would be happy to give you some tips. Good Luck.

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Debra,

A big congrats to you as you start your new journey and a new year. Thanks for the info. My reasoning for the question was that if you got your BSN through Barry, then the admitting staff for the CRNA program would know EXACTLY how you were trained and what knowledge you have acquired because they are familiar with the Barry BSN cirriculum. They readily have access to your transcripts and generally know what kind of student you are, not to mention they could personally inquire about a prospective student from the nursing staff.

Reading through some of the other posts I guess it could hurt you as much as it could help you just as long as you get along well with others and have an excellent interview.

Another thought too. Would being an in-state student help your chances as well. I have family near Barry and have family in Panama City where the Gooding Institute is. Housing will be free for me and my bills will be paid off by the time I am ready to apply to a program. So the money and housing situation will not be a distraction or a problem. I am sure this will come out in the interview.

Just starting to get things in order is all. Slowly but surely. Now I have to continue to concentrate on the task at hand, the ADN and the knowledge that comes with that and gain as much ICU knowledge and experience as possible. But I have found that things are kind of set up in chain of events. For me, one thing leads to another as long as I set it up and plan for it early.

I know it is wayyyyy early to be thinking of being a SRNA but I do have to plan for it now and do things to set myself up for sucess once I am ready to apply, however I am trying to focus most of my energy towards the task at hand (ADN). Make any sense?

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