Excelsior College and CRNA

Specialties CRNA

Published

Nurses Month 2024 | Discounts & Freebies AORN Celebrates Nurses Month

I am a paramedic/firefighter and cannot go to a traditional ADN program. Do you think that going through an online RN program would greatly hurt my chances of eventually getting into a CRNA program? Thanks for the input.

Dean

If you're pulling in 60k a year why do you need to go to CRNA school? Just want a change of pace?

Not to go against my own kind, but I'm hoping not too many people will want to know where I got my RN license (my husband says when I graduate I'll have to make extra room in my closet to hide my EC diploma). I know many excellent nurses went through EC, and the stigma isn't fair but that's life.

I guess you can deduce that a traditional school is definitely the way to go.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

On the EC debate - when I was a new grad we had a "nurse associate" who was an EMT (not paramedic) doing the program, and I believe her work counted as clinical. It was a general surg floor so a great place to learn to handle NGs, ostomies etc and deal with unstable post-ops. I know this woman studied hard and became an ICU nurse after graduation. It sounds like you need to be smart and extremely motivated to do Excelsior successfully, and it would be very hard for the program to determine who might end up being a "bad apple."

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well I am hoping to get the nursing experience while still working as a firefighter/paramedic. And then do my RN to BSN at Bowling Green or Ohio Universtiy both have non traditional (online) programs. I am trying to hold off quitting my job untill I get accepted into a CRNA program. If I don't get accepted in CRNA then I can just work as a nurse on my days off, but if I quit the Fire Department, there is no going back. Want to hold off burning bridges till I really have to.

Dean

You most likely will not get accepted into a CRNA program without a couple years critical care RN experience...so you will need to leave that 60k job way before you get into a CRNA program anyway. Going from EMT-P straight to CRNA school with no clinical nursing experience at all might be impossible to do. Check with the CRNA programs you're interested in. They'll send you packets with their requirements listed. All of them *require* some sort of RN experience, with critical care being the preference.

Most of us here have gone through the being-broke-during-nursing-school thing...many have given up good paying jobs to do it. It can be done. It's scary at times, but it can be done. I would at least get the ASN in a trad school, and then get the online BSN while working as an RN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Can't you make $60K as a nurse? Weekends, off shifts, etc...

Since you're a paramedic/firefighter you would be used to off shifts.

Or maybe work with the FD part-time?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Probably, but like I said, would like to keep from quitting until I absolutely have to.

Can't you make $60K as a nurse? Weekends, off shifts, etc...

Since you're a paramedic/firefighter you would be used to off shifts.

Or maybe work with the FD part-time?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

if you are a paramedic with experience, why not go straight into the Anesthesia Assistant program? It doen't sound like you want to become an RN, and this way may save you time and money, especiallyif you don't want to give up your job until acceptance into a CRNA school. here is the general breakdown as i see it:

prereqs and BSN = around 3 years of school if some of your credits are accepted from EMT-P school. then add probably 1 year of med/surg nursing to get into ICU (it is uncommon in many places to go straight into an ICU setting though it is possible), then add at least 1 year of ICU experience. this is about 6 yrs (could be a little more) of schooling and you wouldn't be able to work fulltime and do your RN/BSN. (most people can't anyway, too time consuming.) not to mention start dates of RN programs can throw you off a couple of semesters as well.

if you just finish bachelors degree in something (anything really) you can do this part or 3/4 time and some classes online and apply to the AA program and cut the time down.

Note: I realize this is a nursing board, so i hope no one gets offended that I am advising slightly differently. It just seems like it may be a good option to consider for the op.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Just a thought; several people have posted their opinions an what is/is not taught in paramedic school, as well as its applicability to nursing. How many of you have actually attended a paramedic program or practiced in the field? While there are differences in the scope and focus of these two fields; they seem to share common basic knowledge, skills, talents and though processes.

In the interest of full disclosure; I am currently enrolled in Excelsiors' program, and am a practicing paramedic with 25+ yrs of experience. I am also middle aged and employed full time, with a family to support; therefor taking 2-4 years off for fulltime school is not a viable option.

As a side note; most of us in EMS or the fire service work 24 hours rotating shifts and are the primary support for our families.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

My son is in paramedic training - we compare it all the time to RN training and he asks a lot of good questions. I went to nursing school with several paramedics - and they were pretty blatant abuot spouting out their thoughts too :)

Can you even get into CRNA school as an anesthesia assistant? or is that a different endpoint? I have never heard of anyone going the CRNA route without nursing as their basis. Doesn't mean it isn't possible, just that *I* have never heard of it...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My son is in paramedic training - we compare it all the time to RN training and he asks a lot of good questions. I went to nursing school with several paramedics - and they were pretty blatant abuot spouting out their thoughts too :)

Can you even get into CRNA school as an anesthesia assistant? or is that a different endpoint? I have never heard of anyone going the CRNA route without nursing as their basis. Doesn't mean it isn't possible, just that *I* have never heard of it...

anesthesia assistant is an end goal. You could equate it to being a PA and the CRNA to NP, the differences lie in the medical vs nursing model issue and who is an independent practitioner. If you aren't a nurse and still want to do anesthesia without an MD/DO, this would be the route as the actual day to day work and pay are very similar from what I have read and seen.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
While there are differences in the scope and focus of these two fields; they seem to share common basic knowledge, skills, talents and thought processes.

This is the problem with EC, IMHO. They pretty much argue that anyone with healthcare experience can be a nurse. But if that was really true, why don't the states allow paramedics and anybody else with a healthcare license to simultaneously practice as nurses? Because, obviously, there are major differences.

Sure ... EC eliminated MA's and Surgical Techs because of the scandals in California. But still they allow psych techs, respiratory techs, natropaths, chiropractors and students who've only completed half of the courses in traditional schools into their program ... which sometimes means people who flunk out of nursing school end up going through EC.

Are these people properly trained as nurses just because they have some healthcare experience? Not really. The reason California came down so hard on the program was because the incident reports on EC grads was much higher than the norm. And that goes back to the lack of clinical training as a nurse.

I've talked to many people who have worked with EC grads and were involved in the California controversy. LVN's, particularly those who were working in acute care hospitals and already had a lot of nursing experience, were not the problem. People who weren't acute care LVN's were the ones who caused the problems and, ultimately, were the reason EC is no longer accepted in California.

:coollook:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

While I appreciate your input; it's really a strawman arguement. Neither I, or anyone else is suggesting that anyone with healthcare experience is automatically qualified to be a nurse or practice nursing. To emphasize the point; I realize that nursing is a seperate profession, and that exposure to allied health fields does not replace clinical exposure and education. My point in making the post was to open discussion on the extent of EMS education; and the need some of us have to use alternative entry path into nursing. In a time of severe nursing shortages, we would all be well served to work towards positive solutions; rather than sniping at one another.

The reasoning behind CA BON's decision to no longer accept Excelsior grads is multifaceted, and appears to have been driven by both clinical and politcal issues.

Any suggestions on alternative approaches to the issue of entry into nursing for nontraditional students?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My point in making the post was to open discussion on the extent of EMS education; and the need some of us have to use alternative entry path into nursing. In a time of severe nursing shortages, we would all be well served to work towards positive solutions; rather than sniping at one another.

Any suggestions on alternative approaches to the issue of entry into nursing for nontraditional students?

That's a tough question but a good one. I totally understand the problem of supporting a family while trying to go to school. But, at the same time, the more I learn about nursing, the more I realize how much I don't know. The reason I say this is ... it's a very complicated job and I honestly don't know how you make a decent living and get the extensive training you need to function as a competent nurse ... all at the same time. Statistically, people who work more than 20 hours a week have much higher failure rates than people who work less than 20 hours. And, if you have a family to support, 20 hours a week, even at a decent wage, just won't cut it.

The only think I can think of is for traditional schools to set up alternative programs where, perhaps you could stretch out an ADN program over, let's say four years instead of two ... so people could go to school part-time, much like they do for pre-reqs. But then, of course, an ADN would take a lot longer, which isn't exactly appealing either. And there's the practical problems ... like how do you schedule clinicals for the part time students when you're having tons of trouble arranging clinicals for regular students as it is.

:coollook:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment