Experience before CRNA School

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Specializes in Open Heart.

I was on another message board and noticed that there appears to be a lot of disdain expressed toward novice nurses (less than 5 years exp.) who are entering CRNA school.....there were lot of claims that there is no way to be adequately prepared for school and that they will struggle to ever be pseudo-competent without years and years in the ICU......

I wanted to hear from some SRNAs here and get a feel for what they think of the younger nurses who enter anesthesia school.....do they really struggle?

Is it unwise to enter anesthesia school without 5 years of ICU time?

I want to do anesthesia sooner rather than later...but I also want to be prepared for school.....any advice would be appreciated.....

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Specializes in Pediatric critical care.

I am interested in seeing the responses.

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Great thread! I too have some questions for the CRNAs on the site. I want to get finished with the CRNA as soon as possible, but I want to be well prepared before entering. The university I attend just started their CRNA program this year, and one requirement for entering follows:

"A minimum of one year experience as a Registered Nurse in adult acute care as defined in the glossary of the COA's Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program (no exceptions)."

What exactly does this mean? I tried to find the COA's glossary online, but to no avail, lol. Does this mean that I would have to work in an adult ICU only? Are there any other 'adult acute care' settings I can work in? What areas did you CRNAs who have already graduated work in?

I know I probably sound ridiculous already thinking this far into the future, but I just like to plan ahead. :)

Thanks for any help!

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Specializes in ICU.
Great thread! I too have some questions for the CRNAs on the site. I want to get finished with the CRNA as soon as possible, but I want to be well prepared before entering. The university I attend just started their CRNA program this year, and one requirement for entering follows:

"A minimum of one year experience as a Registered Nurse in adult acute care as defined in the glossary of the COA's Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program (no exceptions)."

What exactly does this mean? I tried to find the COA's glossary online, but to no avail, lol. Does this mean that I would have to work in an adult ICU only? Are there any other 'adult acute care' settings I can work in? What areas did you CRNAs who have already graduated work in?

I know I probably sound ridiculous already thinking this far into the future, but I just like to plan ahead. :)

Thanks for any help!

pretty much you will need AT LEAST 1 year of ICU experience. i do know that programs will accept NICU or PICU but they mostly prefer adult ICU. talking with many different CRNA's they say their programs really loved CVICU or a SICU

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Specializes in Open Heart.

Last night at work I talked to a CRNA who had 18 years experience before school....she told me I would be at no disadvantage going with 2 year exp.

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Don't rush it. Get some good experience. Those with SICU or CVICU could have a minimum of 1 year or two years experience. MICU and other ICU's are not equal to a surgical ICU so I would say those would be 4 or 5 years experience. Again, don't rush it.

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I would respectfully disagree that MICU experience is not equal to SICU/CVICU experience. Of course it depends on which MICU you work but i frequently float to our MICU and there are numerous very "sick" patients with multiple vasoactive gtts and complex respiratory issues. They also get ER admits and fly-ins which can be very similar to landing a post-op patient on a SICU, just without incisions/drains. Also you can get anything from a pt that had a seizure and developed apical ballooning syndrome to someone in fulminant liver failure. These are VERY sick and intense patients. Medical intensive care can be even more intriguing because of all of the underlying medical issues patients have and can require a lot more critical thinking than a standard CABG post-op on a fast track to extubation and epi wean not that CABGs can't be very complex!

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Specializes in Surgical and Medical ICU.

With the complexity and nature of CRNA programs, I don't feel that they would state "atleast one year ICU experience" if they felt it would not be sufficient. Those that had 18 years of experience prior may just feel they wish they would have done it sooner. Same concept for veteran ICU nurses who see new graduates being hired on. They just feel as RNs that they would have started in ICU, not the floor. Believe it not, people are critical of those that have confidence.

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Don't rush it. Get some good experience. Those with SICU or CVICU could have a minimum of 1 year or two years experience. MICU and other ICU's are not equal to a surgical ICU so I would say those would be 4 or 5 years experience. Again, don't rush it.

I would have to disagree with this comment. I have experience in both the MICU and CTICU. I will tell you that MICU patients can be more challenging and of a larger variety than CTICU patients. There are more patient's with multisystem issues in the MICU. Most patient's in the MICU have airway issues with a large variety of ways of treating them. A greater understanding of these issues is needed in the MICU. They are very sick (too sick for surgery). A patient in the MICU waiting for a liver transplant that is a lot sicker before the transplant. You also get the patients that are too sick for transplant. Many surgeons consulted patients that I have had in the MICU and they have stated that the patient is too sick for surgery (Granted in the CTICU you have your VADs and ECMO and balloon pumps. We also had ECMO in the MICU. ) CTICU experience however, gives you experience with recovery and quick weaning and extubation and more of a cardiac focus. The patients can also have multisystem issues post op (or those that existed prior that exacerbated after surgery), but not as often as in the MICU. CTICU patients are more acutely ill.

That being said. I think that any ICU experience could only help you. I am not sure though of the length of time that would be best for CRNA school. I was accepted with 4, but I do know those that were accepted with 1 or 2. I think that the programs have many people apply and have a variety of people to choose and would not pick someone who they did not feel would do well in the program.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Pulmonary, Anesthesia.

I think if you can pass the CCRN with a decent score, not just passing by the skin of your teeth, you should be good. But that's not necessarily what the experience thing is all about. It's also thinking on your feet, remaining calm, and critical thinking. I don't think experience gives you any of these skills, but allows for some fine tuning. After saying all that, I'm doing great with 1.5 years experience.

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Specializes in Burn, Trauma, Neuro.

For the CCRN... isn't it just pass/fail? Or do you actually receive a % grade for it?

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Specializes in Burn, Trauma, Neuro.

180 Chick, given that this was a couple years ago.. did you end up going to CRNA school?

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