Experienced CRNA...ask me anything

Specialties CRNA

Updated:   Published

Okay...If you've read my posts you know that I will be retiring soon.

Now is your chance to ask a practicing CRNA anything.

12 years of experience from solo rural independent to medical-direction urban ACT. Former Chief and Clinical Coordinator of SRNAs.

I will not reveal my identity, specific locations, employers, or programs.

Anything else...ask away.

jcmh525 said:
I am interested in attending CRNA school at some point in the future. I have been reading up on requirements and such and I am a bit concerned as to if I will even be able to get into a program. I started my nursing education at a university when I was 18. I had to transfer due to financial issues.

I graduated from a diploma program and currently enrolled in a BSN program that I will have completed in about 3 weeks. However, I have been reading about requirements such as schools wanting a Statistics, Assessment, and Pharm grade of a B or better. I took those classes at my first school and not sure if I would qualify from those three classes. My graduating GPA from my diploma program was around a 3.6 and I received an A in advanced pharm while I was there. I was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge as to how strict CRNA programs are with those prereq classes? Do they take growth of GPA, grades, etc. into account?

The honest truth is that getting into a program is not difficult. It is staying in that is difficult. I can't answer how CRNA programs handle prereqs or evaluate applications with respect to GPA, grades, etc for the simple reason that every program is unique in its admissions process. My best advice to you is to do a great deal of research and spend a lot of time finding a program that is right for you and your circumstances. Move if you have to. Re-take courses. Obtain your CCRN certification. Work a few years in a high-acuity adult ICU. Ace your GRE (and take a prep course if necessary). If you have the determination to achieve your goal, you will find a way.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you for creating this thread and being so willing to share your thoughts and experiences.

My husband and I are both RN's. I am two semesters away from earning my ARNP degree. My husband was accepted into the acute care NP program with a fall start. He has been interested in the CRNA Program ever since he became a nurse, over ten years ago. His hesitation the last two years is if it is worth the sacrifice. As we now have a three year old and a three month old. If he chooses the CRNA route, I will likely have to work full-time and it will require childcare for our little ones (which we were hoping to avoid). Also, my husband just turned 43. Our other concern is whether or not it would be financially advantageous to attend CRNA school at this point

Thank you for your feedback:-)

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
ck32 said:
Thank you for creating this thread and being so willing to share your thoughts and experiences.

My husband and I are both RN's. I am two semesters away from earning my ARNP degree. My husband was accepted into the acute care NP program with a fall start. He has been interested in the CRNA Program ever since he became a nurse, over ten years ago. His hesitation the last two years is if it is worth the sacrifice. As we now have a three year old and a three month old. If he chooses the CRNA route, I will likely have to work full-time and it will require childcare for our little ones (which we were hoping to avoid). Also, my husband just turned 43. Our other concern is whether or not it would be financially advantageous to attend CRNA school at this point

Thank you for your feedback:-)

Everyone's priorities are different. I could never begin to answer a question about whether pursuing a CRNA career is "worth the sacrifice" because that is a question only your family can answer.

What I can tell you is that getting through a CRNA program will require much more than "childcare for your little ones". Your husband will be consumed with school - studying, attending classes, and then working in clinicals. He will be an absentee father and husband. He has to be, to at least some degree, in order to stay in school.

Read what I say and understand my words. I am going to bold them since it is a statement I keep repeating. Getting into a CRNA program is not that hard. Making it through a program is very, very hard.

Insofar as whether it would be financially advantageous, that is a question with too many variables to be able to answer honestly without more information.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am new graduate nurse in a small rural ED. I have wanted to pursue CRNA school since before I started my BSN but became overwhelmed with the road to get there once I graduated nursing school. Hence, the small ED instead of an ICU. I am 30 years old with a 9 year old daughter and I don't want to wait to long to go to CRNA school if I'm going to do it. In your opinion, is only 1-1.5 of ICU experience enough to be successful?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've finally thought of something I'd like to know, that no one else has asked.

I'm in a doctoral program, finishing up my first semester. I believe that we start work on capstone/research project in our 2nd year, they haven't even mentioned it to us really yet. I'm incredibly interested in finding areas that current practitioners think deserve greater or deeper research. I actually enjoy research, (not the stats/numbers part) but the part of research that comes up with an idea that adds to the knowledge of the profession and then seeing what happens when you implement or trial something. I find it fascinating, but lacking the day to day experience of working as a CRNA, I'm worried that I'll pick something just to get the project done, versus something that really has meaning and can add to the knowledge of the profession. As an RN, I can tell you my undergrad projects were uninspired versus after I'd actually worked as an RN I had clear ideas on what I would like to do differently, or thought might work better.

My ideas right now range more to do with reading comprehension perhaps---If people score high on a GRE section of Verbal, or are given a separate reading comprehension test, does this correlate with grades or clinical performance? I don't know, but it interests me.

I'm interested if there are any ideas you have run into during practice or something you'd like to try to see if it worked better?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

The lid has been blown off of CRNA training...if your are under 30 and childless...do it. If not there are nursing jobs that will remunerate handsomely in the long run. Same goes for medical school, IMHO...folks can do just fine as bedside RN's. Play the system, get into leadership roles and do well. Carry on...

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

06crna - You're retiring at the same age I'm finishing my first yr of CRNA school. Kudos to you! Very jealous. I'll be lucky to be alive in 12 yrs! :D :wtf:

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Simply put, time commitment and clinicals are the hardest part, IMO. CRNA school literally consumes your life. Clinicals are where you learn the most and on a good day, that means being with a wonderful CRNA who enjoys teaching, communicates well, and has a supportive demeanor. Those are the days you flourish and feel the progress you're making. It is a gratifying and exciting experience that teaches you so much, especially in the early semesters. But many days are the polar opposite. The jerk CRNAs can make it a gut wrenching, will-breaking, pride crushing, demeaning roller coaster ride like nothing you've experienced before. A few of us students were chatting the other day and one of them was telling a story of how she literally was grabbed by her CRNA & pushed back so hard that she stumbled over a piece of OR equipment and almost hit the floor. We were actually laughing, because it has become a sad reality for us to hear stories like this and these incidents don't even shock us anymore! We are so warped from the abuse and fear of failure that we just have to laugh. We may or may not report "abuse", because each individual has their own choice of which battles to fight and whether it's worth the energy or risk of putting a target on their backs. We live in fear and humble gratitude because we want this so much...and sometimes that is taken advantage of. Yes, we are accepting things we never would have tolerated a year ago, but we have perspective and purpose. I see now that this program seems to attract the toughest of the toughest, for good reason.

That said, I am a much older student, single mom, who commutes 3 hours a day for class and clinicals, with no family nearby, and I am making it work. Up at 3:30 am and usually not in bed until 10:30 pm, if I'm lucky. So the hell is survivable, if you're determined to survive it! :yes:

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
NecrotizingFasciitis said:
BUMP~

Most programs don't accept NICU and now that I'm finishing my first year, of CRNA school, I understand why. My background was PICU and I also floated to NICU...very large teaching hospital. There is very little experience, even in a large, high acuity NICU, that will prepare you for CRNA School. In the PICU, we had complex heart cases, traumas, complex surgical cases (cranis, big backs, transplants, etc) and, of course, a ton of respiratory cases. We also dealt with an age range from several weeks old to 18 yrs old and even 21 year old chronic 'kids'. I've actually felt really prepared as our classes progressed, and don't feel that I was needing to spend any more time on a subject just because I didn't take care of patients with LVADS. LOL. In fact, I took care of much sicker, more complex patients than some students who had MICU and SICU backgrounds. My point is that no one has ALL the experience, but you should at least have a strong background with complex systems and in my experience, the NICU did not offer that. I'd recommend transferring to a high acuity PICU, as that might be easier to get into than adult ICU. High acuity is the key because not all ICUs are equal and schools are VERY aware of that. I used to PRN at a PICU that had 4 beds and most patients had a food tray in front of them and could go to the play room anytime they wanted. LOL It was a nice break, but definitely not prep material for CRNA School. Just like having adult ICU experience in a small unit where the sickest patient has a food tray, isn't going to help you. My primary PICU has had 5 nurses enter CRNA school in the past 3 yrs, so adult ICU is not the only path. Just my 2 cents!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
kateciara said:
I am new graduate nurse in a small rural ED. I have wanted to pursue CRNA school since before I started my BSN but became overwhelmed with the road to get there once I graduated nursing school. Hence, the small ED instead of an ICU. I am 30 years old with a 9 year old daughter and I don't want to wait to long to go to CRNA school if I'm going to do it. In your opinion, is only 1-1.5 of ICU experience enough to be successful?

It certainly is, IF the ICU experience is with high acuity patients. I know of many current SRNAs and practicing CRNAs who had 1 yr experience when they were accepted. But if the ICU experience is a small hospital where the ICU is more like a step-down unit, then it probably won't help to have even 5 yrs experience.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
loveanesthesia said:
Additionally CRNA demand is increasing due to a shift from MDA heavy practices to utilization of more CRNAs.

Would you mind expanding on why this trend is occurring?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
ICUman said:
Would you mind expanding on why this trend is occurring?

Money..CRNAs are more cost effective

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment