Goal: CRNA; Post ADN advice

Nursing Students SRNA

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Hello and thanks in advance for reading and/or replying to my thoughts!

I am entering my last semester in my ADN program this fall and I am looking for advice on which route to take to reach CRNA school. I hold a non-nursing BS.

Prior to applying to the ADN program my plan was to complete one of a few available Masters-entry program and end up with a generalist MS in nursing. At that time I did not plan to become an NP at all, just take the direct path to CRNA be it BS or MS. I recently learned that one of the generalist programs I was interested in requires picking NP/Educator/Admin as the outcome for the RN-MS bridge. With this I'm concerned that I'll be viewed as not knowing what I want. CRNA applications would likely go out almost immediately following the completion of the MS program.

My thought is that I enroll in an RN-MS program over RN-BSN, which will allow me to be able use financial aid as I've borrowed close to my undergraduate limit. I've been paying out of pocket for my ADN but I know this cost difference is significant. I feel the MS might grant me the most bang for my buck.

When it comes to choosing the BSN route, I'm further conflicted because I feel that not all online RN-BSN programs are created equally and there are so many options but I don't know which is the best fit. Ideally, I'd like to finish fast and not have a huge tuition bill. Are there any programs to stay away from? Might CRNA admission counselors weigh one BSN program over another?

My main issues are with time and cost, both being the two things that I know I have to invest in order to reach my goal. But still... I'm not naive in that I expect to get into CRNA school as soon as possible. Three years ICU experience minimum is my plan. I likely will have an ICU position directly following graduation. I'd just like to know what makes sense? I'm concerned that I'll pick an online BSN program that CRNA admissions doesn't think highly of or I'll be looked at as not knowing what I really want if I come out of an MS program with an FNP license and then turn around and apply for CRNA.

Again, thanks for hearing me and my disorganization out! I'd like to have a bit of a game plan in place as I prepare to knock out this last semester!

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Specializes in CRNA.

Do you already have a BS or BA? You don’t necessarily need a BSN. Save your money and avoid the unnecessary MSN.

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Specializes in CRNA.

What is your current Bachelor degree in? If it is a science degree then you would be good at some programs to apply with the Bachelor's and your ADN. If it is in something else then you would need to check with whatever school that you are applying to. Some schools want you to have your BSN as your Bachelor degree or an MSN would work with an ADN and your current Bachelor degree.

What schools are you looking at applying to?

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3 hours ago, loveanesthesia said:

Do you already have a BS or BA? You don’t necessarily need a BSN. Save your money and avoid the unnecessary MSN.

Thank you for replying. I do have a BS. With the program I mentioned in the initial post, I’d confer the BS in nursing while completing the MS/FNP portion. To be competitive, you don’t think I need anything past my BS?

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2 hours ago, CowboyMedic said:

What is your current Bachelor degree in?

What schools are you looking at applying to?

Thank you for replying! My BS is in Human Development and I was pre-need. I was told that back then I should do something I liked instead of Bio/Chem, even though I was pretty much taking all of the required classes. So I now acknowledge that I have a “fluff” BS.

I’m in Illinois and plan to apply to every CRNA school here plus wherever else I find over the next couple of years.

I’ve been in contact with counselors at DePaul, which I’m really banking on - that plan would be to finish their MS program (come out with a BS, MS/FNP) and then apply to their NA program.

I'm also looking at UIC since I went to UIUC. They have an RN-BSN program as well as their generalist MSN.

Then there are the online BSN programs like NIU, Purdue, U St. Francis, SXU, Benedictine, Governor’s State. Am I wrong in thinking CRNA schools may prefer one school’s degree over the next?

I’ve looked into schools like Capella, U of Phoenix, etc. and while the prices are great, I don’t feel confident that their degrees can get me where I need to be.

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Specializes in CRNA.

I don’t think you need another degree, save your money. Spend your time working as much as possible in the ICU- that’ll make you more competitive. How are the grades in your science courses? Those are important too. Almost everyone in a generalist MSN is a 4.0 so it doesn’t mean much.

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On 8/16/2019 at 4:46 PM, loveanesthesia said:

I don’t think you need another degree, save your money. Spend your time working as much as possible in the ICU- that’ll make you more competitive. How are the grades in your science courses? Those are important too. Almost everyone in a generalist MSN is a 4.0 so it doesn’t mean much.

Thanks so much! My science courses are only average - B’s and a C if I remember correctly. They’ll be “expired”, though, by the time I’m ready to apply. So I’ll have to retake based on most schools I’ve seen.

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