hello, i'm a first semester nursing student.

[dimir]

i'm a first semester nursing student at SDSU. a little bit of background:

i don't even remember when i decided that i wanted to be a nurse. it's been a part of my life for so long that specific dates don't really matter anymore. i think a big part of this is having a family background in nursing - my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family and friends are primarily in the nursing field. so, it's always been common in family parties to have a group of nurses discussing their jobs. choosing to become a nursing major was something that came natural to me. i'm not saying that i didn't have any doubts and tribulations that i had to overcome, because i did. and, sometimes, i still do.

i've always been someone that held education in a high regard. in high school, i took a rigorous college preparatory program called the International Baccalaureate and graduated with an IB Diploma and receiving enough credits to just barely miss the credits requirements to become a "sophomore." i participated in a variety of leadership and extracurricular programs including student government and tennis. i've volunteered in the Veterans Home of California in preparation for nursing school.

in terms of college courses and prerequisites, i dedicated myself to doing the best i could so i would get a certain acceptance to the impacted nursing program at my school. so, i currently have a 4.0, including my sciences (bio, chem, A &P, and micro) and statistics.

i was pretty apprehensive starting this semester, anticipating the stress and the difficulty of the program. but, i'm finding that i'm liking it more and more and that i'm fairly certain that i'm going to end up loving this.

so, that brings me back to why i'm here. in the first chapter of my first nursing textbook, there was a portion on "continuing education." i've always known that i was going to get a master's or a PhD someday. and, now i know exactly what that advanced degree is going to be in.

CRNA was the thing that jumped out at me when i read that portion - everything else just paled. i liked the autonomy, i liked the idea of working one-on-one with patients, i like that i would be taking active and direct actions in the process of helping a patient, and, for some reason i'm not so sure yet, i've always always had an interest in anesthesiology.

so, the thing is, i know that i'm barely starting out in my career as a nurse. but, i've always been more of "think of a future" kind of guy than and i want to start preparing to become a CRNA now. today. this very moment.

i would appreciate any advice as to what to do now and subsequently as a first semester nursing student wanting to apply to CRNA schools and to have a career as a CRNA. and, please be as detailed as possible [though i would appreciate any response, stuff like "get A's" or "get through school first" wouldn't really help that much ]

i'm pretty freakin' excited.

thanks everyone!

[Summitk2]

My impression is that you should learn more about the profession before getting so "freakin excited." It sounds like all you know is from a chapter in your nursing book (?). I think the first step is to spend some time in the operating room and experience the atmosphere. If possible, do this with a CRNA. If you're still just as excited, research the career field more and learn as much as you can.

During the 2nd half of your nursing program, start to learn about critical care nursing. Find faculty or clinical instructors who work in ICUs. Try to arrange a shadow day with them. Be sure to do your last clinical in an intense ICU, possibly where you would work after school. Do a lot of listening and very little talking, aside from questions. Soak up everything you can. You'll find that your real learning begins after you finish school.

In the mean time, focus on your fundamentals and grades. It doesn't sound exciting, but it's crucial. One more thing--relax.

Good luck!

[ID-SRNA]

While some may disagree with this logic, now that you are in nursing school and as you transition to your first RN position, my advice is to keep your ambitions to yourself. There is alot of animosity out there towards those who know exactly what they want from those who do not or can not. Plus, if along the road you suffer some disappointment in applying to any programs, you dont give those people an opportunity to say "told you so". You will run across nurses who consider themselves very big fish but give no consideration to the very small pond in which they live. They won't or can't take the next step and have an opinion on why you shouldn't or can't as well. Now for the advice you really didnt want. Grades and Experience will get you an interview. So, right now, that should be your focus. The other will come in time.

[VCUBen]

While some may disagree with this logic, now that you are in nursing school and as you transition to your first RN position, my advice is to keep your ambitions to yourself. There is alot of animosity out there towards those who know exactly what they want from those who do not or can not. Plus, if along the road you suffer some disappointment in applying to any programs, you dont give those people an opportunity to say "told you so". You will run across nurses who consider themselves very big fish but give no consideration to the very small pond in which they live. They won't or can't take the next step and have an opinion on why you shouldn't or can't as well. Now for the advice you really didnt want. Grades and Experience will get you an interview. So, right now, that should be your focus. The other will come in time.

ID-SRNA

That is great advice. Bottom line

[blackberrie_281]

im exactly like you dimir! i think the best things we can do right now is:

1. absorb and KKNOW everything we learn in NS

2. during clinicals, get as much ICU experience as possible, so that you may be able to work in the ICU directly after getting you liscence.

3. get great grades.

4. work as a nurse tech during the summer. itll give you experience, and marketability, for when you are looking for employment.

5. during senior yr, look into teaching hospitals, and hospitals with intense ICU.

Cant do too much beyond this till after you get that one yr (minimum) ICU experience im afraid.

[loveanesthesia]

Learn everything you can about all types of patients-- OB patients, peds patients, psych patients-- they can all have an anesthetic at some point. I understand what you meant when you read about the profession and 'just knew'. I always wanted to be a nurse, don't know how I knew that because when I started clinical I think I had literally visited a hospital patient 4 or 5 times, no other experience. When I 'knew anesthesia was for me' I was an experienced ICU nurse, but never really had spent any time in the OR or with a CRNA. I was correct both times. Just keep up what you are doing, and I believe you will be a future leader in the CRNA world. We need people like you.