Help needed and severe advice about CRNA

piratenurse0226 · Aug 3, 2012

Hey there, I'm also taking the steps to apply to CRNA school. If you are having doubts or putting the thought of going to NP school because it would be easier or less time consuming than going through the demanding process that is all the admission requirements to get into a crna program, you might want to reconsider what you want to do. I've been calling program directors to see if they will accept certain grades, etc. to make sure the school i apply to will accept me. Many of them tell me to shadow a CRNA which I have and to make sure you want to be a CRNA besides the check cause it is an extremely difficult program. The reason most schools only except around 15-20 students a year and get hundreds of applications a year is because it's extremely difficult and schools want those who will do whatever it takes to make themselves a positive applicant that wants to be there over those who apply because they are tired of bedside nursing and want a 6 figure check. I would look up the schools you want to apply to and email the directors so you can put your name out there. NPs wouldn't be on this thread page cause they have their own link. Hope this helps. Don't mean to be rude and if I did my apologies. I just know its hard for so many people to even get references or want to tell people they want to be a CRNA because of the stigma that people think everyone just says I want to be a CRNA and haven't even took the time to research it except the salary portion. Some goes as far as to say they want to be one and haven't even got out of school yet and know what a nurses responsibility is. If you want to be a CRNA put in the wrench work no matter how long it takes. I've been an LPN since 06 in the army when I met a CRNA and have been going non stop going and getting my BSN since to make sure I can apply this upcoming spring. Good luck with your choice!

freshstartnc · Aug 4, 2012

Thank you for your reply, and it was not rude at all. I have done the research and found 5 schools I am interested in and also have met with two directors. I just wanna know will it better my chances by getting an Msn first. I will contact them to see what their advice is on this. This is my dream to become an Crna.

NurseVisionary · Aug 4, 2012

I am a Nurse Midwife.....graduated when I was 27. I have a MSN as well as post graduate certificates as a Nurse-Midwife and in Healthcare Economics.

Ok, you first need to get more experience at the Level I hospital. You need sheer VOLUME and severity for your experience. Your goal is to have the worst cases now when you have people all around you to help.

To be an advanced practice nurse come 2015 you will need a post graduate degree (ie: PhD, DNP, etc). Make sure that you calculate for this financially and timewise. Look up the college financial section since funding will clearly come into play for you.

Not certain that having a MSN will help first....check with the school. Frankly, I do not understand why that would help. You need the hands on case load experience as a priority vs more pieces of paper. I know when I have someone putting me 'under' I want to know they can do it....not that they have multiple degrees. Think about it.

Good luck and I hope that this has helped :)

PMFB-RN, RN · Aug 4, 2012

Have you applied and not been accepted? Everybody In my unit who has applied has gotten accepted, and some with not as good a GPA as you. Seriously it doesn't seem to be very hard to get in. Sure some of them had to apply two years in a row to get accepted. Each year 5-10 nurses from our SICU head off to CRNA school. Some of them are superb nurses and some are not.

My advice is to get your CCRN and apply. If not accepted take a few grad courses to prove you can do the work and re-apply. This has worked for dozens of nurses I know.

Getting the MSN seems like a huge wast eof time to me. Especialy since most CRNA programs do not grant an MSN. The program in my state graduates CRNAs with a masters in biology. The neighboring state has 4 programs. Only one graduates with MSN.

piratenurse0226 · Aug 4, 2012

I'm glad you have done you research! I too work at a level 1 trauma center in the CTICU and trying to get all the hardest patients I can (several vasoactive gtts, invasive caths, vents, conscious sedation, ecmo, vads) you want this exp so that when you apply and put that on your resume it's more appealing. You can work in a community hospital for 10 years in a tiny ICU and could get overlooked by someone with 3 years in a level 1 ICU where they get the worst of worst. CCRN I hear is also huge on an application so def look into that. I honestly think from everyone I've talked to a good gre score, CCRN, shadowing, and some grad level classes really appeal to the board, also your letter stating why you want to be a CRNA. Hope this helped.

foreverLaur · Aug 4, 2012

To be an advanced practice nurse come 2015 you will need a post graduate degree (ie: PhD, DNP, etc). Make sure that you calculate for this financially and timewise. Look up the college financial section since funding will clearly come into play for you.

Don't rush it because of this as it is not true. I promise you will not have get a doctorate degree to be an advanced practice nurse effective 2015 :)

PMFB-RN, RN · Aug 4, 2012

To be an advanced practice nurse come 2015 you will need a post graduate degree (ie: PhD, DNP, etc). Make sure that you calculate for this financially and timewise.

*** LOL! How do these myths get started? First the DNP by 2015 is nothing more than a recomendation by the AACN. By no means a requirment. There will be plenty of MSN advanced practice programs in 2016 and into the future. Some schools are quite opposed to the DNP for advanced practice and have no intention of ever going to DNP. One local, private Catholic college with a well reguarded FNP program has said that the FNP is supposed to be a cost effective provider of primary health care and that requiring a DNP (thus greatly increasing the cost of producing NPs) is contrary to that goal. They have even said that should a DNP ever be required they would drop their FNP program and consider a masters level PA program in it's place.

Secon the OP was asking about CRNA school. The AACN has absolutly nothing to do with CRNA education. CRNA education is controlled by the AANA. The AANA has decided that CRNA education will be at the doctorat level by 2023 or 2025.

CABGx4, ASN, BSN, MSN, CRNA · Aug 5, 2012

Skip the NP!!! Do not use that as a stepping stone toward CRNA. If u want CRNA, pursue that feverishly. U need at least one year of cv exp so I would go to community college and retake micro--and get an A of course. Take gre, shadow, precept new hires, do something involved with students, or charge nurse. Leadership exp helps. Most CRNA students do not have NP so please don't waste your time. Good luck!!

freshstartnc · Aug 5, 2012

Thank you all for your encouragement. I dont think that I will pursue a MSN based on your comments. As it seems it would be a waste of time and money. Just thought it would have made me stand out against other apps. I will take advanced college classes though to show that I can handle advance course work. And financially I do fund most my own education due to the fact I am the only one in my entire family with a college degree. I love my nursing career and glad I chose it.

CABGx4, ASN, BSN, MSN, CRNA · Aug 5, 2012

There are plenty of other ways to stand out without wasting time and money on an msn.

Candyn · Aug 5, 2012

What are the ways to stand down Cagax4?