help please

louloubell1 · Nov 20, 2003

Originally posted by gooser
How do you focus on other things in life, I have my job and spouse, but I still find myself worrying about what the interview will be like, if I will get in, etc. I think you all get the picture.
Anyone have any advice for me?

Well, if you figure out how to not think about it all, please share with me! I'm waiting to hear from one of the schools to which I'm applying (my first choice school). The application deadline just passed on 11/1, and the advisor for the program told me they will be sending out letters re: interviews around Thanksgiving. It's all I can think about. Well, not all, but it does occupy about 75% of my mental energies. I'm a nervous wreck waiting to hear back from them.

Good luck with your upcoming interview!

TraumaNurse · Nov 20, 2003

Gooser,

It's not easy to think about something else. I was driving my wife crazy talking about CRNA stuff. After she asked me if we could talk about something else, I realized I was really obsessed with it. I tried not to talk about it anymore but as others have mentioned, you can't get it out of your head altogether. Even after I was accepted, I still thought about it just as much, but the topics I thought about changed slightly. I am trying very hard to keep myself busy having fun with my wife and kids while I still can. It's going to be a tough 27 months on the family, so I have to make a conscious effort to not be too caught up in CRNA stuff before I have to.

I like the golf analogy, don't worry about the past, just move on. It is normal to have this stuff on the brain constantly, I think we all do. You just have to work hard at finding other things to do and think about.

mommyof2grls,

Welcome to the board and good luck with the application process. Kevin has been a tremendous asset to this BB. I hope you will also continue to contribute as well.

gooser · Nov 20, 2003

I want to thank each of you who has offered me words of wisdom and encouragement. I am glad to know that I am not alone in this quest to become a CRNA and that everbody goes through similar stresses. Reading these posts has been a great help. Again, a big thank you to each person that responded.

tcrn · Nov 21, 2003

I hear what you are saying!!! I am studying all day to brush up on a&p, ccrn stuff, what ever...and carry rediculous note cards to work hoping to get a second to look at them! LOOK... here is the thing, as long as you meet the criteria you will get the interview. I do not care if you have 5 eyes and killed your last 9 patients... it will happen! do not sweat that part!! The people workin for the local program act like I won't make it .. but, they are interviewing me. (They think these negetive thoughts because I was messed up and do not remember the first 2 years of college.) But, LITTLE do they know...We later learn to apply ourselves and decide to move outside of the box.

Do something with the s/o....drink a bottle of cheap wine, go for a walk play strip poker. Be like me and try to learn how to have fun and veg... then let me know how you did it! Pm me and i will let you know what my interview was like.

FlyingED · Nov 21, 2003

Gooser,

At least you know. I interview last week at Franciscan-Skemp and still have not heard anything. I know no news is good news, but every time I go to the mailbox I feel queezy with anticipation and each time, nothing. I know I gave you that rah, rah note but really I do empathize. Good luck.

cnmtocrna · Nov 21, 2003

Gooser - I sure can relate to what you are feeling. I am also in the process of applying (for 2005), and am now in the ICU gaining the requisite experience. However, I am not consumed by this process...how do I keep myself from being consumed? I have only been able to do this by learning from past experience. I am a nurse-midwife. 13 years ago I was in the same position - worrying, obsessing, driving everyone around me crazy. I felt like my life would be over if I didn't make it into a program. The programs were very competitive at the time, and this compounded the stress. I did get in - to all of the programs I applied to. I did finish and go on to practice for 11 years. I want to do anesthesia so badly that I took a 50% pay cut and am willing to forfeit 2+ years of income and aquire another round of grad school debt. We all want it badly. This time though, I refuse to let it consume me. I'm older and have more perspective - it wouldn't be the end of the world if I didn't get in. Life goes by too darn fast to waste so much of it holed up in our minds, ruminating, scheming, planning. As far as relationships and significant others - we owe it to our partners to be considerate of their feelings and their need to spend time with us enjoying life together. We also need to be there for them in the same way we expect them to be there for us. Sometimes I have to force myself to ask about my husband's day - it isn't that I am not interested, it is just that it doesn't occur to me to ask when I am so consumed with my own stuff. So I've trained myself. It helps to imagine what it would be like if he had the same concern day in and day out for months on end and was constantly going over and over it with me. Basic relationship 101 - it's really hard, but necessary. The other big thing that I do is write my concerns down - then I answer each concern in writing and refer to it when I get overwhelmed with worrying about it. Or you can nip it in the bud by reading what you have written down a couple of times a day. Set aside a limited amount of time in order to do this sort of thing - including this web site as someone so smartly suggested in another reply.

If you have the qualificationsand are willing to move to another area in order to go to school, then you WILL become a CRNA, I have no doubt. The paradoxical element here is ironic --- it takes a lot of focus and dedication to succeed - you obviously have it because you are on focus overdrive - reign it in and save it up for when if will be constructive and not destructive.

I really felt for you reading your post about the rejection letter. Especially when you said you didn't want to come across as desperate. It backfired because they got the impression you were not enthusiastic enough!!! I would advise you to just be yourself, answer honestly - it's ok to want it badly. One program director told me that if you don't want it with 100% of your being then you would not be successful. I don't agree entirely, but obviously the interviewers are looking for drive. You have it in spades, let it show. You'll be standing at the head of the OR table three years from now, I know you will.

versatile_kat · Nov 21, 2003

Those are wonderful words of wisdon, cnmtocrna. Thanks for the great advice!

zman · Nov 22, 2003

Don't forget the best part about the application process... they let you apply again next year, it's not single elimination.

I received my 'thank you for applying...' letter and was a bit saddened, too. And then I remembered why I applied: because I wanted to be a CRNA someday. Not tomorrow, but when the time was right. And until that time we'll just be the best ICU nurses that we can be, and gaining experience while we're at it.

Keep your chin up and good luck in December... dress warm!

chickenbee · Jan 20, 2004

Hello to all! I am new to this board, and I have found it to be a tremendous help.

I recently applied to the program of my choice....after all of the years of anticipation. Really and truly, it is just one hurdle after another. From undergraduate nursing school to intense ICU experience.....from getting all of your certifications to taking the GRE.......from talking with the director to taking a graduate level statistics course......and finally applying. So here I am waiting and hoping that I will be able to interview and eventually attain the ultimate goal.

So I, like most of you, cannot think of anything else. It consumes my every thought. I mean...I am an insomniac at times because I cannot stop thinking about anesthesia. My poor husband.....he is on the receiving end of my anesthesia school thought process...poor guy!

I just want to say thanks for all of the insightful posts and thanks for good company at 1:30 am! :zzzzz

tcrn · Jan 20, 2004

I think what you are experiencing is common. This is a trying time, full of uncertainty, questions and decisions. Your life sounds a lot like mine! I too am admitting to being totally consumed if not obsessed by my desire to get into school.. I do believe that this is the only topic of conversation I ever have these days! I find that fitfull sleep leads to drowsy days, ect.

I am getting ready for the ccrn test and hoping that having that knowledge and PROOF of it on paper will give me a stroke of confidence.

I have found the other people involved in contributing to this site are very helpful and encouraging. Keep your chin up, stay focused and ask a lot of questions!

Good luck!

mommyof2grls · Jan 20, 2004

We took a family day and went shopping yesterday. As I am driving, I start talking about, my up coming interview, etc. Kevin sits there with this forced "grin" on his face and says, "I can't wait until you get home, then I can tell you to SHUT UP!, I don't want to hear another word about it"" I reminded him, I would still have to obsess about it until I heard, then if I don't get in will have to tak about things I need to do.. etc..etc.

I then told my self...self..You are not going to mention CRNA school for the remainder of the trip. MY GOD it was hard trying to talk about something else. I AM NUTS!!!!

But seriously, for about 6 hours, we did not talk about it, other subjects began to come very easily, and we had a wonderful day. Of course I did have to bite my lip[ a few times, and I am not sure he even realized the effort it took... oh the trials and tribulations

:-)

:roll :roll

rockabye06 · Jan 21, 2004

I, as I'm sure all of us, are eagerly awaiting the results of your interview. Please let us know. The best of luck to you!!!