HELP! ultimately want to be a CRNA, bsn or msn? existential crisis ABOUNDS

[switchflash07]

Hey y'all,

This is my first time posting on this forum so please be gentle on me. I will preemptively apologize for writing such a long post. I am trying to be as detailed as possible to get the best advice. I don't know anyone IRL who can help me with my nursing questions.

Me: I am a 27 year old man trying to get his **** together and start on a path towards a career.

History: I graduated from college in 2011 with a BA in Political Science and a 3.3 gpa. In 2015, I thought I wanted to be a doctor, so I went back to school and took some post-bac classes. I took out a Navient education loan for $10,145.75. Realizing that I only had 3 continuous semesters of federal loan eligibility for a non-degree granting program (the post-bac program gives a certificate), I stopped taking classes at the state school and started taking classes at a community college. Depressed, I got a W in General Chemistry II, a W in Calculus I, an Incomplete in Biology 2 and an F in Calculus I when I tried to retake it last semester. December 2016, I was diagnosed with ADHD and depression. I started taking medication for both shortly after. Now, I am taking Biology 2 over to remove the Incomplete grade and Anatomy for the first time.

Goals:I was pre-med for so long that I never looked into any other fields. Last year I was introduced to CRNA field and it really captured my interest. I would like to be a CRNA for three main reasons: I want to work in the medical field in a capacity where I can help people but don't necessarily have to have direct patient interaction on a daily basis (I'm an introvert and I feel like most nurses are extroverted), I want a lot of autonomy (not a fan of dealing with a ton of different personalities and office politics), and I want a career that enables me to have a good work-life balance (something medicine could not provide).

Questions:

1. This is my first semester taking pre-nursing classes. If I can do well in my pre-nursing classes, do you think my academic blemishes as a pre-med will be forgiven when applying to a nursing program?
   
2. Should I retake General Chemistry II and Calculus I over again before applying to a nursing program? Those classes aren't required for nursing school but it really makes my academic transcript look awful having those grades on it, especially recently.
   
3. Should I apply to an ABSN or Masters in Nursing program when I am done with my prereqs? I prefer the ABSN option but I am worried that I will not be eligible for anymore federal loans since I used 10,000 of it in 2015 for post-bac classes.
   
4. Will CRNA programs look at my subpar college grades or will they focus on nursing school grades?
   
5. I know I need at least 1 year of ICU experience before applying to a CRNA program. I've heard that BSN enables more direct patient experience compared to a MSN which tends to be more case management and clinic driven. Is that true?
   

Comments: I don't know what to do. Like I said, I'm 27 and I'm just now trying to transition into nursing. I know that 27 y/o isn't super old, but I'm worried that my past academic mistakes will hinder my ability to get into a good nursing program. I'm currently working two dead end jobs and taking classes and I feel like such a failure. I wish I had spend more time researching nursing when I was younger, I would have saved so much time. I'm currently taking Anatomy with a bunch of super driven women and I feel like a failure compared to them.

Thanks for reading my long post. I'm hoping to get responses that can help me plan out what I need to do. Penultimately I want to be a CRNA but now, as a struggling college student with 10,000 in debt and poor academic performance, it seems like such a pipe dream.

[Roasted.Peanuts]

I am 25 also with a bachelor's degree and going back to school for nursing and want to become a CRNA eventually. I already have $30k in loans for my first bachelor's, so cost is a definite factor in my choices.

Have you thought about the ADN programs at your local community colleges? I have applied to both ADN and ABSN programs so far. My first choice would be the ADN because it is cheaper. I am looking into dual enrollment programs where you can take BSN classes during the summer at a university as an ADN student to get your BSN faster. Some ADN programs give you quite a few points for having a previous degree, so you'll have an edge there.

As far as prereqs go, I suggest making friends for a dedicated study group. I learned that the highest form of understanding a subject is being able to explain it in your own words to another student. I hope this helps!

[saveitICU, CRNA]

Hi switch,

After reading your post, I thought I'd answer some of your questions and provide some clarification. Speaking to your past academic history, your performance in your nursing pre-reqs and courses will carry the most weight, although they do look at your overall academic picture. As for how you should go about obtaining your BSN, that is up to you. There are many routes that you can take but I think an accelerated program would be your best bet. Getting your MSN could potentially give you some advantage when applying but you would be taking the long way into CRNA school. Focus on getting your BSN and maintaining a high GPA then get into an ICU at a large teaching hospital. You are correct that CRNAs have a lot of autonomy but you do have lots of direct patient contact. And I'm afraid avoiding strong personalities won't happen either as there are many surgeons, MDAs, residents, coworkers etc. that you'll have to work with. I'm 27 and in my first semester of CRNA school. It was a tough road getting here and the hardest part still lies ahead but if I can do it, you most certainly can. If you work hard and stay motivated, you'll get there.

Hope this helps!

[MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN]

Become an RN-find out if you actually you know, like being a nurse, like patients, don't faint at the sight of blood or seeing needles pressed into someones flesh. Cheapest way to start is doing an ADN program, you make it past that part, get some experience under your belt then blast off towards CRNA world. There are other routes you can take of course getting there, just get through nursing school and actually being a nurse for a bit and then evaluate future.

Stop comparing yourself to other classmates/people, this will make you miserable. There is always someone who will seem to have it more "together" than you and they're probably just as insecure as everyone else.

One step at a time, good luck!