► How do I become a CRNA?

suzanne4, RN · Jun 23, 2008

Please take the time to do some reading here, and not sure if you are aware of the actual time involved. Even to get into the ADN program, that is going to take a year of pre-reqs plus, before you can even apply for it.

And are you aware of actually what goes in anesthesia or picking it because of the possibility of the higher salary, etc?

It is currently harder to get into anesthesia school than it is medical school, suggest that you do some serious reading here before doing a thing.

danecharleston · Jun 23, 2008

Suzanna,

I appreciate your quick judgmental response.

A high paying salary is REQUIRED with the lifestyle my wife and I have become accustomed to.

Being in the car industry for the last 12 years and working my way up to General Sales Manager, I started with my end goal in mind, which was to become the GSM.

I started selling cars, and worked my way up. And yes, I make a very good living (150K yearly) managing a business that does 51 million a year.

But I hate it. I hate everything about managing people to rip off unsuspecting customers and using high pressure sales tactics to squeeze more money out of their pockets.

Which is why I want to get out of that career.

I've ALWAYS wanted to go into the health field because I love helping people, I want to make a difference in peoples' lives, and because it fascinates me how the body works and I actually love studying human anatomy and physiology.

Why I didn't was because the timing wasn't good for me.

I really don't appreciate your assumptions.

I know which direction you were taking. I'm not stupid.

I'm fully aware of the waiting list and what Anesthesiologists do. And, I've been reading this forum for the last 3 hours. Though I will admit most of the reading was in the Male Nurse section as I was unaware of this section.

I did NOT know that Anesthesia school was harder to get into than Medical school. Good to know, so thanks.

Now, my question still remains.

What is the best path to take to become a CRNA?

I want to become a Nurse regardless. And since there are so many opportunities available to Nurses, I want to have an end goal in mind as well.

Maybe if I had asked the best path to a NP or a Nursing Director career you might have responded more favorably?

I better get to more reading though... Great forum btw :)

Dane

FLTraumaRN · Jun 23, 2008

It's good to have an end goal.

Basically the route is to get your nursing degree. It doesn't matter if you get your ADN or your BSN first. You will need the BSN. If you have a bachelor's degree or college credit, it may be better to just get the BSN.

But, plan on at least 2-4 years to get your BSN (depends on how fast you can take classes and if you have had any in the past) and then minimum of 1 year of ICU experience. I, personally, think you need way more than 1 year. Then start applying for schools.

Good luck

nurselizk · Jun 23, 2008

A higher salary may be required to accommodate the lifestyle you've been accustomed to, but that won't get you into anesthesia school. Being an excellent nurse with a passion for anesthesia, sufficient experience, great grades and GRE scores will. And the salary won't keep you going through everything you have to put up with in school, unless you love anesthesia. People in this field are sensitive to questions like this, because we know that the salary is commensurate with the responsibility of the position and the preparation required, but it attracts a lot of people who don't want to work hard to get there or don't have a passion for the field. I spent 100 hrs/week on school last semester, and I haven't even started clinicals yet. The other factor you need to consider is the loss of income you will have while preparing to become a CRNA. People do work during nursing school, but it is paramount that you keep your grades high--the lowest GPA of anyone in my CRNA program had a 3.6 undergrad GPA. Nursing classes are notoriously time-consuming. So you will probably need to not work, or to take school slowly if you do work. And there's no way you can work during an anesthesia program, all of which are at least 24 months long. So shadow a CRNA. Find out everything you can about the field. If you're already sure you want to be a nurse, then you're already planning to go to nursing school. But not everyone who wants to get into an anesthesia program does. Is a nurse's salary going to provide the lifestyle you are depending on? I had a previous career, and have seen a lot of people make career choices based on a salary they deem necessary. It distorts life and makes people unhappy. If you think you can't live on less, you underestimate yourself. There's also no guarantee that CRNA salaries will stay so high. Could you live with preparing so long to enter this field, only to find that the ever-increasing numbers of grads has driven salaries down? There are politics in health care, too. Decisions are made that don't put patient interests first. Anesthesiologists are notorious for having big egos. Can you deal with being treated like scum on the days those anesthesiologists are on? Gather all the info you can, and do some soul-searching. Then come back and join the conversation, if you're still interested.

Annieee · Jun 24, 2008

Hey Dane!

We're almost on the same track - except I have no prior work experience as I graduated HS '06.

It took me awhile to know what I was going to do, but my friends mother is a CRNA. I saw/experienced a day with her (and talked to various people and her about it) and I felt completely alive! It was so fascinating, and nothing has hit me as hard on the head as wanting to be a CRNA has.

This is the route I'm going to take. I'm not sure if it's the most time efficient, but I'd also like to start making a salary asap, as I think living with my dad is driving him crazy!

I just finished all my pre-reqs at a local community college, so I'm getting my nursing apps out everywhere. I'd like to stick with my community college, but I'd have to wait until Fall '09

My community college also offers an accelerated 18-month associates program to people who apply and it is strictly GPA-based. So I may do that as well.

I think going Associates is the best route! Because you can get the ICU experience you need for your CRNA while going to school part time for your bachelors.

Also, depending on the hospital you work at they may pay for you to go to your school and get your bachelors - how awesome is that?!

I've also been reading a lot on these forums, and some people say that you can't get hired into ICU as a new RN - that you need about a year med/surg. Although, some hospitals may be desperate enough to hire a new RN straight into ICU, but I'm not sure I'd want to start off in ICU anyways.

Sorry for the ramblings, I just get really excited talking about CRNA stuff, and I always love learning more about it.

Good luck in your studies and whatever you decide!

-Annie

hoy_tulog_na · Jun 24, 2008

Hey Annie,

Good luck on your endeavor. It seems you have everything planned out. One advice, although you think you might not want to start in the ICU, there are hospitals, not desperate, but willing to train new grads into the ICU, mentorship/internship. Big university/teaching hospitals have these programs. But you have to look around.

Annieee · Jun 24, 2008

Thanks! Yeah, I will definitely go to a few hospitals to check out the ICU, but my friend warned me that starting in the ICU may be really tough, so I don't mind doing med/surg first :)

Did you start fresh out of RN school into ICU by chance?

FLTraumaRN · Jun 25, 2008

Hi- Starting out in the ICU can be hard, but it's doable. My only reccomendation would be to find a hospital that has a good ICU internship. Some are as long as 6 months. They have didactic as well as planned clinical times..plus then you get a unit based orientation. You should feel pretty comfortable at that point..though with still a ton to learn.

hoy_tulog_na · Jun 25, 2008

Thanks! Yeah, I will definitely go to a few hospitals to check out the ICU, but my friend warned me that starting in the ICU may be really tough, so I don't mind doing med/surg first :)
Did you start fresh out of RN school into ICU by chance?

Hey Annie MC,

I started out in the OR as a new grad, then went to the CCU, but their orientation was great, I learned a lot, esp coming from the OR, where I didnt know anything about Swan's, CVP's or Alines. It was hard, but eventually it got better.

ICU can be hard and difficult, but that makes you into a better clinician. Sometimes it is better to come from Medsug, but sometimes it is better to go straight into it. For me, I believe that it's okay to jump into the ICU (some might disagree). Sometimes there is a lot of unlearning to do from being a med-surg nurse (what I saw). But sometimes people can adjust and become a good clinician. You have to know if you can handle being in the ICU.

My primary concern coming off of orientation were codes, terrified of it, but then as soon as I was in a couple of codes it got better. PM me if you have any questions.

MB37 · Jun 25, 2008

There are many paths one can take to become a CRNA. Yours sounds fine, but there is no "correct" one. Mine (which I don't recommend) was: earn a BS in psych and history > realize that it's not an employable degree > aimlessly tend bar for four years > take NS prereqs > apply to an ABSN program, get accepted > start NS > have Katrina flood my school > move to FL > waste another year taking a different set of prereqs > enter the ABSN program here > graduate in August > hopefully find a job somewhere, probably not in an ICU right away since the hospitals around here are having serious budget issues at the moment > work two years in an ICU > apply to CRNA programs > hopefully get in. Then I'll spend 28 months unemployed and poor again, living off student loans in my 30s and neglecting my family. And I'm incredibly excited about getting the chance to do all that, because I can't imagine anything I'd rather do with my life.

If money is one of your major motivators, have you and your wife discussed how you'll maintain your "REQUIRED" lifestyle until you get out of school? WIll you be able to work your current job while you're in nursing school? Will you be able to maintain the extremely high GPA needed to get into CRNA programs while working? Do you have a backup plan if that doesn't happen? What do staff nurses make where you live? One year of ICU experience is the minimum required, but many schools require two and prefer more. You might not get in on your first try, so you might be stuck making that amount of money for longer than you anticipate. People generally don't work in CRNA programs - a few folks in front-loaded programs mix in some PRN shifts during the first year, but that's about it. My husband and I are planning now for me being unemployed again in a few years, and we're going to buy a less expensive house so we can afford to make the payments when he's the only one working again, and I'm paying more out in tuition.

To answer your question, the best path is the one that works for you. If you have no previous degree, an ADN program might get you working more quickly. If you have one, like I do, an ABSN program is a quicker route. If you're going to need a BSN eventually and can afford it, you spend less total time in school if you don't get an associate's first - but you're in school for longer at once. If you have no previous college, you can get a BSN in four years and an ADN often takes at least three even if you go full time - but this all depends on where you live. The nursing portion is usually two years for either type of program. Many people are able to work and go to NS, but some are not. You also may have to take a job with a more flexible schedule. Many people work as techs, making $12 an hour here. Then you have to work for 1-2 years at a minimum, making less than $30/hour even with differentials where I live. Hospitals may or may not offer overtime, depending on their staffing and budget issues. Then you have to go to an intense, full time anesthesia program for at least two years. You have to pay graduate school tuition and probably will not be able to work. Does your wife know what she's signing up for? It's been tough on my husband, and won't get easier anytime soon. If you already knew all that, then I apologize. If not, then you have some serious thinking to do and you need to have a long conversation with your wife. Have you shadowed a CRNA? Or an RN? Do you really know that you'll enjoy it? If you have and you think you will, then that's fantastic. Have you considered med school? Many of us do. For me, that was just too much school to do all at once, when I'm already 29 and want to have kids before my uterus shrivels up. I'm really not trying to discourage you, but you need to really know what you're signing up for and be aware that you will probably have to make some lifestyle changes in order to get there. Good luck!

rncam · Jun 27, 2008

If you are not a nurse I would get in an ADN program, get into an ICU and work on your RN to BSN program, your employer might even pick up the tab, take the GRE. Concentrate on great grades. Shadow come CRNA's, it will help if you can have a letter of recommendation from one of them. THen begin applying to schools, apply to several, read and study everything you can get your hands on, practice interviewing and go for it.