How many of you CRNA's have your CCRN?

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Specializes in Medical/Telemetry. Now ICU.

Hi.This post is meant only for CRNA's.

Do you guys have your CCRN?? Do you believe it's beneficial to get prior to nurse anesthesia school? How was the exam if you did take it?

One of my goals is to have my CCRN in a couple years.:D

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesia, ICU, ED.

not a CRNA, but SRNA; have it and am working on keeping it. But it was a goal that I had outside of my plans to go to CRNA school.

That being said, I was studying for and took the CCRN exam a couple of months before interviews for the program. it did help to re-expose me to the areas outside my specific ICU, neurosurgical,which I was working in prior to starting the program.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Most of us got our CCRN prior to applying to school, and most of us let it lapse after we got in.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I am also a SRNA and was CCRN Certified prior to applying for CRNA school. I definitely recommend obtaining your CCRN Certification, this can help increases your chances of acceptance.

From what I read online, the process of CCRN Renewal- "You must have spent a minimum of 432 hours caring for critically and acutely ill patients during the 3-year period you held the CCRN certification. During the 12 month period leading up to your renewal, you must have spent at least 144 hours caring for these patients. These hours must be spent caring for a specific patient type: adult, neonatal, or pediatric. There are three renewal options to choose from: take the CCRN Certification exam (again), renew with CERP’s (Continuing Education Recognition Point Programs), or choose inactive status. You may not meet the eligibility hours requirement. You do not want to lose your CCRN certification, but you need more time to gain the required hours. You will need to pick the inactive status option. The Inactive status will give you more time to earn those hours, up to 3 years. However, during your inactive status, you must never represent yourself as CCRN certified. If AACN discovers this, your status will be revoked." However, I will be in CRNA school during that time and I am not sure if my hours spent in the clinical/OR will qualify for renewal. I also heard that most people let their CCRN expire since once you become a CRNA you will not need your CCRN.

If you still want to keep your CCRN, I read online that you can apply for Alumnus Status. "Alumnus status was designed for CCRN-certified who have left direct bedside care but are still in the nursing profession in some other capacity, many of whom have expressed a strong desire to remain connected with their credential. Alumnus status is renewable on a 3-year cycle. The "Alumnus CCRN" designation, written out, may be used on your CV or resume or below your name and credentials on a business card, but may not be used after your signature or on a name badge.The eligibility requirements are: Have held CCRN certification for at least 3-years at some time in the past; No longer working at the bedside of acutely or critically ill patients for enough hours to renew an active CCRN certification; Submission of a completed application and fee; No submission of CERPs is required." So I might plan to keep my CCRN as well, and will probably go with this option.

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesia, ICU, ED.

According to the renewal handbook:

"Nurses with clinical practice hours in the following

units/areas likely qualify for CCRN renewal:

emergency departments, ICUs, CCUs,

cardiac/surgical ICUs, critical care

transport/flight, medical/surgical ICUs, respiratory

ICUs, NICUs, PICUs, neuro/ neurosurgical ICUs,

trauma units, surgical ICUs and nurse anesthesia.

If you have directly cared for or are actively involved in

caring for acutely and/or critically ill patients for an

average of 12 hours per month over your renewal

period (equivalent to 432 hours during the 3-year

certification period, with 144 of those hours accrued

in the last year of the certification period), you meet

the clinical hour requirement"

When I spoke to the program director, she indicated that she did not mind verifying the clinical hours.

Also, the curriculum for anesthesia school fits the criteria for A and B CERP's and 1 academic credit hour converts to 15 CERP hours (refer to highlighted text on pg 14), the C's you might need to find but they state in the handbook that professional membership may be substituted for C CERP hours.

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Specializes in Medical/Telemetry. Now ICU.
Most of us got our CCRN prior to applying to school, and most of us let it lapse after we got in.

if you let it lapse, can you still put the CCRN after your name ?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
if you let it lapse, can you still put the CCRN after your name ?

No, you are not supposed to.

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Specializes in everything. i've done it all. :).

getting in to most schools is very competitive. having CCRN behind your name is very helpful... most of the people in my program had their CCRN. I would recommend getting it prior to applying for anesthesia school. one more thing to make you stand out!! :)

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Specializes in ER, TICU.

I am an SRNA and have my CCRN. Definitely looks good on anesthesia school applications!!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I am an SRNA and have my CCRN. Definitely looks good on anesthesia school applications!!

Now, the million dollar question do you plan on keeping it? With me and my classmates it was just an added expense with no real benefit once you got into school.

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