I am an FNP-BC, but think I am interested in becoming a CRNA

[hjosephs]

I graduated with my Master's in Nursing in 2016 and became board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner in April of 2016. I haven't found the right job for me yet for several reasons; a) I am very picky b) I don't want to settle for a job just to advance my resume , if the job is not something I am passionate about c) I love my ER nursing position right now and have difficulty thinking of leaving to do something more ambulatory/primary care based. Before I went to NP school, I worked in mother /baby /LDRP land and I really wasn't satisfied with what I was doing so I thought going back to school would fix that. At some point in time while in school, I decided I wanted to be an emergency department nurse, and now I love it. I love fast-paced, critical care, high acuity , high stress situations. I know my credentials as an NP could allow me to potentially work in some areas like this/ will probably be high stress no matter what- I am starting to think I would much prefer to take different track and become a CRNA. Has anyone here gone to school for NP and got their NP and then decided to go on to CRNA school? I would love to just hear from you if you did. I am just at a loss for what to do!

[rhinoroc]

Because no one has responded yet and really I'm just curious, do you really want to work in the ICU to get the needed experience and then go back to CRNA school? You're plenty young to do so, I'm just wondering. Last I heard from an SNRA was maybe two CRNA schools accepted ER experience but most won't. That was some time ago but I doubt more schools are doing it now.

If you do go and get ICU experience, I can only imagine your NP and ER experience doing great things for you to do well in CRNA school. Please don't take offense to my questions, just curious and bored.

[emb92250]

I would just like to add that CRNA probably won't fulfill your need for "fast-paced, critical care, high acuity , high stress situations." It's about 95% monitoring, and the 5% stress is likely to be a difficult intubation, not a case that's crashing.

[Cook26]

Being a CRNA is not supposed to be a high stress situation, although it does happen. It's a very controlled environment.

Also, CRNA school doesn't give you any credit really for being a FNP beyond the college of nursing classes you may not have to take. You will be enrolled for 3 years and have to do many thousands of hours of clinical, and are generally not allowed to work while doing so.

If you like the ER and already have a FNP degree, why don't you just work as a NP in emergency medicine? You can get an acute care post-masters with a couple of classes and 500 clinical hours. This would allow you to work ER and take care of all patients. It is a much shorter road and seems closer to the idea of what you want to do.

[Bluebolt]

What Cook26 said. As a student in CRNA school now, I wouldn't jump from your FNP degree to start from scratch trying to go to CRNA school. Not only would you have to go get recent ICU experience with a minimum of 1-2 years but take the CCRN and lots of other hoops to even be prepared to apply to CRNA school. It would probably take you a year or two to apply, interview and hopefully get in. Then once in it's going to be about 3 years of hell that breaks some of the brightest students I've ever met. It will also put you in $100,000 to $200,000 in debt, which will be added to whatever debt you already had for your FNP masters.

A good alternative in your situation would be to get a critical care NP post master certificate or maybe an ER post masters.