I need your advice...

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner/CRNA Pain Mgmt.

Hello everyone,

This is my first time joining, and boy, what a wonderful forum for nurses!!!

I am planning to become a CRNA. I have been a nurse since 1996, and I have over 6 yrs of ICU/ER nursing experience combined. I am also an NP in a busy urban emergency dept. in Los Angeles. Since becoming an NP in 2002, I haven't been picking up ICU/ER shifts as an RN. I may occasionally pick up 1-2 ICU or ER shifts a month.

  • Will this work against me when I apply to CRNA school? Do most require RECENT ICU/Critical Care nursing experience within the year of applying?
  • Would some schools even take in consideration, my past critical care nursing experience in ICU and ER?
  • Do schools look down upon NP applicants? I dunno...anyone out there who's an NP too, who is applying?

I plan to move back EAST in June, so that I can attend CRNA school (if I get accepted) in 2005. It's just too expensive to live in California!

I am also planning to (and, why I didn't do this years ago...?) take a CCRN refresher course as well as the GRE prior to leaving LA.

Gosh, I'm rambling on and on...I better stop. ANY ADVICE TO KEEP MY MOTIVATION UP WILL HELP.

Thanks to ya'll.

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Hi Vinnysca,

First of all, welcome to the board! This is a great place for nurses and those interested in anesthesia nursing.

I would not worry about your ICU experience if you have good experience from a few years ago. It will be important to keep putting at least some time in an ICU so that you are keeping your knowledge and skills current. You will need recent experience but it does not need to be full time if you have a lot of previous critical care experience.

As for the NP part, that may present a problem unless you are applying to a CRNA school with a post masters certificate in anesthesia or are non-nursing masters of anesthesia. Some schools will not allow you to get another MSN degree when you already have one. Contact the schools you are interested in and let them know about your situation. There are schools you can apply to but you will be limited because you already have the MSN.

I agree that you should also have your CCRN.

Where are you relocating to? Good luck with your application process and keep posting on the BB.

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner/CRNA Pain Mgmt.
Hi Vinnysca,

First of all, welcome to the board! This is a great place for nurses and those interested in anesthesia nursing.

I would not worry about your ICU experience if you have good experience from a few years ago. It will be important to keep putting at least some time in an ICU so that you are keeping your knowledge and skills current. You will need recent experience but it does not need to be full time if you have a lot of previous critical care experience.

As for the NP part, that may present a problem unless you are applying to a CRNA school with a post masters certificate in anesthesia or are non-nursing masters of anesthesia. Some schools will not allow you to get another MSN degree when you already have one. Contact the schools you are interested in and let them know about your situation. There are schools you can apply to but you will be limited because you already have the MSN.

I agree that you should also have your CCRN.

Where are you relocating to? Good luck with your application process and keep posting on the BB.

Thanks for the input. I'll be relocating in Buffalo, NY. Looking at the demographics, it's within easy reach with all other schools. You're right, I have to ask the schools about the Post-Master's certificate in anesthesia. Although, I don't regret becoming an NP first...I am a more well-rounded nurse provider. I just have to prepare for the GRE, since it wasn't required when I went to grad school.

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner/CRNA Pain Mgmt.

Hi TraumaNurse,

Just wanted to ask more questions with regards to your own experience in applying to CRNA school. I recall reading in previous threads here that you applied in 3-5 schools?

  • Did you get accepted on the first try?
  • What is your nursing background mainly of?
  • What schools did you apply to?

Some people have told me that being an NP is a disadvantage. But, I totally disagree. Being an NP made me a more well-rounded and competent provider. I see the BIG picture when I am treating a patient, whether be as a bedside nurse or an NP in the ER. I try not be discouraged when I hear this from other CRNA students, etc. I would only think, that some schools would want a somewhat seasoned NP to apply, since I've been through the rigors of grad-school and am committed to finish what I start.....just venting.

Thanks for your input.

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Hi Vinnysca,

First of all, welcome to the board! This is a great place for nurses and those interested in anesthesia nursing.

I would not worry about your ICU experience if you have good experience from a few years ago. It will be important to keep putting at least some time in an ICU so that you are keeping your knowledge and skills current. You will need recent experience but it does not need to be full time if you have a lot of previous critical care experience.

As for the NP part, that may present a problem unless you are applying to a CRNA school with a post masters certificate in anesthesia or are non-nursing masters of anesthesia. Some schools will not allow you to get another MSN degree when you already have one. Contact the schools you are interested in and let them know about your situation. There are schools you can apply to but you will be limited because you already have the MSN.

I agree that you should also have your CCRN.

Where are you relocating to? Good luck with your application process and keep posting on the BB.

Trauma nurse,

Are you saying that there are Anesthesia programs that do no require a nursing degree?

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I think this is well covered in the FAQ, but just to reinforce----------

The nurse anesthesia programs that grant a non-nursing masters (something other than a MSN) WILL accept a non-nursing bachelor's.

This is a great option for those of us who are "second career nurses", myself included. If you have a previous bachelor's, then later become an associate degree RN, you will qualify for admission to about half of the nurse anesthesia programs in the country (after your critical care experience).

Trauma nurse is absolutely correct. If a person already has an MSN, the only way to become a CRNA is to go to one of the nurse anesthesia programs that grants a different (non-nursing) masters, or go to a program with a post masters certificate option.

loisane crna

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Businessman,

As someone had mentioned, there are around 20 CRNA programs that are non-nursing masters. Some are Masters of Biology, Masters of Anesthesia etc. If you scroll through the programs at the aana site, you will find which programs are nursing based or not. I will clarify one thing, though, by non-nursing I mean in the masters portion of the anesthesia program. You still have to be an RN first, you just don't have to have a BSN for those non-nursing programs. Having a BSN just gives you more options because you can apply to ALL the CRNA programs.

Vinnysca,

This is my first year applying. I applied to 3 schools. I was wait listed (#2) at the first school I interviewed at but just found out a few days ago that they were now offering me a seat. I was accepted to the next two I interviewed at. The first one was SMUMN and then I was accepted to Villanova and UMDNJ. After giving up money to Villanova to hold my seat, I decided to go to UMDNJ for several reasons (cost, close to my house, starts in May).

I have been an ICU nurse for 9 years, mostly trauma/surgical but I have also been a flight nurse and have done a little ER too. I have plenty of certifications and my CCRN. My GRE scores were mediocre and I had a good GPA in my diploma nursing and then BSN (Before that, I had several years of college partying and a GPA of about 2.0 - Good thing they overlooked that!)

That's the short answer. PM me if you have any specific questions.

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner/CRNA Pain Mgmt.

Thanks for the advice! :)

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Hello everyone,

This is my first time joining, and boy, what a wonderful forum for nurses!!!

I am planning to become a CRNA. I have been a nurse since 1996, and I have over 6 yrs of ICU/ER nursing experience combined. I am also an NP in a busy urban emergency dept. in Los Angeles. Since becoming an NP in 2002, I haven't been picking up ICU/ER shifts as an RN. I may occasionally pick up 1-2 ICU or ER shifts a month.

  • Will this work against me when I apply to CRNA school? Do most require RECENT ICU/Critical Care nursing experience within the year of applying?
  • Would some schools even take in consideration, my past critical care nursing experience in ICU and ER?
  • Do schools look down upon NP applicants? I dunno...anyone out there who's an NP too, who is applying?

I plan to move back EAST in June, so that I can attend CRNA school (if I get accepted) in 2005. It's just too expensive to live in California!

I am also planning to (and, why I didn't do this years ago...?) take a CCRN refresher course as well as the GRE prior to leaving LA.

Gosh, I'm rambling on and on...I better stop. ANY ADVICE TO KEEP MY MOTIVATION UP WILL HELP.

Thanks to ya'll.

i am new too...how do i pose messages to the group or questions...so everyone could see it and maybe reply to it:uhoh3:

im an icu student and want some info on oxygen hemocglobin curve and the sodium potassum pump and how to understand it better cos english is not my 1st language

carmel

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am new too...how do i pose messages to the group or questions...so everyone could see it and maybe reply to it

im an icu student and want some info on oxygen hemocglobin curve and the sodium potassum pump and how to understand it better cos english is not my 1st language

carmel

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