I want to become a nurse anesthetist but I am in my senior year getting a psych B.A!

[nakirahpinkman]

I need some honest advice on what the best thing to do would be. I would love to explore my options. I am in my senior year of a University obtaining a BA in Psychology with a sociology minor. I had a plan of becoming an anesthesiologist but since I changed my career plan I am lost. I know that I would need to obtain my RN and then go my MSN. Does that mean that my years of schooling won't count towards anything, or should I enroll in a program in which it will?

Also, what range do you think I will be spending in total?

Please help me!

Thank you,

Kira

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Any credits you have earned are undoubtedly transferable if they have been obtained at a regionally accredited school. But you will have to complete all of the course requirements for a nursing degree - so those previous courses may only 'count' as electives if they are not included in the nursing curriculum.

There is wide range of the variability in the amount of money you are may need to spend, depending on the program you attend and the way you pursue your career path. Generally, taking a step-side approach (e.g., ADN -> BSN -> MSN) is more expensive because each program may require courses that are not necessary for the subsequent degrees. Private & commercial (investor-owned) schools are more expensive than tax-supported state universities and community colleges.

There is an underlying factor of which you need to be aware... ultimately, your cumulative GPA may be a critical factor in acceptance to a graduate program, especially for CRNA - which is extremely competitive. So, if your GPA to date has not been >3.5, it may affect your educational plan.

Best of luck to you.

[oldpsychnurse]

Can I ask why you took such a severe deviation from your original plans? Going from CRNA to non-nursing psych is a pretty huge course change.

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

Many CRNA programs require a few years of full-time ICU experience. You will also need a BSN. So you will need to do nursing school, pass NCLEX, work a few years in ICU or start on a floor and then transfer to ICU, then apply for CRNA. I am not saying you can't do it, I am just saying CRNA school is many, many steps. It is also quite competitive to get into and I don't think you can work while you are in CRNA school. So you will need money saved up or loans taken out, as well as the salary you forfeit while you are in school. I am not trying to discourage you - it is just a long road and you should know what you are getting into.