I wonder if anyone can give me some insight into what to expect really if I choose this route. Did anyone go to school and realize it wasn't nearly as difficult as people made it out to be.
I consider myself to have above average intelligence and did fairly well in college (a top 20 private university). Last year, I decided medical school wasn't for me due mainly to the expense (4 years medical school than 3-5 years residency at a very low salary = loan buildup!). I was going to have to pay for any schooling past undergrad on my own, so I decided I could still go into the medical field, but with a cheaper route - an advanced practice nurse.
When I was going to medical school, I planned to either be a surgeon, dermatologist, psychiatrist, or anesthesiologist. I have interest in all 4 fields and would be happy in any of them. As an advanced nurse, I can be a dermatology certified NP, a mental health NP, or a CRNA - making it possible to still follow the paths of my 3 favorite specialties.
I've been finding out what I can about all three, and when I look up CRNA information I always see the same thing: That CRNA Education is a nightmare-ish experience. That it requires 10+ hours of studying per day, etc.
So did anyone find it a bit easier than it was made out to be?
I'm not saying easy...just easier than people let on.
For example, I went to an Accelerated BSN program and all I ever heard was how hard it is from current students. One guy who spoke to us during orientation (a last semester student) said "Get used to B's...B's are awesome. You're never going to see another A again."
It terrified me.
Yet, here I am at the end of the first semester and I've made straight A's with very little studying (2-3 hours before an exam total).
So I wonder if anyone can give me some insight into what to expect really if I choose this route. Did anyone go to school and realize it wasn't nearly as difficult as people made it out to be...perhaps 1-2 hours of studying per day (with extra before exams) as opposed to this 10+ I keep hearing??
Hello Nraboin22, I have the same question. If anyone going thru the program with multiple kids please give me some advise. I have 6 yo and 3yo. Thinking to do CRNA school, is it even possible?
Yes it is. Probably the hardest thing ive ever done.... but its do able, there were several people in my class with children and they got thru just fine.
Yes it is. Probably the hardest thing ive ever done.... but its do able, there were several people in my class with children and they got thru just fine.
Thank you MCleeezy for your respond. It motivates me.
@SRNA4U hows life after the program now? im interested in drexel but im afraid its too hard an I will not succeed. how do u feel after the completion of your program any advice?
@kjd321 Life is great after CRNA school. I started my own anesthesia corporation and work as an independent contractor. I finished my doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia a year after I finished Drexel's program. Drexel's program is one of the best programs in PA. The reputation of the program says it all within various anesthesia departments in PA. In my opinion, the two best nurse anesthesia programs in PA are Drexel and Villanova. Having completed my peds rotation in Philly, students from Penn and Jefferson were not left alone during their peds rotation because many anesthesiologists felt those students were not prepared for clinical. Drexel and Villanova students we were left alone after intubation to provide anesthesia care for the peds cases.
Have confidence. Drexel will prepare you to be an excellent CRNA but you will have to put in the work. Drexel has some of the best clinical sites to ensure you will succeed as a nurse anesthetist. My primary clinical site was in Delaware and after our 1st year, we were doing our own cases and worked like CRNAs. I was with a CRNA my 1st year and if you made it to the 2nd year at that particular site, you were then advanced to do your own cases. You were no longer working with CRNAs. It was just you and your attending. The anesthesiologist would come in for induction and that would be it. You would manage the case by yourself and you extubated the patient by yourself. Loved my clinical site. When we graduated, we were totally confident in doing our own cases. I graduated and went straight to NYC and ended up staying there for 7 years. Now I'm working as a travel CRNA and I work for my own company.
Another great thing about Drexel's program is once you're accepted into the program, which they normally interview 2 years in advance, you are allowed to take some of your classes online before you officially start the program to lighten your load. For example, you're allowed to take advanced physiology, advanced pharmacology, and I believe the research courses online before the program starts. Another thing, Drexel will allow you to interview without meeting the 2-year ICU experience. You just need to have the 2 years in by the time you start the program. When I interviewed, I only had been in the ICU 6 months but had 2 years when I started the program.
I don't want to discourage you from applying to Jefferson or Penn but go where you will get a top-notch education and trust me, based on where you went to school, hospitals, anesthesia departments, and fellow CRNAs will know based on the program you attended, if you will be a great clinician. I'm currently working in central PA and people are always asking what program I attended, When I say Drexel, that says it all. There is no question regarding my clinical experience. The name speaks for itself. In January, I will be working in Chicago for a year at a Level 1 adult and peds trauma hospital. Life is great. Pursue your dreams and give Drexel a try.
@SRNA4U thank you for your reply. It is does make the program see more feasible. I'm currently graduating from my ADN program in nursing in NYC. I believe you mentioned you've relocated to attend CRNA school but I'm highly interested in staying in NYC or furthest Drexel in PA. What is the best patting to be able to get into CRNA school? I will be getting my BSN in the meantime, but with my previous bachelors in psych it seems there is a good opportunity to do a RN-to-MSN program "easily".
Would a AGACNP degree be more desired (along with obtaining a RN job in ICU/Critical)?
My current RN school hasn't provided the best education.....with only a ABHES accreditation not ACEN or CCNE. I would have to obtain that CCNE title from my BSN program. It is very for-profit but I will be qualified to sit for the NCLEX. I've done my best to get as much from this school. Being only 26 I would like to spend my next years appropriately using my time to prepare myself mentally and academically as a CRNA. Hoping to gain as much experience (as much necessary/feasible) prior to being a CRNA. Any advice for next steps?
I did CRNA school for a year at Western Carolina University, found it was more stress than I wanted and I didn't thrive in that environment. I'm an FNP now and it's much more my thing.
My two cents: all you need is your BSN and good critical care experience, and to interview well. Do decent on the GRE. Don't stress about the rest.
Doing a DNP to get your acute care NP isn't necessary to go to CRNA school if CRNA is your endgoal. They just want good ICU experience (vasoactive meds, vents, PA catheters, sick patients).
@kjd321. I didn't know you were in NYC. Since you're graduating wiith your ADN, I would encourage you to go straight to ICU once you pass NCLEX. Definitely don't tell your manager about your desire to attend CRNA school. While you're working in the ICU, you can take your BSN courses in the evening. By the time you finish your BSN, you will have the 2 years ICU completed along with your degree. Then, depending on the school, you should be able to apply to CRNA school at least a year out from finishing your BSN. My nursing career was spent on active duty Air Force and for the life of me, I could not get the required score for the GRE. I ended up getting my MSN degree, left the military applied to civilian CRNA post-masters certificate programs, and was able to bypass the GRE requirement since I already had my MSN.
You should not pursue the ACNP program if you want to be a CRNA. I did an assignment at Northwell in Long Island and was assigned students from Hoftstra's nurse anesthesia program which is also combined with an ACNP degree. Those students were so stressed. They would come to clinicals with me for their anesthesia rotation and then in the evening would have a practicum on doing physical exams on patients for their ACNP portion and they were working on the DNP project as well. I think their program director figured out how insane that was and I was told there were talks to remove the ACNP from the CRNA program. Their intention was to have CRNAs who can function like ACNPs as a response to COVID.
Also, there are many anesthesia programs out there that do not require GREs anyway, but since you want to stay in the NYC area, your options may be limited. The good thing about PA is they have the most CRNA programs in that state followed by Texas and Florida. I had a colleague who went to Columbia but is and has been stuck with a lot of debt from that Ivy League education. I know the SUNY Downsatate program closed a few years ago. I know Buffalo has a program. Rutgers has a good program too in NJ.
Good grades from your BSN will get you in but its really competitive. Even though most schools say they accept a 3.0 GPA, many students far exceed that minimum. Some programs will also compute your science GPA. And last but not least, learn as much as you can in the ICU. Try to get into one of those nurse residency or new grad programs for ICU training. When the time comes for you to apply to CRNA school, reach out to me and I can write a recommendation letter for you. So far 100% of the people I have given recommendations for have received acceptance into a program.
nraboin22
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Did anyone go through the program with multiple kids? possible while still being a mom?