Kaiser CRNA..What can I do to prepare for school Fall 2006?

susswood · Feb 21, 2006

1. Get a laptop

2. Take a vacation

3. Voice recorder-not necessary

4. Palm pilot-unless you are gadget-happy, don't bother

5. Do not read (unless it is for pleasure), do not "prepare"

6. Vacation, vacation, vacation

7. Tune up your car

8. Save some money

9. Did I say take a vacation?

10. Have a "bon voyage" party for yourself

11. Have the party before your vacation

12. My final advice: try to pay for all of your school expenses with a credit card that gives you frequent flyer miles so when you finally finish (and you have no money) you can take another vacation

91CRN · Feb 21, 2006

I believe I will be applying to the Kaiser program, among others this Fall. I am a ER nurse with a lot of old SICU experience. I know I mentioned this before but I have a specific question. I am working full-time to finish my BSN+prerequisites (physics, Ochem, stats). I was going to keep working thinking that this would help my chances when I apply. I've been a nurse for almost 20 years. If Kaiser takes ER experience--and I know they do. DO YOU THINK IT'S OK TO QUIT MY JOB TO CONCENTRATE FULL TIME ON SCHOOL? It's such a hassle--they are always scheduling me to work on days I've told them I'm in class etc. I am in a self paced program so I figure the sooner I finish-the sooner I can apply. ALSO, there is a program that UCSF is putting on in the Summer--an ICU training program 8 weeks long. I've been thinking of taking this review--paying for it--so I don't have the one year commitment to UCSF (full-time). Do you think that would help my chances? I really just want to start as soon as possible. No offense but I'm tired of messing around not working at what I want to be working at.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY RESPONSES

91CRN

ICUQBNQT · Feb 21, 2006

I would recommend (from what I have heard) working in an ICU...remember that you are competing w/ so many others that will have ICU experience..I remember after I applied and I was asked for an interview, they wanted me to fax in a form that listed the position I was currently in and if anything changed in my application (as if they wanted to make sure I was in that position still and if I was taking courses or involved in anything that showed I was advancing in my carrer)...I would also recommend taking the CCRN...:) and I would definitely NOT stop working!!! I know you want to become a CRNA really bad, but you have to go about this process the right way..or else you will be wasting time and money applying...and don't worry how old you are, my mom became a nurse at 50! Anything is possible

maturner · Feb 22, 2006

1. Get a laptop
2. Take a vacation
3. Voice recorder-not necessary
4. Palm pilot-unless you are gadget-happy, don't bother
5. Do not read (unless it is for pleasure), do not "prepare"
6. Vacation, vacation, vacation
7. Tune up your car
8. Save some money
9. Did I say take a vacation?
10. Have a "bon voyage" party for yourself
11. Have the party before your vacation
12. My final advice: try to pay for all of your school expenses with a credit card that gives you frequent flyer miles so when you finally finish (and you have no money) you can take another vacation

Ditto on the advice! with emphasis on #5

macanes, BSN, MSN, DNP, CRNA · Feb 22, 2006

I believe I will be applying to the Kaiser program, among others this Fall. I am a ER nurse with a lot of old SICU experience. I know I mentioned this before but I have a specific question. I am working full-time to finish my BSN+prerequisites (physics, Ochem, stats). I was going to keep working thinking that this would help my chances when I apply. I've been a nurse for almost 20 years. If Kaiser takes ER experience--and I know they do. DO YOU THINK IT'S OK TO QUIT MY JOB TO CONCENTRATE FULL TIME ON SCHOOL?

I think you are asking, "Is it ok to quit my job to prepare for nurse anesthesia training?"

I say, if you've got the sugar-moma or sugar-daddy (i.e., supportive spouse), GO FOR IT, BABY!

If ya'll can swing it financially, fine. But, don't kill yourself. Any CRNA program worth its salt is going to teach you EVERYTHING you need to know WHILE you are in school. Yes, yes, yes, you can brush up on drip calculations and pharm vol/% stuff and all that -- takes about two days. Yes, you can take an organic course for your nomenclature. Yes, you could take a masters-level statistics, fine. BUT WHY TORTURE YOURSELF BEYOND THAT?

I say, do the, ok, weeklong review of basic drug calculations, drips, vol. and measures calculations, etc. Skip the organic unless you REALLY feel the need. STATISTICS, woof. Only if you're doing an individual thesis and ONLY if you sucked in statistics for your BSN.

As for working while you are actively IN a CRNA program: Don't even think about it. If you don't have a supportive spouse, a bank account, or a stipend to keep you going during school, think again. Even if you get through, you will be shorting yourself.

And, as the other poster noted: Take a vacation! Take two!

John Zitzelberger

CRNA

Columbus, GA

91CRN · Feb 22, 2006

I think you are asking, "Is it ok to quit my job to prepare for nurse anesthesia training?"
I say, if you've got the sugar-moma or sugar-daddy (i.e., supportive spouse), GO FOR IT, BABY!
If ya'll can swing it financially, fine. But, don't kill yourself. Any CRNA program worth its salt is going to teach you EVERYTHING you need to know WHILE you are in school. Yes, yes, yes, you can brush up on drip calculations and pharm vol/% stuff and all that -- takes about two days. Yes, you can take an organic course for your nomenclature. Yes, you could take a masters-level statistics, fine. BUT WHY TORTURE YOURSELF BEYOND THAT?
I say, do the, ok, weeklong review of basic drug calculations, drips, vol. and measures calculations, etc. Skip the organic unless you REALLY feel the need. STATISTICS, woof. Only if you're doing an individual thesis and ONLY if you sucked in statistics for your BSN.
As for working while you are actively IN a CRNA program: Don't even think about it. If you don't have a supportive spouse, a bank account, or a stipend to keep you going during school, think again. Even if you get through, you will be shorting yourself.
And, as the other poster noted: Take a vacation! Take two!
John Zitzelberger
CRNA
Columbus, GA

John,

Thank you soooo much for the post. My spouse IS very supportive. Not rich though:) We sold our home in the San Francisco area so that I could go to school FULL TIME. We did very well on the sale. I had started a BSN program twice over the last 15 years. I found I was giving up too much time with my family and stressing out. I had to work at least 4 days a week just to pay the mortgage. Remodeled the house, sent my two oldest to college, got the garden looking just right and lo-and-behold; something was still missing. I've wanted to be a CRNA for almost 20 years, ever since I was in the SICU in the Army at Letterman. My husband is very much on board. I take the advice from the CRNA program coordinators and people with experience on this message board very seriously. I HAD decided to transfer to an ICU from the ER just to look better on paper. But, you know what. I'm just NOT going to. Just too complicated and too much of a time commitment for what I get in return; there is no way to put in your contract that you won't float to the floor. I could end up working in an ICU for a year and only get 1/4 of the time needed for some of the programs that want recent ICU experience and don't accept the ER as such; missing my classes because the people who do the schedule just can't figure out what UNAVAILABLE means; and stressing because they make you feel so guilty for not filling their NEVER ENDING SHIFTS. In my unit people call in sick ALL THE TIME. IT'S RIDICULOUS. I feel so badly for my manager and fellow responsible nurses but it's just too much. It's gotten to the point that I don't even want to answer my phone anymore. I WENT PER DIEM LAST WEEK. END OF STORY. I WILL GET INTO CRNA SCHOOL. I'LL JUST HAVE TO APPLY TO THE RIGHT PROGRAMS!

Your advice is extremely reasonable and just so happens to be EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO HEAR:) Thanks again. We have a winner here. Sorry for the rant. Believe me I erased most of it before submitting the post: : :rolleyes: