Letter of Recommendations

[scubaRN1018]

Hello everyone! Aspiring CRNA applicant here.

I'm planning on casting a wide net on my applications (10 schools), and I'm wondering how you all handled asking for recommendations from your nurse managers/anesthesia providers/instructors.

1. How do you approach your managers for letters of recommendations for graduate school? I know there is a dynamic in which they've invested a lot in us new graduates/transfers for orientation and training, and wanting us to succeed in graduate school. When do you feel is an "appropriate" time after hiring to have this conversation?

2. If you're applying to multiple schools, some through NursingCas and others not, do you ask them to personalize it to each program? How do you facilitate the process?

Thanks in advance!

[Defibn', RN, EMT-P]

1) This is difficult. It really depends on your manager. Are they receptive? I would think waiting until you have given the unit a year after orientation is probably a conservatively appropriate timeline. If you have a charge nurse or resource nurse that is more open to the idea, you could ask them.

2) NursingCAS makes it easier on the recommender. I believe NursingCAS applies that same LOR to all programs that you list that specific recommender. I would not have them tailor the LOR. It is much easier to have them write a blanket LOR, save it, and then have them send it to the respective programs. If all you programs are on NursingCAS then they only have to do this once.