Medic to CRNA transition

GBID09 · Jul 16, 2007

Hi there....

I am not in the position to answer all your questions and I am a quiet lurker on this board but maybe I can provide some helpful insight. There is no doubt in my mind that my medic was a huge benefit during the application process of CRNA school and it will be to you as well, but the truth is I know of no way to circumvent the one year of ICU experience requirement. On occassion, you will run across or hear of someone that was able to get in based on ED experience at an urban Level 1 hospital (or the like) but I do think those people are very infrequent if they even exist at all. Admission committees can be funny creatures so I guess stranger things have happened. So if a CRNA program is in your future, plan on working in the ICU as an RN. In my opinion, the higher acuity the better. You may very well get an acceptance letter because of your medic experience sooner than you would have otherwise but I doubt it would come without your time in the ICU. Hope this helps........

smileyRn96 · Jul 16, 2007

Plan on the 12 months in the ICU as an RN, but first shadow for a good 8-12hours in the OR and you will see for yourself why it is needed and if you really want to be a CRNA. I am sure your current expereince won't hurt your chances of getting into school. What is the deal with your grades? You will need at least a 3.0.

Best of Luck.

Smiley

CRNA, DNSc · Jul 16, 2007

Greetings all,
I have been slowly chipping away at a Bio degree for a few years now while working full time as a paramedic in NJ. The master plan was MD or DO, the back-up plan was PA. But as i get older and the stress of school/work/financial pressures begins to effect my grades, i have begun to reconsider my future.
To begin with, im not going to lie.. yes the money $$$$$ has attracted me to becoming a CRNA.. There are several other factors that make it a good fit for me though. For starters, im probably 80-90% done with the pre-reqs for nursing school. Once i get nursing school out of the way, i will have a nursing degree, a new job, and a pay increase.
With PA or Med school, i wont have that luxury. I will still be a paramedic with a Bio degree, and i will be eating a bunch of debt.
lets say for some reason i dont get into a CRNA program... well atleast i can still work as a nurse while i correct my grades or whatever kept me out of the program.
Not to mention it seems CRNAs have a bit more freedom than PAs do.
So heres my question for you all... do you think my years as a medic (mobile Intensive Care Unit paramedic) will qualify for my 1+ years ICU experience?
Ive done more ET tubes than i can remember, nasal intubations, conscious sedation, more recently we have begun to use RSI meds in the field... IVs, CPAP, Nitro drips, dopamine drips (not too many recently though), ACLS, PALS, etc.
I would like to think this sort of experience would help me stand out in a sea of candidates, perhaps even allow for a little wiggle room when it comes to grades.
What sort of experience does one get in the ICU that they are looking for? Ive read Ventilators/Drips, but can you be more specific? Do ICU nurses have to set-up and change settings on ventilators? i thought that was the resp techs job. And what sort of drips are we talking about? The drips i deal with most are Nitro, Lido, and Dopamine.
Not having to do the 1 year in the ICU would be a great help to me, as time is an issue. Not to mention i sort of get into a "groove" when im studying. When i break away from that and enter the "work" phase, it takes a while to transition back.
anyone have any advice on nursing programs, CRNA programs, or anything related (NJ or NYC preferred)
-HD

Absolutely NOT! The Council on Accreditation (COA) requirements clearly state that programs can only admit candidates who:

1. Hold an RN license--------

2. Have earned a BSN or other "appropriate" baccalaurate degree.

3. Have a minimum of 1 year of acute care experience as a Registered Nurse-----

Any program that does not adhere to this- risks losing their accreditation! So buck up and figure that year into your plans- no short cuts.:trout:

shandsburnRN-CRNA · Jul 17, 2007

Hi,

I too am a Paramedic and I am in the process of getting into CRNA school, as a matter of fact I interviewed today at Barry University here in Florida. The skinny of it is you are going to have be a RN and more than likely get your BSN though some programs will consider alternative BS degrees. You also HAVE to get you 1+years in the ICU, its just a requirement that has to be met, though they definately will take you Paramedic experience into account as they did mine. This is what I did.

I was fortunate enough to have a college close to me that had started a Paramedic to RN Bridge program, I was in the first class. This program was only 1 year instead of 2 as it took your Paramedic knowlege and experience into account. When I graduated I went to work in an ICU in a Level I Trauma Center while I worked on my RN to BSN program which took another year and a half. So in a little more than two years I had my BSN and and 2 years ICU experience.

To be honest as far as meds and gtts I use a plethora more as an ICU RN some include NTG gtt, Dopamine, Dobutamine, Epinephrine gtts, Norepinephrine gtts, various vasopressors, blood products, numerous antibiotics, etc. Also as an ICU RN you use arterial lines, pulmonary artery catheters, central venous lines as well as PICC's and peripheral IV's. This is important because as a CRNA you not only have to know how to use these different types of lines you have to know how to interpret the information they give you (which you learn as an ICU RN and usually have to know before CRNA school) and you will be learining how to place those lines in CRNA school.

As for the vents, yes the RRT's usually set up and maintain the vent settings. However ICU RN's learn the physiology behind the need for mech. ventilation and what the differnet modes and settings do for the patient.

So yes your Paramedic experience and knowledge is definately a plus, I think the admissions committee was impressed with my field experience, but without your RN and ICU experience I doubt they would ever look at your application. But if you can find a Bridge program like I did that will cut 1 year off your RN school so you would be still be in the same time frame.

If you are really interested in the profession, go for it, it is definately worth it.

ready4crna? · Jul 17, 2007

Medic-

As a former NREMTP myself, let me tell you that although you may find nursing school a snooze, the time in the ICU will be invaluable to your understanding of the physiology of the critically ill. The admissions committee's liked the paramedic aspect, it doesn't hurt!

Now, let me tell you- I cannot stress enough your need to truly shadow a CRNA before you go down this road. You will study harder and longer than you ever have before, and with good reason.(Insert mda vs CRNA autonomy argument here :)) You do not want to put the time and effort into this education just to find it ain't for you.

hyper_dermic · Jul 17, 2007

Thanks for the info everyone!

After doing a little homework, ive layed out the following plan.

Enroll in excelsior's nursing program for my Associates degree. Since ive already got most if not all of the pre-reqs done, i should be able to get the ball rolling fairly quickly. time frame from medic to RN 2 years.

Once i have my RN, i will be shooting for a job in an ICU that has a CRNA program, or is affilated with the hospital. (UMDNJ)

While i am getting my 1 year of ICU, i will finish my bachelors degree through excelsior. time frame to finish bachelors 1-2 year (probably more like 2)

once finished with that, or when im near completion... i will apply to the local CRNA programs.

This method is great, as it allows me to continue working through the whole process. I dont have the resources to just stop working and go to school full-time. That is, until i reach CRNA school.

I feel if i can land an ICU job at one of affilated hospitals i will have the cards stacked in my favor for the selection process.

As far as my grades go.. well i have a spotty past (7 years ago i didnt take school quite as seriously), but i have done well since i have gone back. Mostly As and Bs, although i did get a C+ in O-Chem I (with lab) and i think i may have a C in Inorganic Chem II. These were the "real" chem classes intended for chem/bio majors... hopefully they will take that into account.

I plan to CRUSH the classes at excelsior so there is no question about my academic abilities. Hopefully i will be able to adapt to the distance learning methods. I Have done quite well in online courses before, but they were very different in terms of testing structure.

What do you all think about this plan of attack?

-HD

GBID09 · Jul 17, 2007

To some it will not matter how well you do academically in the Excelsior College program. There is a certain stigma, whether valid or not, to some that an EC degree is inferior. I do not say that to stir a debate on the issue, just pointing out a matter of fact. Think hard before you go that route, especially completing the entire program, that is the BSN in addition to the ASN there. The stigma that some carry may be to your disadvantage during your CRNA application process. My .02 cents being, make yourself as desirable as possible and limit the weaknesses that may make you less competitive, whether they ae actually weaknesses or not.....

hyper_dermic · Jul 17, 2007

I understand that position, but from recently speaking with many people who are on the same path as i am in my area (medic to RN to CRNA), it seems that they have no problems getting jobs graduating from Excelcior.

I know the Staff at UMDNJ will take work expirence over where i went to school.

I would love to be able to take classes at a traditional school, but thats just not an option for me. Working full time and going to school full time is destroying my body.

I dropped my classes down to part time, and its going so slow i will have to plan retirement before i graduate.

With excelcior i can take classes online, which means i can study while at work and i can plow through the classes as fast as i can. Also, i dont have to sit through hours upon hours of clinicals again. Thats the biggest selling point for me. Ive already paid my dues rotating through the hospital. I spend all day treating patients, i really cant afford to give my time away "learning" skills i already know.

Im gonna ask around and see if i can speak to the directors of the UMDNJ and Columbia programs. If they seem to have a problem with EC students, i will complete my ASN at EC, and finish my BSN at a local university. That way i can still bypass the clinical portion, but i will have a degree from a brick and mortar school.

The state of california may have a problem with EC, but NJ seems to be just fine with it.. being a paramedic i perosnally know MANY EC graduates as its a perfect bridge program for us.

-HD

shandsburnRN-CRNA · Jul 18, 2007

Im gonna ask around and see if i can speak to the directors of the UMDNJ and Columbia programs.
-HD

I think that is best route, they you will know for sure, straight from the horses mouth.

meandragonbrett · Jul 19, 2007

The experience of mobile ICU is not going to count towards your one year as a RN in an ICU.

You need to learn vent management, abgs, swans, a-lines, iabp, dopamine, levophed, epi, atropine, dobutamine, cardizem, nifedipine, verapamil, adenosine, nipride, cardene, neo, esmolol, vasopressin, isuprel, labetalol, amiodarone, nitro, digoxin, propofol, midazolam, fentanyl, clonidine, nimbex, vecuronium, milrinone

You need to learn about septic shock, hypovolemic shock, cardiogenic shock, and neurogenic shock. As well as how CVP, CO, CI, SVR, SV, PAP, PAWP, etc play into these disease processes and pharmaceutical interventions.

You will likely be bored with nursing school....but the real learning begins the first day you hit the unit.

Good luck! Let us know what you decide and how things turn out.

dfk, RN, CRNA · Jul 20, 2007

I understand that position, but from recently speaking with many people who are on the same path as i am in my area (medic to RN to CRNA), it seems that they have no problems getting jobs graduating from Excelcior.
I know the Staff at UMDNJ will take work expirence over where i went to school.
I would love to be able to take classes at a traditional school, but thats just not an option for me. Working full time and going to school full time is destroying my body.
I dropped my classes down to part time, and its going so slow i will have to plan retirement before i graduate.
With excelcior i can take classes online, which means i can study while at work and i can plow through the classes as fast as i can. Also, i dont have to sit through hours upon hours of clinicals again. Thats the biggest selling point for me. Ive already paid my dues rotating through the hospital. I spend all day treating patients, i really cant afford to give my time away "learning" skills i already know.
Im gonna ask around and see if i can speak to the directors of the UMDNJ and Columbia programs. If they seem to have a problem with EC students, i will complete my ASN at EC, and finish my BSN at a local university. That way i can still bypass the clinical portion, but i will have a degree from a brick and mortar school.
The state of california may have a problem with EC, but NJ seems to be just fine with it.. being a paramedic i perosnally know MANY EC graduates as its a perfect bridge program for us.
-HD

last i remember, there are still "clinical" hours you have to put in while in bsn program, like community nursing, hours at the health dept., etc... make sure you have a grip on the program and hours required outside of the brick and mortar you speak of...