My stats that got me into anesthesia school

minnie82 · Jan 23, 2009

Congratulations!

I have several questions to ask you as you're exactly where I want to be within the next five years.

I've also had a tough time balancing school and sorority events and ended up with a 2.5 GPA with a BS in Biology in 2005.

I applied to LAHC, a local CC, and got accepted into their Spring 2009 nursing program.

I understand you received a high GPA with your BSN degree. Did you go directly into a second degree program?

Should I look into post bac programs to raise my previous undergrad degree or look into a BSN program after my AA degree?

Although I've always been hopeful for my future as a CRNA, I've always had a nagging voice in my head that my previous GPA would bring me down.

You're story inspires me so much. Thanks for sharing and ANY advice would be extremely helpful.

olderthandirt2 · Jan 23, 2009

I'll try to answer your questions. Do I ask for advice all the time, sure I do. I don't ever think I will ever know everything about ICU nursing. If I am unsure of something I'll ask somebody who has been there longer for advice. I think it is the safe thing to do. Do I feel as comfortable managing patients as some of the nurses who have been there 3 or more years?? It depends, some of the nurses who have been there a long time scare the hell out of me with their nursing. Most of the others who are long timers are very good nurses. I feel they are better at ICU nursing than me. They are lifers. I only wanted to go to CRNA school so I feel comfortable with my level of practice in the icu. Do I feel comfortable managing airways? Yes and no. I feel comfortable managing an established airway and I feel comfortable extubating. I do not intubate on my unit and don't plan on doing that until CRNA school. It is currently out of my scope of practice. Do I study all the time? No, I can usually read something one time and comprehend it. I don't know how I do that but I do. How did I pass the CCRN in less than a year? I read the AACN study guide and worked every over time shift that I could. At the hospital where I work I can work overtime in the SICU, Neuro ICU, Trauma ICU, MICU, PICU and ER. I think floating to all of the other units helped with my understanding of CCRN questions as I was exposed to a variety of patient types. I have already accumulated 56 hours of time on the clock this week which started on Sunday for me. I have two more days to go before I have a day off. Like I said earlier, I like to work overtime. I also now teach ACLS which helped me with the cardiovascular section testing portion of the CCRN.
Since my original posting I have received an additional 3 letters of acceptance to other CRNA programs and one denial letter. I am still waiting on the last letter to arrive. I am still planning on attending the first CRNA program that accepted me. I was not offended by your posting as I have been asked often by the other nurses on my unit how I did what I did. Hope this helps :)

Sorry, but I have to respond here. Your ambition is very inspiring. I too received my CCRN rather quickly out of Nursing school, in fact I have one for adults and one for peds. But that certificate in NO way defines the how a nurse responds to an emergent situation.

I can not imagine going to CRNA school with one year's experience, even if you did work overtime. I think the big difference in ICUs and the OR......is you don't have back-up. As a CRNA, Its all you buddy and one med error....well you know the drill.

All nurses make errors, if you find one who says they haven't....well they are lying or they haven't been a nurse for long. With practice we make less errors and learn how to handle our mistakes. Suppose you make that error with a peds patient --which you will be seeing........

I am glad you are confident, lets hope your future patients don't pay the price.....

c.

DrugReptoNurse · Jan 24, 2009

I'm no expert here so I'll just give you my experience and personal opinion to your questions. I applied for an accelerated BSN program and was denied entrance. I then had to accept a regular BSN program and finished it in 18 months...that was the extent of the program. I went to nursing school exactly 16 years after I finished my first college degree. I studied for my prereqs hard and made As in all of the nursing prereqs ie chemistry, micro, A&P etc. I knew CRNA schools wanted to see As in those courses. I then made sure to bust my ass in nursing school and get as many As as I could. I knew for sure I needed As in pathophysiology and pharmacology and got em both. I wasn't a perfect nursing student. I did get one C in Peds and a few Bs but mostly As overall. You will have to do like I did and make the highest grades you can to get over the "sorority" college GPA.

About the associate degree route. A lot of people take that route for CRNA school. It will get you there but slower than just getting the traditional BSN. I wanted to get into CRNA school as quickly as possible so I went for my BSN right away. I thought about the ASN, working for a year while getting my BSN etc. It just wasn't for me.

Once you get out of school I recommend going to work directly for an ICU. Most schools like to see MICU, TBICU or SICU/STICU. It seems the SICU/STICU AND TBICU are most preferred. You can get in with PICU, Neuro ICU and NICU. It is just easiest to get in with the first ICUs I mentioned. The higher acuity patients you can find to work with the better. Try to find a Level I Trauma ICU as your employer. I had to drive 4 hours one way to find a Level I Trauma center as my employer. It sucked but the experience was worth it....I think :) After you graduate take the GRE. Actually you might do what I did and take the GRE before nursing school starts. I paid $1000 for a Kaplan review course and think I got my monies worth. I popped a 1200 on the GRE. I suck at math but Kaplan made me understand what I had to understand to get a good grade.

Take the CCRN when you can. Get your 1780 hours in the unit, buy a review guide and take the test. It helps get you an interview.

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Apply to more than one program. I can't stress that enough. I'm glad I did. Each program is different. In the end everybody gets their CRNA.Itis important to like the people who are going to be teaching you for the next 28 months or so. I've met with some programs where I knew I wasn't going to enjoy being there. Some faculty members and interviewing boards are just ********. That is not their fault...they just are. Some are very friendly and outgoing. The latter are places where I want to spend my money and time. Fortunately I wasn't accepted where I though the adcom board were total A holes. The programs where I was accepted were the ones where I got those 'warm and fuzzy' feelings. Sometimes life is just like that :)

goodnce · Mar 11, 2009

Do you mind telling us about the interviews at the various schools where you applied?

Jo Dirt · Mar 13, 2009

Thanks! I hope it does inspire others to get over the "fear factor" and just go for it. Yesterday I received my acceptance letter to the second school where I interviewed. At this rate I am guessing every school where I applied/interviewed will offer me a seat in their program. I feel fortunate and blessed. I also realize if I had listened to all of the other "naysayers" and more experienced nurses who told me that " You can't get into anesthesia school with your experience" or the old unit supervisor who told me" without my recommendation letter you won't even get an interview".....that I'd still be sitting on the sidelines wishing I was going to start anesthesia school instead of actually doing it.

This is my philosophy exactly. If I had listened to all the horror stories about nursing school I'd still be working as a CNA. I would have never become an LPN, an RN, a BSN. I would have never applied to FNP school (where I have been accepted, but am thinking of declining.) If I listened to all the doomsayers I would be clinging to my job at the nursing home instead of embarking on a journey in the next state to get started on the road to applying to CRNA school. I may fail, but so what? You can't be afraid to fail or you'll never get anywhere. Success isn't what

you've accomplished, it's the obstacles and failures you overcame to get where you are.

alterego33 · Mar 13, 2009

As a frequent visitor of allnurses.com, I always found myself checking out what grades, gre, experience got people into anesthesia school. I was recently accepted and thought I would share my stats for those of you who are new nurses.
I am a relatively new nurse. Graduated in May 2008. Will have 1 year and four months of experience before school starts in August. I work lots of hours, probably 70 or 80 a week because I enjoy the overtime pay. 3.66 BSN GPA, 4.0 in the sciences with a B in statistics, 1200 on the GRE. I also took and passed the CCRN after I had accumulated 1800 hours on the floor. I worked in a SICU right out of school for 5 months that did mostly cardiovascular procedures CABG, AAA and a variety of other surgical cases. For the past three months I have been working in a TBICU/trauma/burn intensive care unit handling a variety of trauma and burn patients. No day is ever the same. The hospital is a Level I trauma center. I am older than most students as I will be 40 when I start the program. My first college degree was obtained in 1990. I partied as a frat boy more than I studied and ended up with 2.48 GPA with a degree in marketing. That was almost 20 years ago and I believe the admissions board looked past that stat. I spent the majority of my post BSBA degree working in the pharmaceutical industry doing sales, product management and brand management.
Bottom line.....if you are a new nurse and you want to be a CRNA...go apply. You may get in just like I did. Don't let anybody tell you that you need 2 to 5 years experience before you apply. If you do....you'll just be waiting longer to get into school. I applied to 6 CRNA programs and was invited to all of them to interview. I completed 3 interviews last week and received my first acceptance letter today. I'm sure more will follow.
My recomendation letters came from 2 of my nursing professors, one from a practicing nurse midwife, one from a practicing CRNA and two from my peers in the ICU. I never submitted a letter from my supervisor as he wouldn't write a letter for me until I had spent 2 years on the unit. Screw him! :) Follow your dreams and go for it. I am living mine out.

Great post with lots of good information. I have a question for you. As a CRNA, I have had several requests for nurses who are considering anesthesia to shadow me for a day. Did you do this and if so, was it worthwhile. I think I would enjoy having someone shadow me, but would like to hear of how the prospective student views it.

Jo Dirt · Mar 13, 2009

The programs where I was accepted were the ones where I got those 'warm and fuzzy' feelings. Sometimes life is just like that :)

Where are these warm and fuzzy programs?

eng_nurse 2 · Mar 18, 2009

I have a background in engineering and am considering the shift to nursing for the sole purpose of becoming a CRNA. You had mentioned you worked in sales, marketing and management. Can I ask what made you want to shift over to nursing?

I just started working 6 months ago (graduated college May 08) and am finding it very boring and have no job satisfaction. I find the work I do invaluable and stare at the computer all day. I am more of a people person and am wondering if CRNA is right for me. Did you feel something similar to this prior to your shift to nursing? How do I figure out if nursing is right for me and make the change? I am not sure if it's boredom with what I do or if I really want to shift over that is making me thing this. As a recent industrial professional, can you offer some insight?

Thank you in advance! :)

Sarcolemma · Mar 18, 2009

Take the CCRN when you can. Get your 1780 hours in the unit, buy a review guide and take the test. It helps get you an interview.

best advice right there. you'll stick out from the crowd.

gambutrol · Mar 19, 2009

Do the experience that they require necessarily should be within the US borders. I am internationally-educated nurse who plans to become CRNA in the near future. I am currently working in SICU in the Philippines. I will betranferring to Canada within this year and will be deployed also in SICU.

jenrn2008 · Sep 8, 2009

I hope I get the same news. I have a year experience in the MICU at a Level 1 Hospital. BSN 3.62 and CCRN. Don't have to take GRE because I have a Masters in administration 3.47 GPA. 10 yrs ago I got a BA in sociology 3.1. Science GPA 4.0 (pharm, a&p 1 and 2, microbiology, patho) statistics B. I have just applied. haven't heard from anyone yet... but waiting inpatiently

trav2CRNA · Sep 17, 2009

Im sure you must have done very well in your interview?