New nursing student looking for advice.

nyteshade, BSN · Feb 24, 2010

I started LPN school while I was a junior in high school, and became a nurse at 18. Got my RN at 21. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't because of your age. You are obviously not 17 mentally much like myself back then. You will find that some older people may judge you or dismiss you...don't worry about them. It's been my experience that people tend to be intimidated by a young person who knows clearly where they are going in life. Many people are still trying to figure themselves out. I too was more booksmart in the beginning, but trust me the clincal skills will catch up. Good luck on your path!!!

netglow, ASN, RN · Feb 24, 2010

Op, you will be fine. Taking time now to do things right, is what you should do. School and clinical are really the most insignificant things, really. What you decide to learn in your own will end up benefiting you more in the end. Sure, you have to complete whats required, but just do it and be done with it. Sure you can have your CRNA! I wonder tho if you would be happy with all you've said running around sedating people.

Mikil · Feb 24, 2010

Op, you will be fine. Taking time now to do things right, is what you should do. School and clinical are really the most insignificant things, really. What you decide to learn in your own will end up benefiting you more in the end. Sure, you have to complete whats required, but just do it and be done with it. Sure you can have your CRNA! I wonder tho if you would be happy with all you've said running around sedating people.

What do you mean by your last statement? I'm sorry, I don't quite understand. I will hopefully get the chance to shadow a CRNA soon enough so I can get a real taste of what its like.

netglow, ASN, RN · Feb 24, 2010

That is a great idea! Well, you will soon figure this out. Nursing education has "lost it's way" as a friend recently told me. You feel as if you are "off" by being into the science of it. Well, nursing IS the science part. There are very few truly talented instructors. If you find one, get all you can from them as they might set you on the right track. The others you will just endure as the real learning comes later once you are out of school. You will be glad you were into science.

netglow, ASN, RN · Feb 24, 2010

Oh, sorry. To answer your question. As a CRNA, you will have less of that type of patient interaction you mentioned you found so rewarding. You will be sedating people, and monitoring your sedation, and then bringing them out of sedation, for the most part. A very specific specialty.

Mikil · Feb 24, 2010

Oh yes, I understand the role of CRNAs quite well for never actually seeing them at work. My mother is an OR nurse, so I have mingled with a few CRNA's in a social setting (Of course prodding them about their work). I understand that I won't be by the patients bedside helping them. I am comfortable with that though. I love helping people, but my main interest, from what I've seen, will be the work a CRNA performs. Very physiologically involved ect.. The beautiful thing from my plan is, if I decide the whole CRNA thing isn't for me, I'll have a bachelors in Biochemistry which is pretty versatile. I hope at least

al2phoenix · Feb 24, 2010

Hi all, I'm currently enrolled in Nursing I in a hospital based program in the Northeast. I really enjoy nursing school so far, it has pushed me harder and farther than anything else I've ever experienced. My mother is a nurse, and I have been interested in medicine since reading her nursing books at the age of eleven. I'm a male, and seventeen (Hope no one judges for my age, I'm really motivated and have carefully decided my career- have been in college for two years). I've found nursing to be really rewarding even by doing small tasks such as ambulation, it has helped some of my patients out enormously! I will graduate my associate program and two years and plan on going right into ICU, and when ready and mentally prepared into my bachelors (which I hope to get in biochemistry- I LOVE physiology, A&P II was my favorite course).
You can probably tell where I am going with this- I eventually do want to become a CRNA, but I hear so many people say how hard it is to get in- deep down inside I know I could go for anything I wanted, but I'm really anxious for it. I have a 4.0 currently, and my nursing grades are all at least 90's ( except for the first test, was totally unprepared for NCLEX styled questions and bombed with a 72). I know the requirements for CRNA school- and I know I can complete a bachelors program with relative ease- but I'm a book student, and if there is one area I'm lagging it is in clinical. My instructors go at a much faster pace than me and I feel as though they get a little annoyed that I don't rush around (I get nervous if I go to fast for myself, and the last thing I want to do is mess-up something for my patients). I just want a feel for what getting into CRNA school is like, I know I can get the grades.. but its obviously more than that.
Sorry for the jumbled mess of a post, I guess I'll give a TL;DR version:
I can get the grades, and am really motivated- but rather afraid for the unknown things people look for to get into CRNA school- I want enlightenment. :)
PS: If you fellow procrastinators/last minute students have advice, I'd love some tips!
If you want to say something about my age and your opinion, that is fine- just please let it be constructive and useful to me. I don't think anyone would have an issue though, my fellow classmates and instructors are just fine with my age and really like me. =]

To be honest Mik, no one was born with a nursing pin. What I'm trying to say is that Nursing is learned, never acquired, so don't be discouraged when you think you're slow or lousy in the area. It's natural, but the question there is... do you want to improve? From what I see in you... you seem willing to learn and develop and this is important grounds for a successful career.

I'd say go for it. Training could be tough, but you'll get use to it. Trust me. When I was a student, I was also scared... but after successive tries, I just noticed that I was getting better. Learn from your mistakes... it'll help you become better.

netglow, ASN, RN · Feb 24, 2010

Good luck then.:) I would also discuss that biochem degree maybe with a friendly doc. Many a med student do biochem premed. What do the ones that end up without a MD do with it? Would be good to know.

ajhill00 · Feb 24, 2010

all i can is that's awesome you figured out what you want to do at a young age, and have plenty of time to accomplish your goals... good for you!

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2010

Life is full of naysayers. You do what you want to do and the heck with all who try to discourage or scare you.

That said, do explore career potential. That is, what will the demand for CRNA's be in a few years? You need to think about 6 years down the road. No one has a crystal ball and I personally think there'll be lots of work opportunity for anesthetists. But no one really knows for sure.

With your interest in biochem, I think you'll do fine. Go to some CRNA websites, peruse the CRNA section here, and explore what the dept of labor (US) has to say about work in these fields. Talk to people who now work in biochemistry and see what they say.

I wish you every success and believe you'll do great!

Oh, and don't worry if you are slower than your teachers. That is absolutely normal and expected of a beginner, don't you think? Some of them love to see if they can make you nervous but don't let them do it. Keep your composure and do what you need to do.

JenRN30, BSN · Feb 24, 2010

Hey Mikil,

If I understand you right, you'll be getting an associates degree RN, and then a bachelor's in biochemistry. Be careful and research the CRNA programs that you are interested in attending. Many programs REQUIRE a bachelor's degree in nursing, not just a bachelor's in the sciences. There are some programs that will accept a bachelor's in related areas, but many won't. Just a heads up...