NP to CRNA (Interested in hearing from CRNAs and SRNAs)

[np830]

I graduated from a BSN program 7 years ago, my NP program 3 years ago.

I grew up with a family member who was a retired CRNA, so I've known about the career and entertained it since I was in pre-school.

I graduated from a very competitive BSN program, where the majority of the students chattered about being CRNAs, usually highlighting the amount of money that was to be made. Truth be told, my colleagues' apparent insincerity about the field was a big turn-off--my family member was a CRNA before they made big bucks--, but the real reason I never pursued my dream was because I just didn't think I was "smart enough" to get into a CRNA program. So, I filed the dream away, and decided to pursue advanced practice studies as a nurse practitioner, figuring it could make me "just as happy."

Prior to becoming an NP I worked on an inpatient hematology unit at an academic medical center with very sick patients, many on the precipice of an ICU transfer. I loved that job, and would have made the transition to the hospital's MICU had personal circumstances not necessitated me moving across the country. I also have one year experience in a step-down telemetry unit.

For the past 3 years I've been an NP for a busy (again, academic) surgical service-- major abdominal operations and the like. My job is to handle the less-severe sequelae of these operations in the outpatient setting, but also follow my patients when they are admitted. My conundrum is that deep down I miss the day-to-day high acuity level of the very ill patients (at the cancer center-- I don't miss the step-down... floor politics).

And deep down, one of my greatest career regrets is never having been a critical care nurse. This is not to say that I didn't entertain it many, many times. I just thought "why bother transferring to a CC unit when I will be graduating from the MSN program in x months?; What if I get the CC experience to apply to anesthesia school and then ditch NP school, thus having wasted all those student loans?!"

Meanwhile, my intellectual curiosity is not quenched and I am not fulfilled. I'm only 29. No kids. I can't imagine myself at age 50 never having worked in a critical setting as an RN. And I don't want to be this unhappy forever.

It's weird how I am just realizing this now, but better now than age 90, I suppose.

I have a lot of interaction with the OR staff, including CRNAs. I know what the job entails, and I believe that's what I'm meant to be doing (that little kid was right).

My questions:

1) How the heck does one make the transition from NP to critical care RN? I'm prepared for the shift work, weekends, pay cut, stupid "nursing politics" that I get to avoid at my current position, etc., but would any nurse manager want to hire someone like me? One would think my experience and knowledge puts me at an advantage over a newly minted RN, correct? I would have great recommendations from the surgeons with whom I've worked, but due to politics, would that hold any water?

2) For the CRNAs/SRNAs: Did/Do you have any former NPs in your CRNA classes? Did they ever discuss their journey? Were you one yourself?

3) How did you "just do it"? I.E., nothing is guaranteed in life... Do you have any advice for taking a job in a critical care setting without the guarantee of admission to a CRNA program?

(I apologize for the long post!)