NP to CRNA?!

detroitdano · May 14, 2013

An absolute no-way-around-it requirement for CRNA school is working in an ICU as a bedside nurse for 1-2 years. NP experience will not be a substitute.

I don't know of anyone in the last 3 years at my school that was an NP and became a CRNA. It's tough to make the switch for many reasons (debt, finding a bedside job with a Master's degree i.e. overqualified, etc.).

allnurses Guide · May 15, 2013

detroitdano said:
An absolute no-way-around-it requirement for CRNA school is working in an ICU as a bedside nurse for 1-2 years. NP experience will not be a substitute.
I don't know of anyone in the last 3 years at my school that was an NP and became a CRNA. It's tough to make the switch for many reasons (debt, finding a bedside job with a Master's degree I.e. overqualified, etc.).

No, that is not true. The requirement has changed to 1 year of critical care experience, but NA schools still get some latitude in how they define critical care experience. A critical care/ICU NP could be accepted by the school using that as his or her experience. Med-surg experience will not work though.

It is quite common for NPs to go back to school and get his or her CRNA. We had at least 3 in my class.

detroitdano · May 15, 2013

wtbcrna said:
No, that is not true. The requirement has changed to 1 year of critical care experience, but NA schools still get some latitude in how they define critical care experience. A critical care/ICU NP could be accepted by the school using that as his or her experience. Med-surg experience will not work though.
It is quite common for NPs to go back to school and get his or her CRNA. We had at least 3 in my class.

Were the NP's you worked with ICU nurses before they became NP's?

allnurses Guide · May 15, 2013

detroitdano said:
Were the NP's you worked with ICU nurses before they became NP's?

I don't remember. It has been a few years now since NA school, but I am familiar with COA requirements and several different NA schools d/t my DNAP studies.

detroitdano · May 15, 2013

I was at a conference the other day where someone from the COA was saying they really need to define "critical care experience" before the expansion of DNP programs. I think that would be great, kind of take it away from schools and make one standard across the country.

allnurses Guide · May 15, 2013

detroitdano said:
I was at a conference the other day where someone from the COA was saying they really need to define "critical care experience" before the expansion of DNP programs. I think that would be great, kind of take it away from schools and make one standard across the country.

The problem is how do you define critical care experience? Would only Level 1/2 trauma center ICUs work, CVICUs only, SICU, but not MICU. The other thing to keep in mind is there is no research, that I know of, that shows ICU or critical care experience have any effect on SRNA outcomes. IMO students with multitude of different nursing backgrounds do the best in clinicals.

nomadcrna, DNP, CRNA, NP · May 18, 2013

Many NPs work as intensivists. They are far, far ahead of the normal student and/or standard RN ICU nurse.

detroitdano said:
Were the NP's you worked with ICU nurses before they became NP's?

SRNA4U, BSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · May 22, 2013

I agree. I know of a girl I was stationed with IN Korea who worked in the ER. Her only experience prior to coming to Korea was working on a med-surg floor at Wilford Hall. Anybody who has been to Osan in Korea knows their ER is no where even close to being a Level III ER lol. Well this Captain had a high GPA and did very well on her GRE's and was accepted into USUHS CRNA program. She passed the program with only having that Level III ER experience. She had no ICU training at all. She would often tell me she quote whatever she needed to but still often didn't know what it meant in some areas. She's been out of school for 3 years now and is functioning very well as a CRNA.

ruler of kolob · Jun 4, 2013

Withe the proliferation of schools nationwide, you could probably get into a school regardless of prior experience. To fill seats schools are pretty liberal with the definition of " Acute Care" . I think being a public health nurse might even get you into some schools.

There is no evidence ICU nurses have more success than anyone else in NA programs. Many one year BSN add on degree graduates do one year in an ICU and get into school. Not a lot of difference between that, and AA education.

allnurses Guide · Jun 4, 2013

ruler of kolob said:
Withe the proliferation of schools nationwide, you could probably get into a school regardless of prior experience. To fill seats schools are pretty liberal with the definition of " Acute Care" . I think being a public health nurse might even get you into some schools.
There is no evidence ICU nurses have more success than anyone else in NA programs. Many one year BSN add on degree graduates do one year in an ICU and get into school. Not a lot of difference between that, and AA education.

The COA now states it is minimum of one year of critical care experience not acute care experience for admission to NA school.

ssrhythm · Jun 27, 2013

I see this all the time on here, and I understand the question and line of thinking about "will they accept X as CC experience," as it is human nature to want to expedite the process as much as possible, but I want to emphasize a different approach. While many schools may admit students with ER experience or NP experience, those students are competing with a LOT of nurses that have true critical care experience. Why, if you are really wanting to become a CRNA, would you want to start out your quest by positioning yourself at the bottom of the applicant pool regarding any of the criteria necessary for acceptance? The only answer to that question is because you want in now and you'd rather not spend the time and effort to position yourself better. Believe me, as someone who became a CRNA at age 44, I understand that thinking, but the time you spend trying to find a school that will let you in (applying and interviewing takes time and money) will be wasted if you don't get in somewhere. If someone wont hire you because you are overqualified, you don't want to be there anyway. You can find CC work. I've seen numerous RNs who want to become CRNAs try to shortcut the process; all of them got interviews, and none of them got accepted. They all spent a great deal of time trying to research what schools would let them in with ER, PACU, NICU, Circulator experience. A couple looked for schools that did not require the GRE. If I were sitting on a committee, the applicant who did not have CC experience and/or did not take the GRE is starting at the bottom of my list and would have to blow me away in the interview to climb up the ladder. So much time, effort, and energy is spent with this approach. If you are serious about getting in and becoming a CRNA, why not just get into a CC unit and take courses during that time that will help you kill the GRE? While the GRE is an absolute meaningless testament to your intelligence and ability to perform as a CRNA, it is an opportunity to set yourself apart from the majority of applicants that will strive to achieve the minimum required score. If you have a good GPA, a previous MN degree, one year or more of CC experience and a good GRE score, then you will only have to not stick your foot in your mouth at the interview to get in to whatever school you desire. You can achieve all of that in one year, so why wouldn't you? It's not so much about "do I need this to be a great CRNA" as it is "do I need this to position myself well to get accepted where I want to go?" I won't even go into how much better off you will be once you get in if you do have solid CC experience. Just my .02 good luck.