My name is kev, and I am starting nursing school in a few weeks. Although I'm in the earlier stages of school, I want to start thinking ahead..My plan is to finish nursing school and become a CRNA/NP, yes I want to be both. Work full-time as a CRNA and locum/part time as a Family nurse practitioner. Below are the direction I plan on going to achieve my goals as well as my expected completion. I know things could happen like kids, family etc.. And No one knows god's plan but I don't plan on starting a family until I'm done with school, so please save the political explanation. Along with my plans are a few dilemma I face.
Dilemma/ route #1. As many of you know, a few years in an ICU is a major requirement for CRNA school. One of my fear is not getting hired into one right away and would waste years just waiting. So I plan on completing a BSN to DNP program within three years, and during that time continue to work on getting into an ICU. I feel that way, I can continue my education and hopefully gain some more experience along the way. If I get into a high acuity ICU while in a DNP program, I plan to apply to CRNA school right after. Now with that said, I know there are some CONS with that plan, one being me not working after completing the DNP program and working as a Nurse Practitioner if I get into CRNA school because I heard they don't allow that.
-Age Factor: 25-26years old(BSN completed),,, 26-29(DNP completed),, 30-33( CRNA school completed)
Dilemma/route #2. After completing my BSN and is lucky enough to get hired into a high acuity Intensive Care Unit, I plan on going to CRNA school, and completing my Doctoral. Afterward, I will complete a post-doctoral Family Nurse Practitioner certificate program which will take two additional years. 25-26 years old( BSN completed),, 27-30(DNAP completed),, 31-33( post-doc FNP certificate completed).
Dilemma/route #3. Lastly, if it seems reasonable and sensible, I think going to medical school and becoming an anesthesiologist. I feel that being an anesthesiologist is similar to being an CRNA/NP realistically. Now, I know many of you like to get into the political side of the statement I just made but please save yourself some time and don't touch on it. As I mentioned earlier I'm 22 yrs old and will be completed with my bsn by the time I'm 25, latest 26. Plan on completing a post-bac writhing a year(27 yrs old) and matriculating when I'm 28 yrs old. 28-34(MD completed),, 34-38(residency completed)..This is my plan c, because of the extensive comittment as well as numerous debt. If I were to be both an NP and CRNA my student loan would still be less then becoming an MD. With that said I can do it and really just need some advice or ideas on what you guys think
please forgive me on the many grammar and punctual mistakes in this post, I'm writing this from my phone. Also I know I'm young and some may try to streotype me and think I will change my mind many times before deciding but that's not me. I have shadow both CRNA's as well as NP's and I want and WILL be both! I would just appreciate any and all of you who have experience or any advice good or bad to give. I'm a big boy I can handle the comments but I pray that some are gunuine and not just looking for somewhere to vent because you are having a bad day. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
Specializes in Flight Nursing, Emergency, Forensics, SANE, Trauma.
Honestly--- just go to Med school. You're going on a lot of "ifs" here with some of your current plans. Just do Med school pre-reqs and apply for Med school. And ICUs DO hire new grads, it's not unfathomable if you get hired right out of school with a BSN and good grades. I have plenty of friends and myself included who got jobs in intensive care months before graduation.
Rather than do all this hop, skipping around-- just get a bio/Chem degree and go to med school.
I say it all depends on how much of a life you want during these years, if you want to bring in an income during these years, and what you're okay with if you don't make that final goal-which is doable.
I went through the same thoughts. I was PharmD v CRNA but Im older than you and I would need to start my family prior to my final goal if I want to have a family. I also didn't want to go a decade with no income because of my program. I like how nursing allows you time to attend school (ADN) then live/work while attending a shorter program (RN to BSN) and then going forward but being able to adjust my goals from there. I can still shoot for CRNA at that time or land at travel nursing which is also an interest of mine. That's why I chose CRNA route. I need breaks and money lol. Best of luck to you!
Your level of ambition is encouraging to see. What about shadowing in both the NP/CRNA and MD positions? That will give you an opportunity to talk to and ask questions from both perspectives. I wish you the best in whatever direction you decide upon.
If you have the chops, go to medical school. Not everyone does. I'm going to predict that if you choose not to do that, you'll go to anesthesia school and ultimately decide to forego NP school. They are not in the same category of practice at all and it is the extremely rare individual that parlays these two into a practical dual career that isn't more trouble than it's worth over the long run.
My thinking is this: you've got some very ambitious goals of both NP and CRNA. You need to look at at the ultimate cost of doing this vs going to Med School. The reason I say this is very simple. You'll basically be in school for at least another 3-4 years after finishing your Bachelors just to attain your goal as schooling and clinical requirements of either will likely make it impossible for you to complete both NP and CRNA simultaneously. Since you're young/single (apparently) you could bite the financial bullet and push as much money as you can while working as an RN into some kind of investment/savings vehicle so that you will have the majority of your schooling (and living expenses) paid for. Then go to medical school if you have the academic chops for it. Medical school is 4 years and then if you're able to match into anesthesiology, that's another 3-4 years of residency where you'll at least get some pay (not much, but some). At the end of all that, you'll be an Anesthesiologist with far greater autonomy/authority/responsibility than a CRNA will ever have and since you'll be an MD, you should be able to also moonlight in family medicine.
Since you'll also be an RN, you may be able to pick up some occasional PRN shifts to help defray some costs during medical school.
That's my $0.02... and probably worth about as much.
Thank you all for the encouragement!! I really appreciate uu all. This post is serving the purpose I was hoping for. "Akulahawkrn" can you explain to me what you mean moonlight in family medicine? Have no idea what that mean.. "Shell1983" I work in a hospital and is constantly naggin the NPs / Doctors lmao..
Sounds like you have it all planned out, but as someone who's spent years in the ICU and in NP school currently, I'd say that a lot of this is pie in the sky. Knowing what I know and knowing how challenging and time consuming this all is, I'd say you might be better off with focusing on one goal at a time. It all sounds so easy on paper but once real life happens and starts coming at you, you might find that you've packed a little too much into your schedule. You still have to get through nursing school and right now you have no idea what that entails. The thing about being young and inexperienced is you have all the enthusiasm and energy (which I envy you for and miss greatly), but as life proceeds you suddenly discover that things happen to get in the way and before you know it you've been derailed. I don't wish to rain on your parade because I applaud anyone with goals and ambition, but if anyone had told me then what I know now I'm not sure I would have done it. The price is sometimes just too high, and not monetarily. Get through nursing school and see what the next few years bring. You might discover new things about yourself from each rotation and life might steer you on a different course. Just getting to NCLEX, finding a critical care position and taking the CCRN is goal enough for you right now. Grad school is a whole other kettle of angst.
Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.
I know you are young, but please take into account all the debt you are going to accumulate with all of this schooling. You may not feel the impact now, but you you will when you can't afford to pay rent or a mortgage because all of your money is going to student loans.
As an example if you choose to repay a 60,000 dollar loan over 20 years your payments are 500.00 a month. If you go to school for the amount of things you want to your debt will be 2-3 times that!!!
School can be fun, but you have to remember it costs a ton of money!! I am not sure what your financial situation is, if you have parents or family willing to help you pay for it, but please keep your financial future in mind!
Scrubs_n_sirens, MSN, RN
136 Posts
Honestly--- just go to Med school. You're going on a lot of "ifs" here with some of your current plans. Just do Med school pre-reqs and apply for Med school. And ICUs DO hire new grads, it's not unfathomable if you get hired right out of school with a BSN and good grades. I have plenty of friends and myself included who got jobs in intensive care months before graduation.
Rather than do all this hop, skipping around-- just get a bio/Chem degree and go to med school.