Nursing student advice

[chrisciwi]

Hey Everyone, I have been looking through the forms on the website and couldn't find the answer to a few questions, so I figured I would just come out and ask.

I am a brand new nursing student, haven't even started yet, but have been around nursing and health care all of my life, I am a CNA. I have 18 nurses in my family and I will be the first male, and the 19th.

So my question is this:

1) I have been offered a decent scholarship from the college I am attending, they offer a 5 year BSN and Masters. For the masters they offer Family Practitioner, community health clinical nurse specialist, and Choice of Clinical Focus, in :- Cardiology Nursing- Critical Care Nursing- Emergency Nursing (ER)- Forensic Nursing- Geriatric Nursing- Nursing Informatics- Occupational Health Nursing- Pediatric Nursing Perioperative (OR)- Nursing Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing- Women's Health Nursing- Transplantation- Trauma Nursing

I am very determind to become a CRNA because everyone in my family that is a nurse, wasn't able to go to school for financial reasons at the time of there schooling except one (I had the great opportunity to shadow her for 2 weeks this summer and I knew it was exactly what I wanted to get into, and I know a lot of people are more into it for money, but I am not one of them, I plan on going to Indian reservations and to third world countries as a volunteer after my student loans are paid off). Which of those degrees do you suggest me getting in the masters? I am thinking either ER nursing, or Trauma. I also plan on minoring in health care management and possibly turn it into another bachelors degree.

I also plan on working after I recieve my bachelors degree in a hospital's ICU or ER depending on where I can be placed, while still in school. I would like to do that so I can get some experience under my belt and to furfil most schools eligibilty requirments for the CRNA program, and not to mention pay as much of my loans off.

My second question would be more of some advice, how should I go about getting into CRNA school? I know its extremely competitve and very demanding once I get in. Where should I get a job in ER or ICU (both are accepted to most colleges and I have shadowed my Aunts in both areas and love them both) Are there any classes you would reccomend me taking even if its not required for my degree? Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much everyone!

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I think it's incredibly difficult to decide on a specialization before you've begun nursing school. I'd advise waiting until you've had your clinical experiences, and even then you might change your mind a couple of times. I wanted to be an OB nurse before I got into clinicals, but didn't like that at all once I was there awhile.

Give yourself time to see how things go.

[Riseupandnurse]

If you want to be a CRNA, you might take organic chemistry. An "A" in that seems to impress schools. ICU after graduation.

[KellRrn2b]

...i agree with whispera. ALTHOUGH it is good to have a "hunch" about what specilaization you want to pursue so that you can really investigate the pros and cons of it in clinicals. Right now I want to work in the NICU when Im done with NS...but who knows maybe that will change by the time Im done. Just stay open...

[chrisciwi]

thank you all

[CheeseLover24]

I just graduated from nursing school last month, but while I was considering where to attend nursing school I also considered going to a school similar to the one that you described--it was an accelerated route to a RN and it also locked you into your master's selection. I actually chose to attend a better university's BSN program (without deciding on a master's right away). I am sooooo glad that I chose to get my BSN and not have to make the decision about my master's degree right away. They say hindsight is 20/20 right? I hope my hindsight can at least give you some perspective! Before I started nursing school I thought I wanted to go into Peds, but after my experiences in school, clinicals and more work experience I realized that the adult ICU is where I want to be--and that is where I'm starting my new nursing job next month!