Ok, decision time on ADN or 2nd degree BSN for anesthesia school

OkieICU_RN · Jul 27, 2007

I can't speak of CRNA programs in your area, but can tell you this. There was a guy who graduated a semester before me in nursing school (ADN program). He held a Bachelor's degree in a science discipline. He was accepted into CRNA school without a problem.

I am thinking that if the school doesn't require a BSN (many do) and they will accept a related bachelor's degree then go the ADN route. We worked together in a huge hospital, trauma-surgical ICU and he had 2 years of experience. He REALLY knew his stuff.

You should check with the programs you are thinking about applying to and maybe even make an appointment with the Dean to discuss your situation. I would think the quality of your ICU experience would be weighed more heavily than the school you went to (again, if they allowed a non-BSN to apply).

FLAreN · Jul 31, 2007

IMO, do the ADN at the community college and save money because you will still be required to work as an ICU nurse for a year until you qualify to apply for CRNA school. If the school requires a BSN, then while you are working, goto an RN-BSN program for that year that you are required to be working anyway and have the hospital pay for it.

If you do the accelerated BSN and don't get the grades you need, it'll leave you less room to improve later. If you do the ADN and don't do so well, you can always bring up your GPA in an RN-BSN program.

Besides, when you get into CRNA school you don't want to already be deep in debt because you will generate a whole lot more debt while in the CRNA program...unless ofcourse you have the financial means to already pay for it.

Good luck!

FYI - I did the ADN route, my grades weren't spectacular so I brought up my grades in an RN-BSN program while working and I have been accepted into a CRNA program. If you really want to be a CRNA, that desire won't change no matter what your circumstance so better to not accumulate the debt now.

Hope that helps!

Dakkon76 · Aug 7, 2007

I was in the situation you are a few years ago. I knew I wanted to head for CRNA but didn't know whether to do ADN first. I chose to get my ADN, just graduated this May. I worked on my RN-BSN classes concurrently and now I've only got 3 classes left. I don't see any problem doing it this way, and it got me working faster :)

cube · Aug 11, 2007

I went through the accelarated BSN program, but I went through it full-tuition paid + books paid because the program with 10 students was funded with a state tobacco settlement. I worked for 2 years in ICU before being accepted to a CRNA program. The accelerated program was very intense, but I still worked on weekends and grad with 3.8 gpa from nursing school. For me, I was able to finish BSN with no dept, and I had already paid off the previous undergrad student loan before starting BSN program. I wanted to start CRNA school debt-free. That is ideal.

As for working on a BSN during your first year out in ICU, I personally don't recommend this. The BSN did not prepare me for even 50% of what I had to know to work in CVICU and overflow ICU. I did a lot of reading and studying to prepare for the CCRN exam that I took 1 year after graduation. Plus, in order to be a good ICU nurse, you are constantly reading and learning new information because we take care of post-op CABG, Valve repairs, VADs, CRRT, heart transplants, cardioversion, multiple gtts, ARDS, anything covered under ACLS, and not to mention, patients with MODS. This is a lot of info for a new-grad RN (whether diploma, ADN, or BSN because that part of it goes out of the window in an ICU...it is up to the RN to obtain this info via training and reading). I decided to apply to school after 2 years in the ICU rather than one. The first year is so overwhelming! And you want to learn as much as you can because, more importantly, patients lives are at stake, not just your career.

Plus, before starting CRNA school, I had to repeat org. chem because it has been over 5 years since taking it. Your first year out of school is not gravy, so try and do everything you can to prepare for this as well. Now, your situation with money is different from mine, but you can always pay back your undergrad loan after finishing your MS in anesthesia. The loan can be deferred. When I decided to become a CRNA (which was before going to nursing school), I then decided money would not be a factor in my getting there. Use every avenue you can even if it means creating a debt (which is unavoidable). Try and prepare as much as you can academically and financially, and whatever is left finacially, pay it off later!

Hope this helps!