Pre-CRNA student: Anesthesia Tech?

[blongor]

I am currently finishing my junior year in my BSN program. Many of the students in my class are going for externships and tech jobs this summer, and my question is this: because my end goal is to become a CRNA, would becoming an anesthesia tech be better experience? I know that they have certifications of their own, but most of the students in my class doing nurse tech jobs are just being allowed to do it without completing tech training. Has anyone ever heard of a nursing student working part time/prn over the summer and during their last year of school to gain OR and anesthesia experience in preparation for CRNA school applications? Would it benefit me with my application to grad school? Any advice would be great. Thank you!

[jakeb]

You should get a Nurse Tech job in an ICU. That will get your foot into the door for a possible job out of school. Anesthesia tech may help, but not as much as an ICU technician. I got into Kaiser with 4 years of ICU/ER tech work and a year of ICU RN work.

[RealNurse419]

I agree with the above post. The anesthesia techs in the OR where I have clinical at aren't hands on with patients. All they do is turn rooms over (clean the rooms/change the anesthesia circuits between cases). Your best bet would be to get into an ICU as a nurse aid/tech. Like the previous person said, at least your foot would be in the door because ultimately, you will need to work in an ICU before anesthesia school (some schools accept ER, PACU, but very few).

[MeTheRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Preop tech wouldn't be that bad either. You'd get good IV experience and would understand what's involved with getting the patient ready for surgery.

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

As others have mentioned, ICU tech would be the best as it could open the opportunity to land that ICU job after graduation.