Prerequisites?

Nursing Students SRNA

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Specializes in 2nd Year RN Student.

So I'm almost finished with my BSN and I'm working in a tele unit until I can get into the CICU that I want - they do transplants here too!

Anyway, I've emailed a few CRNA schools asking about prereq's and they all come back really vague.

I'm concerned because by the time I've got my BSN I'll still have NOT taken:

Chemistry (of any sort)

Physics

Algebra

and my statistics class was only a 3 cred instead of 4

What should I do? Do I need to get working on these ASAP while I've got a good schedule? I guess that's the good part about being 12 hour shifts... I can still do a 4 day/week class :/

Are there any others I'm missing?

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Specializes in ER/ICU, CCRN, SRNA (class of 2010).

What kind of a BSN program doesn't make you take Chemistry???? You need organic and Biochem to be marketable, stats also (but you said you took that). I have not looked at all the programs, but I do not recall any of the ones I looked at requiring physics or math beyond stats. Many people write on this board about physics classes, but I think it might be a bit of over kill. That being said Algebra pretty basic math and you will need a good understanding of Geometry and Algebra for a decent GRE score. I hope that helps some.

-Smiley

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Well the quicker you start the sooner you will be done. For chemistry I would look at organic and biochemistry (I had a chemistry that included both organic and biochem and was geared toward health related professions), for math it may be program specific but I only needed either College Algebra or Stats (I just happened to have both), but it didn't specify it had to be a 4 credit course. Physics, I have been told by many SRNA's that the physics you will need is included in the program (I don't have a separate physics class and I was accepted to a program). Something else I reccommend, if you haven't done it/planned it already is to shadow a CRNA for 3 or 4 shifts so you can get a feel for the profession. My school liked the fact that I took the time to do this.

I am surprised the the programs you contacted were vague in their response, my program was always really helpful with offering information.

Good Luck.

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Specializes in 2nd Year RN Student.

Yeah I was surprised that my ADN didn't require chemistry. It was suggested for A&P and Micro, but not required. I'd always done really well in chemistry so I had plenty to get me through those classes. I knew I'd need to take it eventually but every semester I kind of put it off... then before I knew it I was accepted into my RN program and there was no taking extra classes once I got in... none of them fit with my screwed up schedule :/

As far as shadowing, yeah I've put in lots of time with the CRNA's here. Now that I'm on the floor I see them quite a bit and they say hi every time they see me. One of them actually came and grabbed me and said "Hey, come watch me put in this Thoracic Epidural on an MVA pt!" ... so that was pretty cool.

Well at least Physics isn't required that's one less... but it sounds like I'd better get cranking on my Chems :)

Thanks for the info both of you. I still need to actually CALL an anesthesia program... I'm hoping they'll be a bit more eager to answer questions if I actually call rather than email.

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Specializes in MICU & SICU.

What you really need to do is start getting your experience in the ICU. I would not wait until a job becomes available in the CICU just because they take transplants.

You are going to have to look into the quickiest way to knock out some chem classes. Each university has there own requirements some want all the way up to biochem.

Like what was mentioned before physics may not be required. You just have to look at the programs site that you are interested in or request information and what you need should be pretty much spelled out.

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