Professional Goals Statement

GmanRN · Oct 1, 2007

You actually want one of us to tell you what your goals are and why YOU want to become a crna? Holy mother of mount everest.

japaho41 · Oct 2, 2007

I think that your professional goal statement is a great opportunity to put your resume into words, in a sense. You want to tell them educationally & professionally where you have been and what your driving force is to pursue more of education as well as professional advancement. So to get you started you want to earn a graduate degree in nurse anesthesia because..... The advanced skills you would obtain as a CRNA, professional growth, ability to work with many different patient populations.

mmc-rockstar · Oct 3, 2007

Greater autonomy..blah blah blah...desire to increase knowledge/skill/scope of practice...blah blah blah....but my personal rockstar conclusion......give them a research interest (it'll impress them that you are thinking WAY ahead and not just the same mumbo jumbo everyone else will write) Good luck...and have someone smarter than you read it first!!!

jaylynnrn · Oct 16, 2007

For those of you with advice - thank you very much. I was having difficulty searching for goals that stand out from the basics that everyone will be describing. Some of the questions I have encountered are broad. I appreciate you help!

"GmanRN" - I noted you have been granted at least one interview already, congratulations! I do hope that in the future you might be more positive and provide useful advice as others have done for you.

miaminurse74 · Oct 17, 2007

I too am applying to 3 schools and am completely stumped with my personal goal statement. what do they really want to hear? any advice helps, obviously I am the only one who could write my goals, but direction is appreciated!

GmanRN · Oct 19, 2007

For those of you with advice - thank you very much. I was having difficulty searching for goals that stand out from the basics that everyone will be describing. Some of the questions I have encountered are broad. I appreciate you help!
"GmanRN" - I noted you have been granted at least one interview already, congratulations! I do hope that in the future you might be more positive and provide useful advice as others have done for you.

Youre searching for goals? Shouldnt your goals be obvious to you? Shouldnt you know without doubt why you want to become a CRNA?

I never for a second even came close to asking someone else to help me with my personal statement. I mean after all its just that. A personal statement. I believe that a review board will know if your fabricating and just trying to sound good.

Deciding to be a CRNA and then searching for reasons to do so seems backwards to me.

mmc-rockstar · Oct 19, 2007

Jaylynrn

Don't give an inch of merit to patronizing coments from negative people like gman. I think it is completely appropriate to ask for advice on your letters. Of course you know why you want to be CRNA, obviously it's important enough to look for additional info on boards like this. As for people like gman, they would be wize to temper their attitude before they get to an interview. Nobody wants to spend 2.5 years with someone who is demeaning and has a negative attitude.

miaminurse74 · Oct 19, 2007

wow, yeah, thanks alot, you just cleared up all my confusion for me... :idea:

allthemadmen · Oct 20, 2007

A lot of people are quite intelligent and dedicated, but have a hard time starting an essay with a broad topic or question, especially when it's important, like an application essay. It's like stage fright.

After all, I'm going to information sessions at my chosen schools years in advance to ask exactly how to make myself a more competitive candidate. I don't have trouble writing those sorts of essays (more narcissistic, maybe :)), but I do know a few brilliant people who loathe writing, including an archaeologist and an engineer. Another friend is an accomplished lawyer, who wrote well in undergrad,high school and in general, but the application essays floored him every time.

GmanRN · Oct 20, 2007

Greater autonomy..blah blah blah...desire to increase knowledge/skill/scope of practice...blah blah blah....but my personal rockstar conclusion......give them a research interest (it'll impress them that you are thinking WAY ahead and not just the same mumbo jumbo everyone else will write) Good luck...and have someone smarter than you read it first!!!

Ok maybe Ive been showing my posterior a bit here. Ill try to do what my mother always told me to do. "If I cant say anything nice then dont say anything at all".

As to advice on the personal statement. Just search your heart and put it on paper. Dont get too carried away for magic words that will get you in. Represent yourself as well as you can.

Here are some questions to get yourself going:

What of your experiences as an RN has prepared you to become a crna?

What do you know about CRNAs?

Of what you know of CRNAs what makes you want to be like one or become one.

What of the work is it that interests you? What are you eager to learn to do within the CRNA role?

What do CRNAs do for the patient? How do they help?

There...if thats not helping and constructive then I dont know what is.

Be wary of the above from the (snicker) ROCKSTAR RN (lol). Blah Blah Blah....Mumbo Jumbo as was the advice will doubtfully get you a second glance. I wouldnt mention research unless that's really you and your desire. What you have to say about what is really you will come across as sincere. Plus youll be able to back it up in the interview. If you write something thats not you and they ask you about it dont you think youll have a hard time fabricating a decent and natural response?

This is soul searching time. Not time for fabricating magic words that will get you in.

Hope this helps.

G

mmc-rockstar · Oct 22, 2007

You can be as introspective as you want. Honestly, most applicants want to be a CRNA for the same reasons and are going to say it pretty much the same way. My point is not to belittle your feelings and honest insight, but to give you a chance to stand out. CRNA is moving to DNP/ PhD so yes, it looks good to have a research interest. If you don't have one...get one. You will need it 2nd year anyway. And lets be honest, of course you want to tell them what they want to hear. You want to get into school right? If the director likes red shoes, you better be wearing red shoes when you show up for an interview. If your school in interested in evidence based practice, you better gain an interest in research.