SmessenBSN

Like everyone has said ... it just depends on the school. I was just accepted to a CRNA program (class of 2010! Wohoo!) with only 3 yrs PICU experience, no adult. I haven't worked in a cardiac only PICU but all PICU's I've worked in do hearts. Good luck!

any update on the loan situation? there was an article in my local newspaper today saying that 8 of the 10 major lenders will stop providing private education loans including sallie mae. i talke to sallie mae about 1 month ago. the 'cost of attendance' for my specific school that they quoted (23,000) was different than the 'COA' that i was told about directly through my school($18,000). federal stafford loans will cover that (18,000) and but ill still need a little more. sallie mae told me they could give me that 23,000- mail a check directly to me and the school would never know about it. thier website has not changed. does anybody know if they are changing their loan eligibility? has anybody applied for a private loan (recently) above and beyond the COA arranged by the school?!? it looks like wells fargo might have one, but its hard to tell from the website. i have a hard time figuring out what the total cost of attendance is. some banks use the number from the school and some banks come up with their own number ...

I've been accepted to CRNA school and now I'm trying to figure out the money situation. Does anyone know where I can find a list of anesthesia groups/hospitals that provide stipends or pay tuition if you work for them after graduation? I've tried googling but I'm not having any luck. I'm not looking for a particular location (just somewhere in North Carolina) so I can't really search a specific group or hospital. Thanks!

Ahhh! I know, I can't believe it! I saw your post several weeks ago about your acceptance and was quite jealous! I can't believe I'm going there tooo!!

woooohooo!!! got my acceptance letter to wake forest/uncg program!! class of 2010!! wake forest/uncg - interviewed/alternate list/accepted :w00t: rsna/uncg - interviewed/alternate list

I know how you feel. I have an interview today at Wake Forest and then one tomorrow at Raleigh School of Anesthesia. I'm nervous as heck and I know that's something they look for so I'm trying to chill out ... it's just that it means so much and I don't want to mess it up! Good luck to you! Let us know how it goes!

Hi Smiley! I see your from Triangle NC. Congrats on getting into school? Where are you headed? I have interviews at Wake and Raleigh next week!

It's definitely not a quick process. I'm applying for Fall 2008 semester start. I had my applications in August/September. I heard back for interviews, which are later in November, about a month ago. Usually they have the final class decided in January. There is a lot of stuff that has to be turned into the schools which can take a while such as transcripts, GRE scores, reference letters, etc. I'm applying to several schools so it has taken quite a bit of preparation and planning (as well as money). It's also a good idea to apply early so that you know for sure which pre-requisites you haven't met.

I need some help! I must admit, I'm know very little when it comes to financial issues. I am interviewing for anesthesia school starting next fall. I am currently a travel nurse so my only permanent residence is my parent's house (I do not own my own house). I am currently paying off a car loan. I am single, so I will pretty much need loans for absolutely everything while I am in school ... tuition, books, living, etc. I have been reading over these boards and some things are over my head. Can anyone recommend a website or some place to find simple easy to understand information about different loans and how to get started? Thanks!

Hi! I was browsing the boards looking for the same information. All I've heard is that Wake usually has their mind made up before the interview, so they don't have a history of asking clinically specefic questions ... they just try to learn more about you! I'll see you at the interview! Sara

I am hoping to pursue a MSN of some sort but haven't quite figured out what I want to do for the rest of my life!! I want to find a university which offers completely web-based non-degree credit courses for graduate studies in nursing. So far, the only school that I've found that offers such a thing is the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. (These classes are offered through the Office of Professional Development and Extended Studies. The program is described as "trying out" graduate education and simply involves registration for certain courses rather than a full application.) My thinking is that if i take some core classes for a MSN (such as theory, research, advanced pharm, etc.), it will help me decide what I want to study and maybe make my course load easier once I start a degree program. Has anyone done this sort of thing or know of any schools that offer classes like this? The majority I've found are aren't completely web-based or require that you pursue a MSN at that specefic school within so many years. Currently I am a traveler and not ready to settle down somewhere, but would LOVE to start taking classes. Any advice would be much appreciated!!!

So I want to go to grad school but haven't decided what for ... I have a BSN with 2 years experience in PICU. Just curious if any of you have taken online courses generalized for advanced practice. One I'm looking at in particular is offered through Barry University in Florida as an intro to Nurse Anesthesia (ANE 695 Transition to Nurse Anesthesia). Seems like a very interesting course and I was ready to sign up until I realized it cost $1450 for 2 credit hours. Other courses I'd be interested in ... theory of advanced practice, research, economics of healthcare, advanced pharmacology, advanced anatomy ... those basic kinda classes. Anyone have experience in taking any of these classes before enrolling in a graduate program? Thanks!

Thank you for your opinon! I've only been in PICU for one year and plan on traveling (in PICU) for at least another year ... I'm just thinking down the road. Anesthesia school has always been in the back of my mind. If I do decide for sure, like you said, I'd probably be better off with a year or so in the adult world. Thanks again!

Does anyone know of any CRNA school's that will accept Pediatric ICU experience? I will have 2+ years working in a teaching/referral center. We do procedures with sedation at bedside. There are a few schools across the country who do not specify whether or not they accept pediatric critical care. Word is that many schools will NOT accept PICU experience. Any opionons?

Haha - I know. It's all about personal opinon and experience. I had heard so many good things about OA and was really excited to learn more about their agency. But in my opinon, one of the most important things is to bond and feel comfortable with your recruitor. Just didn't work out with OA. Different things work for different people! I enjoy reading about different people's opinons on the forum and wish more people would share ... so I felt like sharing mine! Didn't mean to offend anyone ... sorry if I did.

So I opted for CCTC .... I had briefly talked with a recruitor at OA. She said she would send me an information packet in the mail and call me at approximately 4:30 pm a week later to discuss the information. It is now three days after the day she said she would call me and I have not heard from her (even after we set a specefic day and time) NOR have I received any information in the mail. If I can't rely on her to follow through during this initial stage ... what can I expect when I run into problems? Big let down on OA's part. Also - currently in my speciality, CCTC has 90 positions open. OA only has 14. I guess this is weighing the benefits of a larger company vs. a smaller one. I also had an experience with RN Network. I had talked with a recruitor through email and she sent me an information packet in the mail. I called her with some questions and she was extremely short with me and rushed me off the phone before I could ask my questions. I understand they get busy but she was rude. She could have offered to call me back. I have not heard from her and its been a week. She also told me that it would be extremely difficult to find a job in my speciality since I only have 14 months of experience. She would not even let me suggest where I wanted to go because the options were so limited. She also told me that I could not travel anywhere to the North East or South West because I have a dog. I (very quickly) decided to cross RN Network off my list.

I work in the PICU and unless the patient has heparin infusing in the line (such as Heparin:NS to transduce ART lines or CVP's) we do not return the waste. We waste (per policy) 10 cc's if we are send coags and 3cc's for all other labs. Draw the minimum amount needed to send the labs off, flush the line and reconnect to whatever is infusing. If the patients hemoglobin is extremely low and we are trying to avoid a transfusion, I will return the waste if it has been less than a minute. Other wise, the risk of pushing a clot back into the patient is not worth it. If nothing is infusing, then we will flush the line with a Heparin Lock flush.

I am a PICU nurse with 1 year of experience. I hope to start traveling in 3-4 months. I have been researching agencies and have narrowed it down to CrossCountry Trav Corps and On Assignment. I was recommended CCTC by my current manager who traveld with them for 4 years and had no complaints. I have heard several good things about On Assignment on this forum. I was hoping for some opinons on these two agencies. I am being indecisive and am not quite sure where I want to go yet. I have a license from NC which is a compact state so I will probably stay within the compact for my first assignment. I want a company that will allow me to travel nationwide with lots of options. I also have a dog and desire private housing (I don't mind paying a little extra if that what it takes). I want to make sure my housing is safe and I want benefits to start immediately. Any opinons of these (or other companies!) would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a bunch!