CCRNRCIS

I will add that I work in a CVICU, and IABPs rarely get used at my hospital. Cardiologists or CV surgeons usually opt for an Impella or LVAD. All that to say...IABPs are not worth leaving your home base.....in my opinion.

*Take your GRE and maybe even retake some sciences to get your science GPA up. *Don’t limit yourself to just a few schools. Apply to several and spread your net wide.

Yes. Have you tried getting help from a friend or past professor? There are even places online that can help as well. Expand on what you’ve learned or how you better prepared yourself in the past year? Did you learn more about hemodynamics? Did you become a preceptor? Did you become a charge nurse? Did you take extra classes? Retake the GRE? Surely there is something that makes you a better candidate today than you were last year. Expand on that.

Yes. You have to have organic chemistry or be currently enrolled in a class right now in order to submit your application.

Cast your net wide. You’re going against the best of the best...on paper.

Arkansas State University. Can be done in 6 weeks.

I’m finding that to be my case. I’ve got high GPAs (3.6 overall and 4.0 science), 7 years experience, and stellar LOR. I definitely feel discriminated due to my age (mid 40s). Obviously there is no way to prove it. But when younger kids with only a years worth of ICU experience are getting accepted by the handful it makes me wonder.

I'm sorry for my misinformation @offlabel. I guess all 7 of the cardiologists that I work with on a daily basis are wrong in teaching me what I wrote.

I feel sorry for those of you that have to keep things on the DL about your plans for CRNA school. I work in a 60 bed unit and pretty much everyone knows my plans. I do occasionally get the SI or the screaming DKA but I look at as an opportunity it still learn from it instead of dreading the assignment. But I also get the 1:1 LVADs. And to the older RN who hates pouring her heart and soul into the one going to CRNA school....that person maybe putting your loved one to sleep for a surgical case. Wouldn't you want to teach them the right way to do things instead of half-ass precepting them bc they are leaving soon?

I reached out to Dr Black on Aug 31 and she said that they were still in the notification process. Once they completed the process then they would be able to give feedback to those that requested it on how to improve their application for future programs. I have not received an acceptance, rejection, or alternate letter or email as of yet. I'm assuming they are waiting on who accepts by the Oct 1 deadline as discussed earlier. But I could be wrong. It's a rather humbling process nonetheless. Good luck!

Surely there are other people waiting to hear something???

All I can say is apply to more than one school and see what happens. Even when you check off all the boxes for one school's qualifications, you still may not get accepted while others do get accepted who don't have all the qualifications. If you don't get in the first round of tries then dust yourself off, continue to learn and read and shadow, then try again next year.

No GRE required if you already have your CCRN. You could always email the director or AD and ask if you are qualified to apply with your experience. They have been super helpful and quick to reply to my questions. My advice is to sit out another year if you're lacking in experience (others may disagree). You still have so much to learn. Immerse yourself in The ICU Book, watch videos or podcasts about disease processes, become familiar with ventilators, etc. GPA may get you in the door, but experience will carry you through the program.

I love me some good broken-in OR scrubs. If they could make those in Navy (already broken-in and soft) then I would be happy. I don't need super tight, stretchy, polyester scrubs. That's prob why I've stuck with basic Urbane and Blue Sky scrubs.