BSN06

I have not carried a pediatric patient to PACU, but the concern is what would you do if the "pink" skin were suddenly turning blue? I heard a CRNA present at a conference and told a story of this happening to her at one time. Long story short you can't do much because your hands are full carrying the child. Her advise, and experienced CRNAs agreed, is to never do this. Sounds like you did not agree with that hospitals way of carrying kids to recovery. I would not be comfortable with that either.

I found graduate school to be much easier with financial aid. I think it really depends on the school's financial aid department. They should offer you enough money up front to cover tuition plus several thousand per semester for living expenses. If they do not, or if it does not seem like enough, I would not hesitate to visit the financial aid office and specifically ask for a larger amount. Be sure to explain your cost of living (child care, transportation, etc) and not just housing. They have set limits to work with in different categories, so be sure you have requested a sufficient amount for the variety of living expenses. I hope this helps.

I researched many programs, interviewed at a few, and am currently in an anesthesia program. I have some advice based on what I have been through. 1. Your goal to work 3 years in the ICU is very good. Many people want to move quickly through the ICU and into anesthesia. I think that can be a mistake because the experience is valuable. Make the most of those years in the ICU and try to learn how and why patients are medically managed. It will only benefit you later on in anesthesia school. 2. Race should not affect the process of being accepted. Schools pride themselves on being diverse. Unfortunately there is often an imbalance in the applicant pool, so the class may not be as diverse as they would like. In the end they will want the students who are most likely to succeed (that means good grades, quality ICU experience, etc). 3. This is big for everyone - it is important to act professional. You may not think this is an issue, especially if you are someone who dresses appropriately and speaks with the interviewers on a mature and professional level. But there are people who do not think about this seriously. Examples of things I have known to happen that had a negative impact: a guy that showed up for the interview in jeans, a woman who showed up with a short skirt and quite a bit of cleavage showing, and at one of my interviews a woman walked in 20 minutes late and was wearing a denim jacket/pants combo. It is important for all of us to represent ourselves with professionalism. You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders, so this one probably did not apply to you, but I like to share any experiences I have had if someone out there can benefit. 4. I do not have children, but many people in the program do. It is more about having a support system, family and/or a spouse/boyfriend/etc that you can count on. It will be busy, but it is a short period of time for a lifelong career. 5. Grades are important, your more recent grades are even more important, and your science grades are extremely important. I have heard this over and over. Additionally, once you get your BSN you may want to take a few Masters level classes while you are working (if you have time). It demonstrates that you can be successful at the graduate level. Just one class a semester for a year or so would benefit you. It sounds like you have a good plan. Stick with it, and best of luck! Also, have you checked out minoritynurse.com? There is an interesting article on increasing the diversity of nurse anesthesia. Just a side note.

One thing to consider is that the schools you apply to will most likely factor all your science grades, they will not replace the new AP grade with the old one. Instead, they typically factor both of them in, which does not boost your GPA quite as much since you will still have the C from the first time around. I have found that most programs I looked at were more interested in how you are doing now - like taking a couple of graduate level classes instead. Doing well in those might outshine the older grade you are worried about. As for the GRE, I took it while taking one other class. It just takes the discipline of sitting down and studying regularly until the test date. I did not take more than a month to prepare for the GRE. The material is not something you use every day (like geometry) so I found it best not to drag it out, fearing I would just start forgetting what I had been studying. Good luck to you! Sounds like your experience is really going to weigh in your favor, and your GPA is still above a 3.0.

Obtaining your BSN at the school with the program may offer a little advantage simply because down the road, when you apply to the anesthesia program, a lot of the faculty will know you. I think it is more important to just get very good grades, regardless of where you go, then work in a unit with high acuity after you graduate. Personally I would go to the cheaper school. Good grades, GRE scores, work experience, and other things (like CCRN certification) will be what gets you into a program. Out of curiosity what schools are you looking at?

I interviewed at the Bridgeport CRNA program. They use CRNAs, and do not have a medical residency program. I met two anesthesiologists, one CRNA, and the program director. I was under the impression that much of CT is CRNA friendly. In Bridgeport specifically you would perform all aspects of anesthesia including regionals. They were a great group of people to meet.

Thanks for the info. I'm curious about the one year of service in exchange for tuition. Is there some drawback to working there, or do they just like to recruit their own graduates?

I am considering applying to the CRNA programs at Bridgeport Hospital and New Britain. I do not know of anyone that attended either program or that has even applied, but am curious to hear someone's opinion. Does anyone know anything about either of these programs? (i.e. do their students get a good variety of experience, are the schools supportive of the students, etc)