SRNA-Halothane

Don't sweat the GRE is my advice. If your package is good but your GRE score is low they will still take you. I scored like 910 or something that was close to minimal and never studied for it and still got in to my school. Though in my case my package was supper strong with 7 years ICU etc.. Most schools ask for GRE for handing out scholorships not really for getting in is what I learned.

The best advice is be yourself. If you don't know the answer simple state you don't know or can't think of it right now but you would look it up. They expect you to a little nervous. If you try and B.S. your way through they will know. As far as questions go they have various ones so I couldn't tell which ones to know. It could be from what lab values you want to watch when infusing a lot of blood to telling them about cardiogenic shock and what values would you expect on a swan. As far as pretest just know your common ICU drugs and calculations and if you don't know again don't B.S. the answers..they will know. Again just relax be yourself and enjoy the interview. It is a great school and a great program. It is very hard but very rewarding also and well worth it in the long run. Anyways I hoped this helped so good luck.

In my case I have only had adult ICU experience. The only PICU/NICU experience I have ever had was in nursing school and when I was in Iraq/Kuwait which was OJT (on the job training). I believe most schools really want adult ICU over peds. Granted you will work with kids but the majority will be adults.

Read this link from my other posts on military CRNA: https://allnurses.com/forums/f16/any-navy-crnas-out-there-10631.html Look you are going to have to decide for yourself. Getting into a military CRNA program isn't any easier then a civilian program. The only difference is that there are less applicates to a military program then civilian. The only reason for that is you have to be commissioned first and serve at a duty station for at least a year to a year and a half before applying. Now if you have prior experience in a ICU setting and then join then maybe you can get it in your contract to go straight to CRNA school. As far as I am aware only the Army is doing that because I know the Navy isn't. The bottom line is the MISSION: and how to meet the needs of the military first before your own. I believe it will be much harder to have never been in the military and then join and go straight to CRNA school. Not only are you learning about CRNA stuff but you are trying to learn how to be an officer also. Like I said in my link to my other posts just be prepared to be deployed and be deployed often. In my soon to be short four years in the Navy I have been deployed four times. With that said I don't regret it, not for a second and for the simple reason, I think it made me a better nurse and a stronger candidate for CRNA school. But like someone said before if you get in a military CRNA program and fail out you don't get out of the military you finish your contract as a regular nurse. So be 100% sure of your decision and consequences. Also you will get to see and do things you will not be able to do in a civilian hospital no matter what anyone tells you. Once again you are just going to have to do the research and decide for yourself and if it something that interests you then try it out. Remember if you don't like it you can always get out after your contract. Any more questions please PM me my door is always open. Also one final note the GI bill is actually more then $800 dollars a month for people who are no longer active duty.

I am coming from Virginia and I picked UC for a couple reasons. 1. Heard great things from the CRNA's & Anesthesiologists I work with. 2. It is close to my wife's family so when I am to busy with school work she can go visit family and friends. 3. Cost of living in the Kentucky & Ohio is cheaper then most other programs I applied to.

I am in the same boat as you. I also have a big move to make from Virginia and not really looking forward to it. The school yes, the move no. We have a friend who lives in northern Kentucky and is gathering info for me. When I receive it I will be more then glad to share.

When I joined the Navy I had three years ICU experience with one & half of those years as a traveling ICU nurse. I was only a ENS/O-1 for 6 months until I put on LTjg. I believe it is actually better for someone to come in as a ENS or a LTJG instead of a LT or LCMDR. Because unless you are prior enlisted getting used to how military promotions work and how to make yourself look good on Fit-reps you don't want to be passed for promotion at such a low rank. Passed two times and you are mostly be discharged. Keep in mind that promotion from ENS to LTjg to LT is automatic. They want you to learn how to be a nurse and how the military works and not stress about making rank as a young junior officer.

Don't get me wrong guys I love the deployments but the Nurse corp it self is another issue. Disgruntled with the Navy = NO. Disgruntled with nurse corps= YES. Called in on phone watches, collateral duties that you are expected to do on your own time outside of work, and working with division officers that are only concerned with making rank then actually being leaders (excluding my current ones because they are by far the best ones I have had) I am in no way shooting down Navy life style or what you can get out of it. I will forever miss deployments and my fellow shipmates but the politics involved with nurse corps is what I can do without. The Navy has a great program and you will get experience like no other but I was just posting what is in store for anyone who says yes to DUINS. As far as getting shot at...YES corpsmen are usually on the front lines more so then nurse corps officers. However some, including myself , have been up front in various front line med-battalion stations, medi-vac ICU patients on blackhawks, been mortor while in camp and lost my favorite corpsmen to an ambush in Afghanistan so don't say that only corpsmen are the only ones getting shot at because that is not true anymore. I am currently stationed at Portsmouth Naval Medical and the answer is yes you will be deployed. But look at deployments as a new experience not as a bad thing. I believe I didn't come across in my last post how I wanted to so I will try again. Navy life isn't for everyone but it is definitely different from civilian life. Not just in it being military but the things you can do. Deployments, places you can be stationed, people you will meet, various vehicles & ships you can be on etc.. But it is a major commitment and they won't put you through school without getting what they paid for. You will work harder then your civilian counter parts in a CRNA program but you will definitely be prepared for what ever situation arises. They definitely prepare you to be a independent practioner. I must admit that Navy nursing is far less stressful then civilian nursing and if you were just going to stay a nurse and that is it then you will make more money in the long run as a Navy nurse then civilian. As for CRNA the money is in the civilian world. Every CRNA I shadowed home and on deployments all told me to do it on my own since I don't have much time invested. If you are prior enlisted and augmented to officer (nurse corp) to CRNA then retire is not a bad choice either. The Navy will definitely make you come out of your comfort bubble and be a better nurse. The military always wants to see you progress and never regress. You will be in charge of teaching corpsmen, teaching classes, in services etc.. and at certain duty stations you could be in charge of a whole ward as a division officer with other nurses and corpsmen that you are responsible for. So you will have to know your stuff before you can teach it to another (see one, do one, teach one motto) so thats how they make you become a better nurse. Just like MethaneMan said, "You have to do what is best for you." I am just giving my opinion on my situation and my experiences I have had and let you decide for yourself. There are pro's & con's to both Military vs Civilian life that you will have to discover for yourself. Again like MethaneMan said if you are interested then try it out. I don't regret not for one sec my decision to enter the Navy but I just realize that 16 more years of this is not for me or my family. If you have any questions or if I still didn't come across clear with this second post please PM I will gladly elaborate more on MY views of the Pro's and Con's of civilian vs military life.

I know this thread is old but for anyone out there wondering: jacyRN is right about deployments. I am currently in the Navy Nurse corp and on my way out next July. The Navy has a great program but THEY OWN YOU while you are in school and after school is done. Also you dont get your bonus until your payback is completed (7 years) Just like jacyRN if you are willing to be deployed constantly, especially this day and age, then do it. Your clinical starts 5am in the morning and you dont go home until your room is done. That maybe 4pm or 11pm.... then you have to go home and prepare for the next case. I on the other hand chose freedom and a civilian program. But in my case I still have the government paying for my school...YEAH GI BILL! I know CRNA programs are intense but not as intense as the Navy program. Another thing to think about: You can't just join the Navy and apply. You have to be stationed at a hospital etc.. and do a 3 year tour and in the last year apply and only in that last year. If you don't get in you can extend for another year and apply again. NOW if you dont get in a second time then you HAVE to do another tour of two to three years at another duty station before you can apply again. Unlike civilian programs you can apply as much as you want. Now the army is real desperate and are taking anyone. A couple of my shipmates switched from blue to green and went straight into the CRNA program. Also you get your bonus as soon as you pass the boards and it is way bigger then the navy bonus. The big thing is deployments and no matter want branch of service you join YOU WILL BE DEPLOYED TO THE DESERT! Trust me in my short 4 year naval carrier I have been deployed 4 times and I am tired of being shot at. So to make a long story short, take the loans and you will be happier person in the long run.

When I interviewed in October it was for the Fall 2008 class. I was accepted but declined due that it started in 2008. I wanted to start right away in Fall 2007. Plus I got my first choice school closer to my wife's home. So to those who got accepted I say congratulations it seems like a great program.

I also thought my interview was awful at first. Then as I analyzed it on the ride home and I realized I didn't do to bad. I was prepared for real in depth scenario questions like my past interviews and didn't get one. Anyways I also got the acceptance e-mail on Thanksgiving day . So I will see everyone in August/September. The midwest is going to be a huge change for me, I don't get that much snow were I am come from. The hard part/competition part is over now we all need to band together and help each other out. See you all in the fall and congratulations to everyone!