Putu2Sleep

I don't think schools could give two ***** about whether you have a GED or not. You definitely need to work hard during your BSN and start in a busy high acuity ICU as soon as you graduate. Get your GRE out the way and try and get that CCRN. You do all that and I think you'll have a great chance at getting into CRNA school. People make mistakes in life and schools will want to see how you've grown from your experiences.

What are everyone's top 3-5 books that they just couldn't live without for your first year of anesthesia school? Would love to hear everyone's opinion on this subject.

I think the 1 1/2 years in MSICU is good enough. I do think schools maybe look down at float pool just because (at least in my experiences) float pool nurses don't get the sick patients and are usually stuck with the boarders or the chronic patients. But like others said get the CCRN and I think you will be just fine.

what if any clinical questions were you guys asked during the interview?

I would go ahead and switch to the SICU as soon as you can and rack up that experience. You can get your BSN at the same time. It might be a little harder cause you'll be new to the SICU but the experience you will have will benefit you in the long run. GOOD LUCK!

Can anyone give me some insight on the Univ. of Pitt interview. What types of questions did they ask you, was it a panel interview, etc. Any help would be great.

Sorry but the traffic can't be no where near what I'm dealing with in D.C. But yea I want a busy hospital so that does sound good. Thanks for the info.

No offense to anyone but if you have PTSD from attending CRNA school maybe it just wasn't meant to be. That is just crazy to hear that people get that upset over people bad mouthing you or hazing you like I've heard in this forum.

So just got a patient out of the OR today that was a cocaine OD that had a type A dissection as well as a leaking AAA. Had an ischemic gut that was stented and fixed and had a cold leg that required a fem fem bypass. The type A wasn't able to be repaired and they are planning on doing it tomorrow if he makes it. My question is he came out with THAM solution for his massive base deficit. I've never seen this and talking with the CRNA they just said it was like a bicarb gtt. Just wanting some more info on this medication from an anesthesia stand point because I've never personally used it or seen it for an acidotic state.

I will be a SRNA starting this fall and am thinking about moving to the Orlando, FL area after school. I know it's a while away but just wondering if anyone has any incite into this area. I want to work at a level I hospital after school and was looking at Orlando Regional Medical Center. If anyone has any info about this hospital or the area I'd gladly appreciate it.

I would go to where ever you will get the most experience with invasive lines, multiple vasoactive drugs, and vents. Schools like surgical ICU the best from the ones I've seen but if you MICU deals alot with septic shock and things like ARDS with multiple comorbidities. Just make sure to make the best of it through your experience and if you feel it isn't enough transfer to your SICU.

Just curious if you could tell me the books they used for the advanced pharm and advanced patho? Also do they go into much physiology about the systems or is it mostly just patho? Thanks for your quick responses.

Hey giberga thanks for replying. Just wondering if you could give me anymore details on those two classes. Also I didn't notice they had a chemistry course, do they go over any of the organic chem stuff during pharm or what?

it makes them faster initially but the drip is still only going at what the pump is set to for the levophed or whatever you are using. when our fresh hearts come out and say they are on epi @5mcg, levo @ 10mcg, primacor, etc. we still have all that going with a NS carrier at 85cc. Just know that if you increase your carrier up quickly or down quickly it will affect your vasoactives for a short time. but no it does not change the concentration of the drugs in the carrier, just speeds them up to get into the patient.

I'm just curious to why you would even think a small community hospital would give you better experience than a big hospital's SICU, makes no sense to me. But SICU is better experience IMO than a CCU

pts come out with propofol and still with paralytics on board. once we reverse we shut off the sedation. our aortic pts (Ao dissections, AVRs, etc) we use precedex instead of propofol and leave that on till about an hour after extubation.

Any SRNA's that go to the U here. Looking for info on how the program is, the course load, etc. I'll be starting in the Fall 2009 and just wanting any information about the program you have. I've emailed the coordinator a few times but have gotten no response at all. Would love to know how much you are studying and any tips you have for making it through the first semester.

actually we do give the reversals to speed up the extubation time. that is one of our main goals upon receiving the patient from the OR. and secondly i have yet to see any real tachycardia from giving the neo. if anything our patients hearts are still slow coming out and almost always require pacing to keep their HR 90 (which we like it to be that fast). and yes i understand drugs have side effects but you are making it seem like neo can cause such severe complications like a protamine reaction or something. our goal is extubate within 4 hours. and even like you said something like pancuronium or vec only can last at max 90 minutes giving reversal within 1 hour of arrival still will speed up extubation time compared to not giving any reversal. i understand you might not have done it this way in your old hospital but not everybody does things the same way and at worst i've seen slight tachycardia but nothing more than that. so for me the benefits do outway the risks of giving the drugs.

For our open heart cases anesthesia does not give reversals in the OR. We decide when we want to give them if the patient is stable enough. We reverse them within the first hour of coming out of the OR if they are stable. If the patient comes out with an open chest or very unstable we do not reverse them. We give 1:1 neostigmine and glyco to counteract the side effects. I've given these drugs many times and haven't had really any major issues with them.

My gpa was a 3.1 (nursing GPA probably around 3.6) with 950 on my GRE and I had a little over 3 years of ICU experience in Neuro ICU and 1 year in a Cardiothoracic ICU for 1 year with experience with VADs, Heart and Lung Transplants, IABPs, etc. Also had my CCRN. We also did our own vent weaning and reversals from anesthesia.

what would everyone say is a must for your first semester of a didactic program

I'm just curious what schools offer this direct entry CRNA program?

just be prepared. if you mention anything in your interview like what your sickest patient was on, his history, anything, just be ready to back it up. for my interviews i led the way i wanted them to go. if i mentioned neostigmine i was expected to know how it worked at a cellular level. also they will gear the questions based on your experience. if you came from a cardiac background i cant see them asking you what the signs of uncal herniation are.

its the miami university in florida

i got my letter by us mail