GCRNA

No, I do not have kids. And I am not an authority on the subject of finishing college with a family - just offering my opinion. My lab partner had 2 kids plus suffered a divorce in the middle of first semester. These circumstances would have caused most to drop out; she, having played college sports and having serious discipline, prioritized her time and kept the right academic mind set. Cut to 3 years later, she finally gave her 6 year old the trip to Disney she kept promising when she was locked away with her books. The truth is, you need to prioritize your resources whether or not you have kids. These programs are tough, and chances are you're gonna challenged and heckled along the way - its part of the training. Can you experience a tough day in clinical, being yelled at and treated like a child, and then go home to focus on books for 2 hours, then get off to sleep for the next day? Really think it out before signing that Stafford loan because these programs have little sympathy for students who have "a lot going on in my life." if you're falling behind academically THEY WILL run you out, and having seen this happen to 3 of my classmates, I can tell you its not a pretty sight. Especially when they let you keep the payment book for the loans. All in all, it is a great opportunity that carries great risk. Don't make this decision emotionally. ADD UP all of the pros (supportive spouse, low rent/mortgage, family to rely on, money saved, etc..) If you're a single parent with NO family support system and NO spouse to help out, don't do it (unless you have the discipline of a Navy SEAL and can run on 5 hours of sleep for 3 years. Big decisions, big consequences, big rewards. And not for the faint at heart.

I'm glad your agree. having graduated 6 months ago and now working my first job, I am extremely happy. I suppose I should changer my user name from GSRNA to GCRNA.. gc

To study the math, go to math.com, copy and paste the outline onto the Microsoft Word document (putting a checkbox in front of every subject) and work your way through. This will get you up through basic math, geometry, and basic algebra. If you want to strengthen your math skills further, study some advanced problems and quadratic equations. I did not get as far as quadratic equations, and I scored a 470 on the math (combined with a 530, verbal, which brought me to 1000.) You should 2 books: the big Princeton GRE review book and the Princeton "crash course for the GRE." Spend a few months working through these books. As far as practice questions go, download the power prep software from the ETS website. This is about as close to the GRE questions as you will get. In fact, I noted a lot of the same words on test day. Also, download a copy of the Princeton GRE vocabulary builder (I forget the name) to your iPod. Listen to it in your car going to and from work. This helped me immensely, especially in reading some of the passages. You need these words if you are to score well on the GRE. My GRE score was not impressive. I did, however, do this while I was working full-time nights in the CCU. Had I not been working, I could have easily driven this test home and gotten a 1200 or better. Good luck!

Hey Tallone, first, I'll tell you that you are on the right path by seeking out quality information. You should be a scavenger for any type of information. Talk to people who are enrolled or have recently graduated. For us, a lot of this stuff is still fresh in our minds. Ask specific questions of people students if you can meet some. What is your day like? How much time do you study everyday? Also, keep in mind that everybody is different. One person may read the chapter and absorber like a sponge. Others, like myself, however, need time to digest information and work a little bit harder. To address your questions, I will give you one answer which you are to hear over and over in CRNA school: "It depends." Is the subject matter too deep and challenging? It depends. Mostly, on your background and which school you are attending. You need to research the schools which you are applying to. Anesthesia schools do a good job at screening applicants. If have at least a year or two of critical care experience (tertiary facility preferred) and can carry a 3.0 minimum (3.4 or higher preferred), and score satisfactorily on the GRE (1000 or higher) then you can do anesthesia school. This is why anesthesia programs have these standards: to weed out the people who for whatever reason, cannot perform. You should get yourself tested and find out what kind of learning style you are. I took a simple test in a book and learned I am a kinesthetic learner. I worked a lot of my readings and lecture material into online flashcards and got A's ( and worth mentioning, I went to nursing school on a GED.) It doesn't matter your background or what people "say" about you. What matters, is your level of academic maturity and your study habits. Go get tested, and then learn every single possible study strategy for that learning style. Develop a plan to utilize this stuff and tackle the material that is thrown at you. I was told in public schools that I had a "learning disability." After undergoing testing, I was told I should best go into "music and art." Yet, I maintained a 4.0 my first semester of anesthesia school. It is all about planning, strategy, and WORK. I believe, anyone can do anything, as long as they put their minds to it. My opinion is the most precious resource in anesthesia school is time. People sometimes try to work. I think this is foolish for 2 reasons: 1. You are only going to burn yourself out, and this will prevent you from enjoying what should be a wonderful growth experience, and 2. When you consider the money you'll be making after you graduate, it is fiscally logical to borrow, pay little interest, and then pay it back later with anesthesia money. This way, you'll have time to graze on it all day long. I believe, looking back, I was probably more stressed working my way through RN school (as I put myself through while working full-time.) To be able to devote 100% of your time to school is a beautiful thing. A quality of life light-years ahead of floor nursing. Basically, CRNA schools can be either science-based or research-based. I am attending Northeastern University. This is a research-based program. I have a friend who is attending memorial hospital of Rhode Island, which is a science-based program. While he was agonizing over drawing molecular structures and pushing arrows, I was brushing up on my APA format and writing 15 page research papers. Not to say that northeastern does not offer a great science base -- they do. Just not as deep as a program like Memorial Hospital (which offers a Masters in biology versus a Masters in nursing.) Myself, personally, I prefer a research-based program. So much of medicine is evidence-based. I feel, after a couple of semesters at northeastern, adept at critiquing research and forming my own hypotheses. Pick your poison. If you're going to select a research-based program, brush up on your APA and make sure you can get into a paper writing mode. Conversely, if you are going to select a science-based program, make sure you have a good understanding of organic chemistry and basic physics. But again, each program is different. The best thing to do is to make a big long list of programs you want to attend, and keep a page of notes on each one. This involves a lot of e-mails and phone calls. Check websites of programs -- many, overwhelmed with phone calls, post FAQ websites which will answer a lot of your questions quickly. As far as the online science class goes, that is a good question for the director of the program you're applying to. My intuition tells me, however, that you should pick an undergrad nursing chemistry elective at a 4 year university, with a lab. I hope this helps. I am in my third month of residency. This job is awesome. Clinical is tough: You make a lot of less than optimal decisions and receive a ton of feedback. Very important, you should be prepared to receive feedback and leave your ego at home. At first, it doesn't feel good hearing cold prickillies; But stop and think of how difficult it must be to take a floor nurse and make them an anesthesiologist? Anesthesia preceptors are faced with the daunting task. Our job is to pay attention, be conscientious, and remain flexible. My head preceptor summed it up very nicely: "This is the hardest thing you will ever do, and the most rewarding thing you'll ever do."

I am a male nurse with 12 years experience, 6 in ICU CCU. I am currently in my junior year of CRNA school and loving it. Looking back, I would not change a thing. I guess there would be pros and cons to either route. Having been a bedside nurse, I will list a few of the pros and cons, based on my experience. Pros to nursing: Once you get that RN license, you'll be able to put food on the table no matter what. You don't have to go though all of the orgo and physical science in your undergrad (although clinicals and lab will probably make up for that pain, it'll just be a different pain.) You could always go on to NP or CRNA. Cons to nursing: Its dirty work. Wiping Ca Ca, washing patients. Get used to it. And if you think you're gonna skip right from the nursing lab to CRNA school, guess again: You need at least a year (and 1 year is light) critical care experience to be considered for any CRNA program. You might hear about people from the ER or PACU occasionally getting in, but that is an anomaly. You gotta pay your dues, and first stop is becoming a critical care nurse. Nursing is the largest, yet least represented group of people in the United States. Chances are, unless you work in a facility that really cherishes its nurses, you'll be working shortstaffed and never feeling like you have done enough. This, cumulatively, takes its toll. Look at some of the research on floor nurses. You will find there is a high burnout rate. You could get a nice cushy job on a psych ward, but this would be a dead end. Clinical advanced practice nursing programs (save for psychiatric NP, perhaps) will not recognize this experience. You need solid critical care experience to get into the best graduate nursing programs (CRNA, NP.) So in short, you will need to become a critical care nurse after you graduate, which will be yet another challenge. But don't let this discourage you; you will be learning all the way!

Hey there, I agree with what everyone says here. GPA, GRE and experience. I did not have my CCRN but I got in anyway. it certainly helps. Some schools require it. I think a lot of it depends on where you are applying. I do not know if studies have been done regarding competitiveness or quality of life for nurse anesthesia programs in different locales. I happen to live in Massachusetts, where there are at least six within 150 mile radius. As for your application goes, you should have a 3.0 or higher, and a minimum of a 900 on the GRE. Keep in mind: these are minimums. You may not get in with this. If there is something you can do to show strong in either of these areas, do it. For example, prepare for the GRE. I prepared for about three months and scored 1000. I wish I could have prepared for six months, but financial and time constraints prevented me from doing that. The third major ingredient in your pursuit is your clinical experience. You will need a minimum of two years ICU, preferably in a tertiary facility. You can, however, start applying to schools once you reach the 12 month mark. Start interviewing, with the mindset that you know you may not get in. If you have your eyes set on one school then take some graduate level electives. This also looks good on your application. As far as getting your grades up, try this study system, it may help. I am using it in CRNA school, as we speak: http://glenncrna.googlepages.com/home Another piece of advice: borrow lots of money and don't work through this program. Don't worry about debt, you can pay it back later with anesthesia money. This is an incredible growth experience, and you want to enjoy it and give it your full attention. I finish my first semester at Northeastern in two weeks. This has been an amazing experience. My whole attitude toward learning has changed. I can't wait to begin the "hands on" anesthesia curriculum. Good luck!

Hello Dee, I do not know if any data is available as to which schools offer the best quality of life and education. About half the programs offer an MSN, as opposed to a masters in something else (ex: biology.) I am curently attending Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. I have been in the program for about a month. The quality if life is good and it seems like the classes "overlap" which helps in putting all of the material together. Bear in mind, however, you will be busy most of the time and you really should not work. Its a good life though, sleeping nights, studying with friends, going to the campus gym. Far better than working in Nursing... I heard through the grapevine that a nearby school that offered an MS in biology and the same length (28 months) actually contained 3 months extra material. I don't know how true that is, but I would find out. You don't want to be doing extra work and stressing for no reason. If you've got better than a 3.0, 1000 or higher on the GRE and 2+ years in the unit, there is a program out there for you. The seats are there. You just have to pursue it hard enough. Good luck! G (hopefully soon to be) CRNA

I give ANYONE credit who tries to advance their life and culture, regardless if the have kids or not. The jump from RN to CRNA will likely mean a far better quality of life for the entire family in the long run, which can certainly weigh out over "not being there" for 28 months, or missing your child's first steps. Price it ten different ways: This program is worth it. For the individual, AND the family. I just got accepted to Northeastern University for the class of 2009. I am 36 and have no kids. My wonderful partner has the patience to wait a few years to have kids (She is 31.) Clearly I will be an old fart at mt kids soccer games. However, it is worth it. No mater what the circumstances, those who work hard and juggle are bound to persevere. Go whether you have kids or not. In the long run, everyone will be grateful.

When I was in LPN school there was this girl who entered the program at age 17 and finished by age 18. In fact, on our last med surg rotation I often found her flipping flash cards, having already started her ADN program. It is amazing the maturity of some kids these days.