Burnt2

Yea they postponed the changes.

just check out books from your library. they all come with practice cds. no need to spend $$ on it.

Like swans and LVADs, (IMO) it helps you get a really good grip on understanding hemodynamics; especially in patients in cardiogenic shock. its a learning tool - its about advancing your knowledge of human physiology. Organ/coronary perfusion, workload, resistance, etc etc etc. Also, if you're proficient at these things, it doesn't hurt to put on your resume that you're experienced with them. More bonus points during grad school interviews.

your GPA is fine GPA will help you get an interview, but in my opinion really its how you spend your time in the ICU that matters to them. Stuff like the CCRN, experience with balloon pumps, swans/hemodynamics, drugs, critical thinking etc. If you work hard, it will reflect well on you in the interview.

Your GPA is excellent; if you pass the CCRN you will have no problems getting into a school. Many schools don't even require the GRE if your GPA is above a certain level. The fact that you are from outside of the US, speak a different language, etc are actually GREAT advantages over other applicants.

wow haha

I would tend to agree. I read rage's link, i'm not so sure that ARNP can be used to imply that the CRNA could then switch over and work ED as a nurse practitioner. From what I got from that ARNP/APN is a broad term used to describe all APNs, under which NP's and CRNA's fall together, as rage stated. However, i would imagine that nurse practitioners have a different skillset to deal with their patient population. There is some crossover, but not a whole lot.

its an excuse I used and it can come back and bite you in the butt if you're looking for an advanced degree. Stats is hard until you realize it's basic algebra cloaked in important sounding names. You'll do fine, don't sweat it.

hey foreverLaur, my undergrad was a BSN - for the first few years I really didn't put much effort into school, so my GPA was Once I decided to go to CRNA school I took 12 credits of graduate human physiology classes, got a 4.0. I didn't do a graduate degree. Absolutely you could do it. your GPA is fine, especially if you get the 3.8-4.0. do extra stuff like your CCRN, hospital committees, etc. If you want it bad enough, you'll get in. BSN programs are easier than you think to get into. Especially since you already have a psych degree, i don't think it will be hard for you to get into an accelerated program. Like you said, just focus on getting better grades in undergrad.

Take a shot at med school. you've got all the prerequisites, might as well study for a month or so and give a go at the MCAT. You could do the CRNA thing. A guy I work with is a RRT, but he got his nursing ADN, and is now currently getting his acute care nurse practitioner license. So it's definitely feasible - you'd just have to do a bachelors-MSN bridge course, which MANY schools offer. 3 years to get a BSN, i'm guessing. 1 year of ICU experience. Then CRNA school. I can't speak about AA's because I know nothing about them.

Thanks for the responses, guys. Thats the plan for right now...Case Western's FNP program is online, so I'd be able to do it and work at Cleveland Clinic as a CRNA (or so I hope, anyways)

I did every weekend commitment

Both PA and NP are great choices, and from what I understand in actual clinical practice there isn't that much difference between the two (although I think this has been debated ad nauseum). In this day and age, I think there is more of a sense of symbiosis between docs and nurses, at least in the ICUs where I work. We have a lot of autonomy, and if you're looking for it you'll have a chance to use your brain every shift, and expand your knowledge. I don't know about floor nursing, i've never done it.

Just wondering. I'm starting an MSN CRNA school next year....since the core nursing classes transfer I was thinking about getting my FNP after the CRNA. The reason is, my wife and I are going to be working for an NGO in Africa or possibly Haiti long term/career after I graduate , and I'd like to be as flexible as possible.

I agree with you 100%. The problem is, DNP's are being sold as physician equals (which is the impression anyone who reads that article will get), when clearly DNP's are not when it comes to true clinical practice. So either they need to promote the DNP in a different light, or back up the "medical knowledge of a physician with the skills of a nurse" claim by offering the medical/clinical classes.

not entirely true. you'd need 2 physics classes, 2 math classes, and organic chemistry if you havent done it in order to do well on the mcat. easily achieved along with regular undergrad bsn classes, imo. my sister is a nurse attending med school, it took her 7 months to do the extra requirements for med school, after she graduated, while she was working ewc. i was one physics class away from finishing the extra prereqs (although i'd already been accepted into med school) when i was accepted into crna school and opted for that, followed by an extra year or so to get my fnp (they share the same 9 core msn classes, which cuts down on the 2nd msn degree).

I agree with PediASL. There is no need for another academia doctorate which does not do anything to expand clinical scope of practice and minimally enhances bedside clinical abilities. Titles mean nothing to me. I have a CCRN and i have never signed my name with it and its not on my badge, because I do not feel need to impress upon other people what an amazingly important, super-intelligent, better-than-you nurse I am (not saying that other people want that when they display their CCRN, thats just how I feel if I use it). However, the knowledge I gained from it is invaluable. In the same vein, if I had a DNP I wouldn't call myself a "doctor" because that would really mislead my patients, while not providing me with ANY expanded scope of practice. what we need is a doctorate centered purely on medical/clinical practice. a nursing version of an MD/DO, if you will. EDIT: " In other words, as a patient, you get the medical knowledge of a physician, with the added skills of a nursing professional." -Mundinger That statement blows my mind. Honestly. No cynicism here - does that appear deceptive to anyone else?

Hey, Zozzy, do you have any advice for what I should be doing now? like should I take a core MSN class like research or something to get it out of the way? Or should I just work extra at work and save up the $$$

glad to hear it! I chose Cleveland Clinic as my clinical site :-D I'm incredibly excited about starting next year.

I've heard akrons interview process is really hard...kind of out of proportion with their actual program, which (from what i've heard from different people) is so-so I was accepted into Case (my first choice) for august 2008 - they had no clinical CCRN type questions. as the previous poster stated, it was general questions...do a search and you'll see what kind of questions they ask. IMO, Case Western is a much better program - they have huge access to cleveland clinic/university hospital......which translates into excellent clinical experiences. GRE: 1350 Grad GPA 4.0, undergrad GPA 2.9 Letters from supervisors and undergrad instructors i have my CCRN, etc

hey, congrats! I was accepted into the fall 2008 Case Western class too; currently getting our house ready to sell so we can move to cleveland :-p

Good for you! From everything i've heard, ICU nursing and CRNA work is apples and oranges, so they teach you what you need to know from the ground up anyways.

I haven't worked a day on the floor since graduation, and I can't stand that elitism that we tend to have towards other units. Kinda like the LPN thats worked in CCU in our hospital full time for 25 years. Some nurses are like "she's just an LPN" and completely blow her off, but she's more clinically knowledgeable than half the residents that go through the unit. Step-down nurses are horribly disrespected/undervalued, IMO. They have a much more difficult job than mine. A balloon pump/prisma/vented patient is way easier than 6 fresh post op knees on an ortho floor.

yes you can. They don't ask for high school records. Plan on getting A's in college though.

yea right after you finish the exam they send you to a screen asking if you want to see your scores - but if you see them they'll be recorded and sent to the schools you chose. its a mind-game, because you feel like you did terrible, and its tempting to click "no" and try to take the test again. At least thats how I felt. I looked at my scores though, and I got a 1350. The writing portion takes a couple weeks to grade though. Edit: most people who don't study bomb the test. I would highly advise checking out a prep book from your library and doing a couple computer practice tests (usually the books come with a CD) to see where you're at.