vaccrn

Where did you come up with stuff? It is interesting to me that you have decided to single out CRNAs as non-caring folks who have absolutely no desire to form a bond with a patient, or their family. And you base this assertion upon the fact that we only interact with our patients when they come in for surgery? If you really knew anything about the various specialties within nursing you would realize that there are plenty of nursing opportunities that fall into the same category (nurses who have brief, but very meaningful interactions with their patients)- ER nurses, GI nurses, CVIR nurses, Flight nurses......just to name a few. In your world I would guess that any nurse who decides to pursue a career in any of these specialty areas, is uncaring and not capable of forming a bond with their patient. It is obvious to me that you really have no idea what you are talking about. By your user name, it would appear that you are a physician. I would suggest that in the future, when you decide to go off on a tirade like this, you please include ER physicians, pathologists, radiologists, and anesthesiologists in your list. The physicians who specialize in these areas also have brief (sometime none) interactions with patients. Apparently, in your world, none of these physicians is capable of a compassionate relationship with a patient either. If you really believe the stuff you posted......how sad for you. You have very much to learn about nursing, and medicine.

What would I different? I would go to anesthesia school before I had kids. I couldn't, and you can't. That being said, with a family, there is no good time to undergo anesthesia training, you just ALL make the commitment, stay with it TOGETHER, and keep your eye on the prize.

Creamsoda, CRNAs can, and do, a lot to keep a doc from hitting a lung. They can insert the line themselves. CRNAs routinely insert central lines (I did 2 today - 1 subclavian, 1 IJ). Happyhalothane did a great job outlining the landmarks (posted below).

Realizing that I will come in as the the voice of opposition. HECK YES you can work if you want to and are willing to make the sacrifice. When I started school I had an 8 month old son, 4 months later my wife and I had our second son. SO, I focused on anesthesia training Monday thru Friday and my my wife worked every weekend (12 hour shifts as a peds oncology nurse). This wasn't too bad in first year as my program was front loaded. During clinical we found sitters if I had weekend SRNA obligations. With 2 very young children at home, by myself, on the weekend did I do any studying? NO. Did I spend 12-14 hours a day on campus during the week? Yes. Could I have worked on the weekends if I had no children? Again, yes. Actually in the first semester I managed about 16 hours/week doing chart reviews. SO, can you work during school, yes. I really think too much is made out of the proposistion. In the ideal world, sure, take out loans, and spend your free time blowing off steam. If you want to pick up some shifts here and there it shouldn't be a problem. But no matter what, DO NOT let work interfere with our studies.

Let me just toss this out there................. Have any of you ICU/CCU nurses ever given Haldol IV (read the vial "for IM adminisration")? I worked for 7 years in the CCU and I know that that I gave Haldol IV more times than I can count. The FDA HAS NEVER approved Haldol for IV adminisatration, but we all do it because it works. Why mess with success????

I'm a guy, so I had no worries about getting pregnant while in school. But, my wife and I had 1 son when I started (8 months old) and had our second during my second semester. It was definately very, very difficult. My wife worked every weekend for 2 1/2 years (not counting her post partum time). She's a nurse also, God help her. I would get on campus at 7am and not leave campus until 7-8pm every day, Monday through Friday. During clinicals, the hours were a little longer. My weekends were spent with the kids while my wife went to work. I did very little, if any studying on the weekends. Was it hard? Yes. Was it worth it? YES, YES, YES. I think the trick to getting through anesthesia school with a family is to be sure EVERYONE is committed to the endevour. You need to have very frank conversations with your spouse, partner, significant other, or whomever about the commitment that will be required of you. It will not always be easy, it not always be fun, but it will be worth it.

I've had this happen to me twice. Once with and LMA (like Mike described) and once was a post extubation laryngospasm. So, what to do about it? With LMAs - I'm not sure the oral airway will fit very well with the LMA, without distrupting it's seal. I stack 3 4x4s and fold them in half, then wrap them aound the end of a tongue blade and tape in place. I insert this contraption between the molars as far back as possible without disrupting the LMA seal. If the patient wakes up biting, as so many do, they can still exchange air through the LMA. For post extubation laryngospasm - Don't be too slow to grab the succs. I always have succs available at THE END of the case. And yes, I give 'em a slug of propofol also (I've only had to do this once in the last 2 years by the way) A little prolonged OR time beats all hell outta a night in ICU.

Grant V. Netter V. Moore. They are all great books. The pictures in Netter are the best, while Moore provides more information via the written word. BTW, I am a book whore and own them all. My favorite is "Gross Anatomy" by Kyung Won Chung (Lippencott). This book is set up in outline form, which takes a bit of getting used to. It coveres everything that you will need to know. If you have Chung and Netter, that's all you should need.