momcrna

Here is how I make extra income. I have one three day a week (12 hr shift) job. This includes one night of call per week. Then I have two side jobs. One independent job at a rural hospital two to three days a month and a relief job covering OB at a hospital on one to two weekend days per month. Will only do this till girls out of college. It is important to balance work schedule to make sure not setting up too many shifts too close as high level of alertness is required for the job. Still $300k is not near my income.

I went back at 45 (20 year RN). Had three kids. took out llllllots of loans. Husband held down the household. Was very hard, but so is being burned out in your profession. Worked very little while in training. Just enough to stay on the books and come back as a crna to my facility. It can be done. Expect to have high debt and to need to extend your working career to pay it off.

Gonzaga is pretty much one hospital based which cuts down of travel. Cost of living is relatively low. Samuel Merritt has a three year option. Both are West Coast schools.

I work three twelve hour shifts. Approx. one night/week OB call and every 8th-9th week w/e call. so there are many many work settings.

Can only comment on one experience. Paramedics unable to intubate in the field so placed a combitube. Very thick necked male. Asked to come to ER to change out for ETT. Multiple attempts at ETT had been made in the field so airway very edematous and bloody when I did DL. Also, patient with + vomit with combitube placement. Intubation successful but did not see anything for landmarks. Just went midline and bent ETT about 60 degrees with stylet.

Short response and walk away: " I can't help you with that", "I don't have time to listen to that". Walk away, don't wait for a return response. After a few times they will get the message and look elsewhere to unload/freeload.

I did PICU for many years prior to CRNA training. Did not get the best opportunities for peds in training. But after getting out I've really made an effort to take any peds cases that come along. My peers are willing to give most all peds cases to me, so I keep improving my skills and I read anything I can re: peds anesthesia. But, I must admit I really love OB too, so I probably won't seek a children's hospital.

I am now done, but one thing to be cautious regarding. If you need to take out additional stafford loans to make it through school, make sure that you do not have them in process while your consolidation is pending. I consolidated last year the bulk of my loans. I also requested an additional new loan to make it to the end of school. Though assured by Sallie Mae that I could do a separate consolidation of the final loan, I ran into a glitch. Sallie Mae dispersed my last loan prior to finalizing my consolidation loan. Now I have been told that because the final loan was dispersed (6/23) prior to closing the consolidation loan (7/15), I can only roll my last loan into my large consolidation loan. That would increase the rate on the entire balance. So be careful, because the consolidation side of Sallie Mae and the Stafford loan origination branches do not work in sync. I know this is a bit intricate, but it makes a difference in your payments.

OB CALL - 20 Minutes. Must stay in-house for inductions after active labor begins and when epidurals running. Community hospital setting.

Just finished training. Here's how I funded education with family of 5. Max on Stafford (interest rate on consolidation loan will be very low and over 30 year term so very low payment and no prepayment penalty). Two alternative loans that cannot be consolidated so will be first to be prepayed. I took the alternative loans early while maintaining per diem status employment at a hospital that allowed me to work one or two days per month. Thus showed positive employment and previous year's salary from time I was still working. Fixed equity loan on house to cover the remainder. It does take a lot of jockeying of funds to make it financially. I looked at training is an investment in myself for the future and the loans as a vehicle to achieve the goal. I looked at each loan option prioritized it for interest rate, fees, ability to defer and consolidation options. Then went down the list to make it to the end. Good luck to all beginning the process.

I worked many years in PICU (Level I trauma, hearts, specialty surgery). Now in CRNA school. Some programs would not consider PICU experience at all. You will need to check out each program you are interesed in. I am finding I am very well prepared with my experience. Other than adult MI which was not difficult to learn I had much more varied knowledge base. I think it is that PICU sees everything from renal, to pulm, to neuro, to ENT, to metabolic, to ... good luck in your pursuits.

It is possible to do a rotation or two in Hawaii in the Samuel Merritt program.