Bamadawg

Milk comes in bags in Canada. Train in the US.

I think that is smart. You very likely would have handled it fine. And it is getting harder and harder to kill people who are healthy. But the sick ones can be easy to kill. If you are solo, who is teaching you the tricks they learned the hard way by screwing up and maybe even killing people? It does cut both ways. If you get into the ACT role and are given little autonomy then you also impair your learning. Try to find a job where there are other CRNAs or MDAs or both around. Ideally, you would do your own cases with others around. But ACT can be OK too. Despite what many on allnurses say Docs have their place and many are damn good at anesthesia. They can teach you alot. Also, a CRNA group with experienced members could be a great place. Frank

Hi, first question you should ask is if solo practice is for you. How many years have you been a CRNA? Frank

hi, schedule is sorta like this. One 8, 2 tens, a twelve. 3 times a month take call from home. 7p-7a during week x 2 per month. One 24 hour weekend call per month. all from home. Total 3 call shifts. Frank

Any CRNAs ever worked or know anything about USA? Thanks Frank

Tuition is around 32K. You stay one year and it is forgiven. Not prorated. Must stay 13 months. It is a good place to work. You get to do everything except when with a student. Still you will do plenty of RA and a ton of iv inductions by yourself. You will learn a hell of alot that first year. I would recommend it. If you are not from CT however ( I am from Ala) you will hate the cost of living, taxes etc. Take care and good luck Frank

Hi, I graduated from Bridgeport Hospital NAP/So Conn St Univ program in 2006. I is now Fairfield Univ./BHNAP or as I refer to it The F U Nurse anesthesia program. If you are looking at Conn. then definitely consider Bridgeport. I have never regretted it. You will do everything. Your regional experience will be exceptional. In the past our academics were weak and clinical very strong. Now I would say that the academics are good and clinical exceptional. The graduates of other programs working at Bridgeport all will verify this. The only weaknesses in the clinical area I see are not many sick kids and no transplants etc. WHen you graduate from Bridgeport you will be able to work. The reason is that you will very soon be thrown in and left alone in the OR. In some programs you will never be left alone. It will give you a chance to screw up and learn. The only place you will get better training (clinically) is in one of the Armed Services programs. If you get in anywhere in CT you will be OK. You should also consider the financial arrangements. Saint Raphael's in New Haven has a good deal on tuition. Don't know about New Britain. At Bridgeport, you will have to come up with very little out of pocket but you will owe over 30k post grad. That can be eliminated by a year of service. I am about to finish that year. Take care and good luck. Frank

Neither one of these CRNAs belong in an OR. They belong in rehab. I don't care if it is alcohol or whatever. The fact that it is an ongoing pattern of abuse is concerning. Extacy is illegal. The anti-social personality disorder that both of these people likely have is especially unatractive in the caring professions. Taking care of people is a priviledge not a right. In the armed forces they would be booted (unless they turned themselves in for rehab) and given other than honorable discharges. Why? Because peoples lives are at stake and drug addicts should not be taking care of sick people. Frank

Soldiernurse. I think the Army and Navy have the best programs in the country. However, don't limit yourself. Have you considered the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences? They have a CRNA program. Also, you can attend my program with very little out of pocket (Bridgeport Hospital, bhnap.org). Good luck troop and drive on! PS I would be happy to help in any way. Frank Laureano

I think Anesthesia Secrets by James Duke (new edition is now out) is superior to Nurse Anesthesia Secrets. NAS is not a bad book but if you are going to spend money, get the better book. In my opinion. Frank

I can field this one as Meg is busy as hell. I am a senior at BPT. The interview is low stress. You will interview with the director, asst. director, some MDs and CRNAs. You will be toured by a student and have great opportunities to ask questions.. One thing about our program. In the interview you will be shown some numbers for OR hours, Cases, lines, epidurals etc. This is a big selling point for us. No program in CT is going to get more or better regional or line experience than us. You will get better didactics at the other CT programs. You will also have lots of alone time in the OR when you are a senior. In short, you will learn to give anesthesia and be safe and even confident (in many situations). Good luck Frank

MAC for DLT, Nasal intubation. More room for Magills etc. Miller for anterior airway. I have used a Miller 4 on two occasions. You must use this blade to appreciate it. anyone who is good with airways will tell you that a miller 4 is sometimes just the ticket. Frank Bridgeport, SRNA (7 weeks to graduation!!!)

We get plenty of RA experience here at Bridgeport. Mostly spinal and epidural but no shortage of bier blocks, femoral nerve blocks. The interscalenes can be a little hit or miss because here you are thrown into an OR early with only an attending. So he is out in holding doing the block while you are in the room. You still get them but more like 8-10 ISB versus the 30 I could have potentially got. Otherwise plenty of other blocks. WHen you are on call here, all it takes is a call to the CRNA on OB to page you for epis. This is the northeast but not like the rest of the northeast. Frank

Here goes: Senior student at Bridgeport (GPA 3.6approx) Not very stellar, most of class is higher. Undergrad 3.5 Science a little higher, not much. MAT 55. 6years ICU(mostly SICU)5 years ER, 3 years nursing assistant, 2years bag boy in supermarket, 12 years landscaping (salaried with love)for my dad. TNCC instructor ACLS instructor Certified Emergency Nurse. Applied Bridgeport (did not complete application process anywhere else as Bridgeport responded first) had applied to FIU and UAB. None of that matters really. If I were a prospective student, I would not worry about what I need to have but about making sure I know what a CRNA does everyday and if that is really what I want to do. Don't let money woo you into a job you may hate. In the interview they want to know if you want to do this and if you are someone they want to spend time around in the OR. Your people skills and communication skills are HUGE! Don't over think this numbers stuff. Just "git er done!" Frank

Here at Bridgeport we get first shot at all airway and regional. There is one attending who does his own RA but the rest are cool. I ve been here 10 months, only 7 in clinical, and I have had probably 60 opportunities at SAB/EPidural. I have done maybe 28 succesfully. I am in my OB rotation now and today, for example, I did 2 CESA s succesfully, one unsucessfully (converted to spinal) and one laboring epidural succesfully. I have had a chance at about 6 inter scalene blocks and assisted with others. I have done a couple of Bier blocks. On another note, I have placed 7 central lines (with assist, but I stuck first and placed cath), 20 plus A lines, 4 PACs and been exposed to TEE 5 times. And I have not done my open heart rotaton yet. I still have 14 months to go. I am alone in the OR for short periods (30 min or less usually) and orienting to Call. This is why I recomend Bridgeport. I am so lucky to have had this group to turn me on to this program. Frank