Jillybean1988

Yes! If you have a D in your credentials whether it be an MD, PHD, PHARMD, DPT or DNAP, you put in the hours and deserve the title of DOCTOR! I think that the idea that some MD's have that "nurses can't hold the title of Doctor" is ridiculous! If a teacher earns a PHD you respect them with the title of Dr. So-and-so. Nurses are the same way. And let me tell you, when I finish my 1,000th hour of clinical? My KIDS are going to be calling me Doctor.

The problem I have is the fact that misinformation from the staff has caused WAY too many problems and the fact that they do change the program once you have applied and they dont bother to make sure anyone is informed, and then when you tell them hey, you guys messed up and screwed up my admissions, they tell you in no uncertain terms that you are "one of 500 students" and they just don't give a crap about your problem (and the fact that they caused it) because there's a hundred other kids that will take your spot if you don't like it. And to me, that isn't a system I really want to be a part of. Nursing school is intense and you rely on your instructors to help you through it. No one can get through a program without help from knowledgeable and reliable instructors. If the nursing director herself tells me I am "one in 500" and there's more where I came from, why in the name of jebus would I want to sign up for a program where they tell you right off the bat they don't give a damn? That to me, just seems crazy.

Yeah, I have heard terrible things. I agree that they protect their pass rate. Another thing I look at when I choose a school is their graduation rate. Because if 60% is all they have left of their class, then it shows that they aren't worried about your personal success. Losing more than 20% is extremely unreasonable for a diploma program like this. I am sorry that this happened. They also change their program rules every year. Which is very confusing for students who came into the program one way, and how they expect you to just know that they changed the rules. This is ridiculous.

Oh, I thought my reply answered your question! Ha. No, I have not considered STLCC. Only because I have all of my prereqs done, even the ones for my bachelors degree. I plan to get a Masters in the field. Going on a wait list for STLCC would set me back another year or more, whereas if I apply to a 4yr transfer I will be finished with a bachelors by 2012. If I were to apply at STLCC I would almost certainly not get in for 2010 and have to wait til 2011 to start and by then I could be half way through a BSN at an (more expensive no doubt) other school. So for me, that is not practical, considering I would be going on to a Bachelors program anyway. This is faster, and I hear the tutition reimbursements at hospitals are pretty decent. I want to get this done asap. I agree with you about the level of complication at SCCC. They should have a program like STLCC. Thats definately no hassle. I should have applied around after the first "mistake" they made but I figured there was no way I'd get in sooner at STLCC, so why pay the application fee and take their placement tests and what not for nothing. Obviously next time it will be a "better safe than sorry" story to remember.

SCCC is definately NOT a lottery! Lol. You get a number on the wait list and according to that number they assign you a dosage calculation sign up time. The higher on the list you are, the earlier your time to sign up, the earlier you take the dosage test, the more times you can take it if you dont pass (up to 3 times), and the better chance you get in that top 80. They take the first 120 to sign up and assign times according to who signed up first. Anyone after that 120 has to wait until the next year. Anyone who doesnt make the top 80, pass or fail, is on the top of the list next year. This is SCCC's system. They seem to have a habit of misinforming students on a regular basis, but the above info comes straight from the nursing director. I didn't get in last year just by dumb luck. I signed up late because like you, I was misinformed of the system and thought not matter when I took the test, if I passed, I was in. I found out after I missed sign up day that this wasnt the case, so I didn't bother to study for the test (why bother if I am just going to have to take it next year? They'll just change the book!) However, I found out that they started a "rule" in 2008 that if you applied, regardless of pass or fail on the dosage test, regardless of being on the wait list, you have to REAPPLY EVERY academic year. (So they know who is still interested and who is not?) I applied in 2007 and had no idea of any of this. They said I "should" have been informed by letter. Clearly, I wasn't. And of course they don't make any exceptions even if they make the mistake! So if I want to go to SCCC (which is ridiculous considering their sketchy policies and ethics) I have to wait until 2011 to MAYBE get in! I already did my bachelor prereqs while waiting the first "set-back" year. So I am probably just going to (grudgingly) cough up the extra 30k and go to a real school and get the bachelors degree in one shot instead of ASN at SCCC and BSN somewhere else. I think maybe this was just God's way of telling me SCCC wasn't for me! At least I got to the bottom of it, and maybe this forum can help someone else have more success in SCCC's program. I am not belittling their school. They have an excellent reputation. I think, however, that they should work on having more informed faculty so that they aren't passing out gross misinformation all the time. This can seriously affect peoples lives! This didn't derail my plans, because I planned on a BSN being my bottom line. But for someone who only wanted an ASN that would have to apply at other schools and be delayed two whole years because the faculty is incompetent? That would be outrageous.

Has anyone heard that in order to get into SCC's RN program you must reapply each year? I took my dosage test last year and failed it (not that I was high enough on the list that I would have gotten in) but I just read online that if you took the dosage test in the previous year and passed, you would be first in line to take it this year, and if not you would need to reapply by AUG 15th. Obviously I didn't know this until today, and there is NEVER a nursing advisor available to speak to, and if you go in there you'll wait three hours. So has anyone heard this? I would think if you failed it you would just take it again the following year. Reapplication seems ridiculous, and if reapplication is necessary, you'd think they would tell you that at some point.

I also am an extreme forthinker like you. :thnkg:I don't have a family at home, but I do think I can loan you some perspective. Especially in the money field. It will be very hard to support children and pay for a CRNA. I would suggest working a year or two longer than your req. 2 years. Pocket that money and save it for school. You will still need loans but the last thing your family needs during CRNA is to be worried about money. I also think miss nurse has a point. If you start working as an RN and 60-70hrs a week is too much to be away from the kids, then it might not be a good idea to do CRNA until the kids are older (read: school aged). My parents both were workaholics, and once I was in school it was much better for me. I went to school all day, came home to a babysitter then around 7 my parents were home and they made a point to give me at least 2 hours of attention before bed. The summers were tougher, but I dont regret their career choices. I wasn't "raised by the babysitter", which I think is a parents foremost concern. Plus, once your kids re in school, they will have regimented bedtimes that will allow you some quality time with your husband too. I think one last important thing to note here is that this is your dream. Just because you have children doesnt mean you should give up on the things you want. That doesn't make you selfish, it makes you human. Also, one of the side affects of the goal-satisfying CRNA profession is the money. You will double your salary. I know money doesnt buy happiness, but it sure makes life easier. You can afford to send your kids to college, live in a nice house, drive a reliable car. Financial security is a precious commodity and your family will be much better off in the long run. It will be 3 tough years, but when you feel selfish, just think about how much your being a CRNA will help your family! You will be a happy, fulfilled parent, you won't have to worry about whether you can really afford new sneakers for school, and once your a CRNA your hours will be lighter and you will have time for them!

The benefits of a front loaded program compared to an intergrated program basically boils down to a few things. A front loaded program gives you a year off from nursing rotation/clinicals. 1. This can be a good thing because you will have more time to study and be more able to focus on the classes. 2. It is a downside if you are a newer nurse, where a year off from CCRN is going to hurt you or set you behind you classmates/make you "rusty" etc. 3. If you choose an intergrated program, which (I may be incorrect but I think) are usually the shorter 26-28 mo programs you will have continuous experience which IMO helps you get into the feel of anesthesia and keeps you from having to "relearn" CC skills. But if you have been an ICU nurse for years, I am sure that wouldn't be a problem. 4. The intergrated programs for me, are the way to go. However as one crna pointed out, some places have off cite and multiple cite clinicals and that could really harm you if your traveling is cutting into your study time. On a different note, I chose my program because it is the shortest, one of the least expensive in my area, the living expenses here are very reasonable, and the clincals are all in two hospitals. I also liked that the class size is very small, they dont even fill all the slots some years and so you get prime one-on-one time with your CRNA clinical instructors. I have read that my school is a weed-out school instead of a support school, so I hope that isnt a pitfall down the road.

I know they were RN's. Lol. Although some go through straight to school with only the experience they need for grad school and some people are RN's for years before they go back to school. That is where I was going with that. I am fairly familiar with what a CRNA does, however I haven't had a whole lot of time in clinicals to stop and chat with one. So I figured I would ask my questions about paying for school, job satisfaction, and job market here! I signed up for a shadow program at the hospital near my home this summer. I hope to be accepted, but from the little I have seen in life and read on these forums, I think CRNA is for me. I think the most luring thing of me is the one-on-one with the patient. I like the idea of seeing the patient completely through, monitoring and intervening when necessary. I know for several fellow RN's, they love the fast paced action on the floor, and I do to, but I think the one-on one bedside manor suffers when you have 20+ patients a night. Not to mention I find anesthesia fascinating! In high school I wanted to go into pharmacology just to learn about the effects that medications have on the body. I think anesthesia is something I would enjoy learning about, and I think it is hard to go through school if you don't have a fundamental intrest in what you are doing. At least for me. Thanks for your answers!

I am lucky enough to already do those things! Haha. I was raised that way. Hard work, helping out and always being pleasant have gotten me pretty far already. I also was raised that theres always something you can do. If not helping out on the floor, then in finding a job as a new (even two years late) grad. I am pretty persistant, am willing to back up my all my applications with hard work, and will avoid taking no for an answer at all costs. With that being said, I hope that my future in nursing will be bright. We got a little off track with this post. But as I said, there is always something you can do. I know that some hospitals still offer internships for nusres to be. I know that you have graduated, but I am sure when you apply if you explain how you've found the job market slim, and you are willing to work your hiney off, they will appreciate and reward your hard work with a position. Not to mention internships are a great way to network. They don't pay, but you can waitress or work at target for the 6 or so months you do the internship. It might feel like backpedaling, but internships frequently equal jobs. It can't hurt to try. Good Luck!

I agree with WDW. You seem to be venting about your life instead of actually giving helpful advice to the poster. I am sorry you have had trouble with finding a position that suits you, but when you say things like "if you dont get into acute care quick you never will" you freak people out with things that are untrue. If you feel that way, I am sorry, but it does the poster no good for you to discourage her with misinformation. I think she will find something soon. She has to just put herself out there and hope for the best. I know you can do it, Expo!

Hello all, I am a nursing student about to graduate with my RN. I plan to do an accelerated RN-BSN option specifically for the purpose of having one year of ICU experience (and I have some CNA experience currently) so that I can pass on to CRNA school unpreturbed. However, I had some concerns, and you all seem to be very knowledgeable professionals, so here goes... First question. How the heck do you pay for it?! The only school available to me is 50k for the 75cr/hrs I need. I know I can get fin.aid, but with my salary... I know I wont have it in advance. I will however have my earnings from my one year in ICU as a jumping off point. Probably 30k-ish. How hard a time did you all have getting/paying off loans. Some people have advised me to take another year to save up the rest of the money, but for a host of reasons, including being advised against it by my instructors/advisors, I would prefer not to. Do you think I should wait a year anyway? How did YOU do it? How old are your collegues? I found that in my school I was way young compared to my classmates and often the underdog. i wasn't always taken very seriously because I was "a kid". I know it only gets harder as you go and you need your classmates to help you through it. Is this the case with grad school, or were you mostly on your own? Did anyone have a hard time making friends in CRNA school like I did for my RN? I don't want to feel or be treated like because I don't have kids and a mortgage I am not serious about my career. How open is the job market? I know new grads in my area (STL, MO) have very little trouble getting jobs. With specialization though, I would worry that I would get this degree and find out it is not in demand. I am willing to relocate pretty much anywhere but I dont want to uproot myself if I dont have to. How do you like your job? Are you treated well? Do you get hands on patient time or is it mostly bureacractic office nonsense you deal with. For those of you who were RN's first, do you miss it? What are the pros and cons of your profession? And last but certainly not least, is it worth it? Is all the school and frustration and hardwork worth the trouble. I know people who get PhD's and hate their job and thats not for me. I have only made it to my RN and I wont say that it was easy, but I know people say it is terrible. I didn't think so, and so I want to move on until I just can't do it anymore or I hit the roof and have nowhere to go. :wink2: And I want to hear from someone who does it everyday tell me that they love it (and why). I know why I went into nursing, and I know why I want to be a CRNA. What parts of the job are most gratifying/satisfying to you? Thank you in advance for your time and expertise!

This may seem like a crazy question, but does that mean if say I graduate in 2015, that I will need my DNAP down the road? A lot of programs and hospitals require ongoing education. Does this mean we will need to get it, or that we will be "grandfathered" in? Also, how often do you have to recertify? And when you do so, what does that entail? I may point out that there simply ISNT a school within 3 states of me (MO) that offers a DNAP. You can get your CRNA and then get a DSNP or DSNR, but I dont think I've ever even SEEN a school that offers a DNAP. Does anyone know of such a facility? I had a hard enough time finding a CRNA grad school that was widely accredited much less finding one that offers a doctorate in it.

Hi, I don't mean to thread snatch, but I am hoping to be a CRNA someday (probably 2 years) down the road. I am starting to look into how to pay for it. My school (the only one in MO) is about 40k before fees. I am probably looking at 45k after everything is said and done, judging by their fee list. I am wondering how you would suggest paying for such an endeavor, and what I should expect to make when I graduate. If I make what they say I'll make (100k+) I would think I would be able to pay off my school in the first year, no problem. I only make about 20k now, and I dont even live as frugally as I once had. Is thinking I can pay it off in a year naive? Or has someone else done what I hope to. I can't hope to save up enough money to pay for it outright, like some people do, so loans will be my only choice. I am only an RN now, I have another year for my BSN and then one year in acute/critical care to fulfill my req for CRNA school. Am I worrying prematurely? I have heard that taking these offers from hospitals is often a bad idea, one person going so far as to call it "indentured slavery". I know people who did similar things for their BSN and say that it worked out fine. I would appreciate any help.

i am a nursing student at sccc in my 3rd year (2yrs prereq, starting nursing) and i hope to get my bsn soon after my asn. i originally wanted to be a nurse after i was nearly fatally wounded (crushed, to be precise) in an atv accident when i was 15. i was helicoptered to childrens and recieved nothing but terrible nursing care. the doctors were rude, the nurses were rude, and they all treated me very poorly. i was 15, bleeding internally, had tubes running out of every part of my body, cracked ribs, my leg was completely smashed, my skull was cracked, and these women ranged from bored to snooty to down right nasty. i had three surgeries and discovered that i had reached my insurance cap. i was told i would never walk again. that most likely my poor crushed leg would be amputated and then the nurse asked me if i thought i'd need juice or "if i could live with water" to take my (7,000th) pill. i cried for a whole day. you're probably thinking i am insane for wanting to be a nurse. my parents were broke and the insurance was kaput. i still would need 2 surgeries and major therapy before i could walk, if i could ever walk. that was when my parents were contacted by a social worker and i was sent to shriners hospital for children. i had my two surgeries and all my physical therapy there. the first night i was there, one of the nurses came in, her name was debbie, and she asked me if i needed anything at all or if i wanted to talk. i broke down crying. i had never been hurt before in my life and all the other nurses had been so crass and mean to me. and here was this woman, just seeing if i needed someone to talk to. i decided when i left there that i needed to be a nurse to help people feel like debbie made me feel, like someone on the staff cared what happened to me and how i felt. that was just the start of the terrific nursing care i would recieve while i was there. not to mention the physical therapists! wonderful. the reason i posted this (longwinded i know) is to perhaps find debbie and i know thats a long shot. or even better, find out if anyone works for shriners and if it would possible for me to work there when i graduate. do they hire new grads? is employment competitive? i haven't heard anything about shriners on here, but i have to assume that someone must work there, or know something that could help me. i have another whole year to look into it, but everyone seems pretty knowledgable here, so i figured it couldn't hurt to try.