chaskirst

You seem to be intelligent, disciplined, and motivated... so I find it hard to believe that your GRE score could be below 1000. But if you sincerely gave your 100% x2 on the GRE, I say don't bother taking it again. The good schools look at the whole package. Admissions committees will choose a balanced hard worker over someone lazy who can take tests well. Your grades, experience, certifications, and articulate application will gain you enough interest for interviews. Best of luck.

I'm moving to Pittsburgh in August and am looking for a job for my wife who does neonatal ICU. Which agencies are most liked in PA/Pittsburgh and professional to work with? Are agency nurses used very often? Thanks to those who responded to my other thread. Charles

I will be a student at the University of Pittsburgh in August and am looking for jobs in Pittsburgh for my wife. I found NICUs at Magee, Mercy, Western Penn, Allegheny General, and Childrens. We're looking to move to the northern subs (traffic I heard is terrible from the south). Any opinions on these hospitals? Anyone working in any of the NICU's? Thanks for the info. Charles

This question continues to surface, I have linked a previous discussion, and there are many other past threads regarding it. https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101735

Maxs, It seems we both made assumption about the original poster. Maybe you thought he had no previous college education while I thought he already had a BA and possibly even an ADN. Obviously four years is more appealing than six years. In your scenario, getting the BSN would be the less complicated path. My point was to answer with some explanation his original question of; is a BSN necessary to become a CRNA. If someone didn't have a college degree and was starting fresh, I would still tell him/her to get the ADN first. One year of prerequisites (as previously posted), two years for the ADN, the fourth year working in an ICU and completing a BSN program (which is paid by the employing hospital).

I agree Kevin that last post was something to get the mind around, too slippery. I also want to throw my thoughts in this BSN/RN discussion and highlight something I've only briefly seen here. I believe the BSN can be overrated. It does provide a strong undergraduate curriculum for a young student who is going to college immediately after high school. It may cumulatively even teach them how to make logical arguments, write, research, and improve interpersonal skills. But the BSN is evolving as many of us know. It is becoming less the formal four year degree and options for attaining it are multiplying. I believe this is the case for two reasons. First, the community colleges are doing an excellent job of training a large percentage of our nurses. They often have nursing instructors who maintain hands on experience in the clinical arena. These instructors often do not have the expectations for research or writing that university based instructors do and consequently can give a great deal of face time to their students. The community college option also cuts away the "fat" off a BSN degree. Thus a mature adult can enter into the profession quicker than having to apply and complete a BSN program, not to mention it is often cheaper. The second reason has to do with the type of person attending these community colleges. I concede that the quality of students attending community colleges may fall within a broader continuum but it is those students that fall in the top half to which I am referring. Often these student are older, they have previous college education, professional and life experiences, etc. They have learned in their previous careers how to work in groups, how to write an essay, make presentations, and have gone to conferences about leadership, education, or ethics. This is why CRNA programs are increasingly (and the profession of nursing as a whole) becoming more progressive in their admissions criteria and open to diverse candidates. I believe because of my past education (all of which except my ADN was in non-science fields) and experience, I was accepted by multiple schools which did not require a BSN. In fact I know Gonzaga, TWU, TCU, MSA, U of Pitt, Rush, and Newman all accept applications from non BSN trained nurses. Now I am unsure how each school calculates the absence of a BSN but all the schools I contacted assured me they believe that a community college graduate can be equally adept if not at times clinically more competent . Spending another year and more money to attain something which I thought would have been for me redundant was not an option. So if you are looking to become a CRNA and do not have a BSN, contact the schools you are interested in. If you have a passion for physiology, like science, honed your skills at a busy and high acuity hospital, embraced continuing education, the absence of a BSN will be a footnote.

I think the question has to do with a choice. Ofcourse it is beneficial for ICU nurses to know how to work with a balloon pump. My anicdotal experience is that few nurses accepted into CRNA programs are proficient at pumps. If you are limited in time, the CCRN exam is I believe more recognized as an asset to your application. It gives the admissions committee a measurable evaluation of your intensive care skills, thus the reason several schools request it specifically. It is more comprehensive and a good review for possible topics covered during clinical portions of your interview. So if you had to make a choice, CCRN.

Hello past, present, and future CRNA peers. I will be attending Pittsburgh in August and am thrilled that my name is followed by those four coveted letters, SRNA. I am also thankful for others who have shared their stories on this board and look forward to helping others who will come after. My request concerns graduate nursing classes that I can take now in order to transfer into my program. I have copied a description of the classes I may take. Are you aware of any school/class that may fulfill these requriements, is cheap, and can be taken on-line. Thanks for your help. NUR 2003: Health Promotion (2 cr.) Health promotion and disease prevention are examined from theoretical foundations to clinical applications. Epidemiological principles are discussed as a basis for focusing health promotion activities and designing interventions. The impact of biology, environment, behavior, nutrition, spirituality, stress and critical life events are explored in a variety of settings. Current research in health promotion is used as the basis for identifying appropriate interventions. NUR 2004: Pathophysiology (4 cr.) This course is designed to provide the student with a comprehensive theoretical foundation of the phenomena that produce alterations in human physiologic function across the life span. Information gained in this course will prepare the student for subsequent courses related to the diagnosis and management of disease processes associated with pathophysiologic dysfunction alterations. PHARM 2002: Concepts of Pharmacology (3 cr.) Course is designed primarily for graduate students in the health care sciences who require an appreciation of pharmacology in their careers. The one term course defines basic principles of drug action, drug disposition and pharmacokinetics. Specific areas of discussion include central nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and endocrine pharmacology.

A thread was started several months ago by Trauma Tom that was very encouraging to those of us involved in the interview process, waiting for schools to accept us. I wanted to write to another group who may be in the shadows... those receiving rejection letters. Last year I applied to three schools and received two interviews but was turned down by both schools. I learned a great deal; what questions are asked, how to present myself, the demands of anesthesia education, and maybe most importantly.. the existance of allnurses.com. Obviously I was dissapointed that my goal to becoming a CRNA had been delayed by yet another year. So in the following nine months, I took a chemistry and graduate physiology class, increased my GRE scores, pass the CCRN, requested additional reference letters, and got involved in projects on my unit. This year I applied to six schools, went to four interviews, and got accepted by all four schools. What I want to tell my fellow applicants is that your destiny is primarily in your hands. Getting into graduate school is somewhat mechanical. There are predictable hoops to jump through which educators have determined best prepares one for such training. But it is also work. And as we teach my kids, ardues non malus est (latin: hard is not bad). So if you received one of those painful letters, I am sorry that your dreams have been delayed... one year. Reflect on how realistic CRNA career is for you. Take this time to do the things illustrated on this board (by many others) to make your application more competitive. Enjoy more time with family and friends. Then apply again. I wish you the best.