MsHazel

You can do it for sure. There are people in NS that don't work or have kids and drop or fail out, and others that have three kids and work full time, so it's all a matter of how bad you want it, the perspective you put your unique situation in, and prioritizing your time. My NS friends who work in hospitals say that the nurses help them with some of there homework and that some nights they even have time to do homework on their shift when it's slow (CNA's). Like the other reply said, it's only 2 years, it will pass by whether you are struggling or not, so make the most of it. This is coming from a single NS mother who works at a restaurant. Good job on working so hard for your future, it will pay off!

Good luck to you both!

Thank you so much for the great post, that is what I was hoping for, not just an ill informed "no". I saw something similar to that before but was not sure if I was understanding it correctly. Anyway, for everyone who wants to know ... I looked into it by searching what "post grad crna program" and found that if you get your MSN or just MS before going to CRNA school then some or many of your core credits will transfer, many students who did this posted in forums that I have been reading that it made it much easier to not have to get off of a rigorous clinical and then have to drive straight to a University to take a 3 hour pharm class ... or some other class, and that they were able to work while they were getting their MSN, so it was worth it to them. But they warned to make sure that you talked to the CRNA schools in which you will be applying to see what will transfer, as every program differs. Even if you have to take something again, it won't be so hard the second time around. I will post more information I find here if someone would like me too.

Here's my two cents about what works for me. I find it very effective to go over several topics or facts and then review them while applying them to the nursing process, then write the topic down on a piece of paper with no other information, then look at the topic name and state everything I needed to know about it a few minutes later, that way, if I could derive it completely from my memory with no que at one point in time then I could definitely pick it out of answer choices on an exam. I only had to review one other time. Note cards were great for me in A&P and micro, but in NS with a job and a 3 year old it became more time consuming then anything. Recording lectures seemed to waste my time also because it took time away from reading the text book and doing practice NCLEX questions relative to what I was learning. I study in an atmosphere similar our exam lab to relieve anxiety and it helps a lot. And like RB2000 said, location location location ... if you aren't comfortable and focused where you are studying, you are wasting your time. Good luck!

I live in Houston. Your program is shorter than mine so we will be graduating at the same time. I am also an aspiring CRNA. I posted a question similar to something you just mentioned, about getting a masters first, before the program, and no one seems to think there is any reason for me to do that. But, I had someone tell me at work that their sister got her masters first and it shortened the amount of time she was in nurse anesthesia school because she was able to take some of the same classes while getting her masters, hm. Well, I'm confused, lol. I'd like to talk to you more about it if you don't mind. Maybe we can share some research about it or something.

No, actually, the NCLEX has a specific department dedicated to meeting any special needs a test taker may have, but they must contact them within a certain time frame before the exam. You can find some good information in the Saunders NCLEX book in the beginning pages. And yes, she has went through much tutoring for her condition but this may be as good as it gets for her, she cannot read because she has some form of dyslexia, she can identify some words but definitely not long medical terms. I am not sure what this is going to mean to her future or how many other cases there has been, but I'm sure if there is a NCLEX department for it then it has happened before. I do not know her to well, but I am her note taker in school and she is very sharp despite her inability to read. I would trust her as my nurse as long as someone could read her my chart and help her document correctly, much more than I can say for most of the students in the program that I would never let lay a finger on me or someone I know, lol.

Absolutely! It's wonderful. Yes, it's hard, but really, I was so busy that I forgot how hard it was until my holiday break. Do you know what I mean? 7 people dropped/failed out so far out of 75, but they were complainers and I think that they got caught up in the little things. I'm really nice to my professors, believe me, if you just do what they ask you to then it will make school a lot less stressful, like them or not. I'm a single mother with a full time job, it can be done if you just put it into the right perspective and just do what you have to do and remember that it will be over with before you know it. How are you? I remember how stressed I was before I started, especially when I was waiting on my acceptance letter, gosh, pins and needles for 2 months. Where do you live?

Our program is 75.00 or above, rounded to the hundredths as well. Also, keep in mind that you must have a good GPA for advanced nursing degrees. I didn't find a recorder helpful, most of what we are tested on in my school comes from what we read from our text, so listening to the lecture again waste the valuable little bit of time we have to read and reread the material and just write down anything that is important. If I were you I would get a cheap one first and see if it is helpful before investing in one $70 or more. Also, it is law (according to our professors) that you must have the permission of the entire class and faculty before anyone can record any lectures or tutoring every time we want to record, so just a heads up.

Wow, that is very new to me. Hm, I assume because they don't want you going home with germs. Learn something new every day. A little research and I found that it is true at some facilities, I've never worked or had a clinical somewhere that did that, or even heard of it in my area. Anyhow, I think uniforms should be color coordinated according to one's position in a hospital, but that the style should not be restricted--one color, but any style. Makes it easier for the clients and the staff.

Pardon my awe, but ... Wash your laundry for you? Really? Do you actually know a hospital that does your chores?

Relax? Yes, but you can relax and still read ahead. Based on my school this is my advice. I would begin to read the highlights of the text for you entire first semester, maybe learn how to do a care plan early, or a head-to-toe assessment. There is math in the first semester, but truly, it's not hard if you use the method they teach you, this is coming from a not so good math student. Maybe start memorizing some pharmacology, I don't think learning terminology would benefit you to much because it tends not to be to important your first semester, you can just learn it as you go. But yes, reading ahead will be very very useful to you and you won't regret it, people who don't, well, maybe they operate that way, but I would rather take some load off myself in the program then rest and have to cram all that information, I never regretted studying ahead and I am still doing it now. I have the rest of my life to rest ... once the degree is in my hand.

I am in nursing school now and am friends with a student who cannot read. She visited with the program director and faculty long before the program and explained her situation and they worked out a way to get around it. She receives enough help from the program to get the grades she deserves and even receives all of the text books online and has a program that reads it to her. Our application gave us an opportunity to write something additional about ourselves, if yours has such a thing then I would write your unique situation there, and yes, it will make a difference to most schools if the are informed. If it doesn't, then my advice is to find another school and file a complaint on the other, it is there job to help everyone have the tools they need to succeed. Good luck and God Bless

Thank you everyone for your responses. I am sorry if I worried some of you with my post, I need to clarify. I didn't mean to post that I am looking for a short cut or fast track and do not believe they should be of such nonsense, simply a way to take some of the classes before the program to ease and shorten the load and still obtain the equivalent training, I believe that is what the woman was telling me her sister did--I hate it when someone tells me something like this and then I do not have an opportunity to follow up with them . 'litchi' brought up a good point and I looked into that link posted, it was very useful and your school uses a system that makes it easy to navigate their site and get exactly the answers one is looking for if the topic is covered on their site, I cannot say that for the list of school sites I already have, so thank you. Thank you RB2000 for your response. I have done much research on the subject, this site and many others. No, I do not have my masters, and I bet you're right that it may not make since to get it first, before a masters program. JoPACURN, I have done much research on the subject beyond lists of CRNA schools and am using this post as an attempt to further that, but thank you. Qwiigley, an extra year would be a headache, but I can't say it's a bad idea, lol, considering the profession. I have done much research on this subject, here and all over the world of the net, please don't feel the need to school me on the need to research, however, thank you. I am using this post as an attempt to retrieve information from people who may have ways of obtaining detailed information that I do not or have not thought of. I am going through the program, whether it remains on average a 2 1/2 year length program or extends to 4, I just want to explore all of my options before hand, a better informed person makes better informed decisions.

Forgive my first sarcastic response, I guess what I should have said is that fortunately for the posters taking time out of their busy schedule to help me become informed, I have done much research on many schools regarding this subject before posting here and am not planning on trying to get answers I can easily find on my own, that would just be down right lazy and a waste of time. And yes, God help us if there were a way to get through anesthetist school in one year without have taken the removed courses before hand, I wouldn't want to be the patient of that provider of care either.

Thank you for your post on how to utilize Google, I will be sure to use that next time I am adding information to my CRNA database I have built up before posting here for additional information that some may have access to that I do not.