Cabgman

What your proposing isn't impossible but what's the rush? - have you contracted some sort of CA that limits your time on earth? Just focus on passing your classes, pass your boards and build a solid ICU experience. Every single CRNA that I know and will ever know is a planner just like you. We all possess the type A personality - it's our nature. My advice to you is take small steps, excel with every step and before you know it you'll be a CRNA. Please believe me that time and experience are your friends in this field! Hopefully, I make some sense. If not, PM me and Ill write you an rx for bicitra, a ppi, and a H2 blocker for the ulcer that your going to contract.

Before leaving to TX for CRNA school, I worked CVICU in Denver for 5 years and from what I observed the Denver market for CRNA's isnt the greatest. MDA's have a pretty tight grip on the city. The CRNA's that are employed are relegated to OB and minors. Im not sure about the other areas of Colorado but Im sure the opportunities are better the further out you are from the big cities. MDAs are making 250-300K there so I would think that CRNAs are at best making 120-140K in the Denver area.

I first stated with a BS in Bio then used that to get into a 1 yr accelerated BSN program. I think a BS in a pure science like chemistry, biology, or physics lays a solid foundation for a BSN and later CRNA school. If I could redo my 1st undergrad degree I would have instead majored in Physiology and minored in chemistry. Its a lot of schooling but the CRNA's that I know are typically 'students for life' ie he or she is always figuring out ways to advance his or her knowledge. CRNA school is tough but not impossible.

I tore my ACL playing basketball, had the ACL reconstruction using the middle 3rd of my patellar tendon and its actually now more stable than my unaffected knee. My downfall was the time between the initial insult and repair which was about 2 months where I lost a lot of muscle mass from atrophy. Surgical recovery lasted a week with weight bearing occuring the day after surgery. You will be on crutches for 3-4 days postop and shortly thereafter you should start rehab which for me lasted another 4 months. Its been nearly 3 years since Ive had my ACL reconstruction and I still havent gained back the muscle mass to the affected leg. Unfortunately a cutaneous nerve was cut with the midline incision to access the graft and now the end of that cutaneous nerve is imbedded in scar tissue. As a result I end up guarding my reconstructed knee as i flex the knee with stairclimbing and running. Do i regret having the repair? Nope not one bit because it brought back full functionality to the knee when before it would buckle even with the slightest internal rotation of the knee. If you decide to go with the surgery, plan for at least a week off. I dont think your clinical staff will allow you to practice anyway especially if you have an analgesic like percocet on board.

US Army Graduate Nurse Anesthesia Program, Fort Sam Houston Texas

Good Luck with your interview! I interviewed and KUMC last year. Staff was very nice. Interview was pretty straight forward. Your meeting is with 2 faculty CRNA's, 2 Academic instructors and an MDA. They review your CV and grades. They give you a set of hemodynamic numbers and from there you must decide and explain what kind of vasopressors or vasodilators you would provide to your patient. A 15 minute interview followed by a tour of the school - thats it! I didnt get into KUMC last year. . . letter read something like . . . although your were highly qualified, you were not selected for a seat. No big deal, because I got into another CRNA program. So, I guess the moral of the story is dont apply to just one school or at least pin your hopes on one school because your setting yourself up for failure. Apply to several schools and just pray that you get in.

Thanks for the insight! I stand corrected humbled by your knowledge. We just received a portion of this lecture in class this week.

One would want to use a drug that antagonizes the alpha 2 receptor located on the presynaptic nerve terminal because it is this receptor that will ultimately lead to a release of presynaptic Ca++. The Ca++ then mediates as a second messenger to release NE to sustain the patient after the tumor is removed thus preventing cardiovascular collapse related to decreased levels of circulating catecholamines.

Open Heart surgery (OHS) recovery is a specialized type of PACU recovery! At the civilian hospital where I was employed prior to joining the Army's CRNA program, the OHS nurse recovered the patient - there wasnt a PACU nurse assigned to that patient. Developing the ability to manage and recover your OHS patient then shift gears to provide a continuum of care is the key to being the OHS nurse. I believe all SRNAs should train at this level because it is at this level that the unexpected can and will most likely to occur. How well you respond to a crisis and the time frame during which you recall and execute your mental algorhythm determines the outcome of your patient. So to those of you that got into CRNA with one year of experience - I commend you! To be working at that level is such is short period of time is to me is just amazing! Personally, it took me 4 years. To those who are aspiring to become a CRNA and are just starting out - well, its great that you have aspirations but just remember those nursing skills need to be well developed by the time you sit for your first CRNA class. Just an Army SRNA Hooah! sorry, its an Army thing!

Would you consider joining the military (i.e. US Army)? Applying to the military's CRNA program may be the option for you - assuming your in good physical condition. Tuition, off post housing, and a salary is provided by your Uncle Sam. Whats the catch? 4.5 yrs of active duty payback time which may include trips to vacation hotspots all over the world - the most popular lately a resort located between the Tigis and Euphrates river! - And NO the place is no longer called Mesopotamia.

Personally, I would recommend that any CRNA prospective go into a Cardiothoracic ICU. Once there learn and try to manage as many CV cases as possible i.e heart bipass and valves. I am sure a MICU may have patients suffering from ARDS, DIC and sepsis which I believe is a nice break from the CV cases. But to be honest you need to seek out the cases that have gtt titrations and learn how to successfully manage that unstable patient that can code at any second. Run those codes blues and push the drugs according the ACLS algo because as a future CRNA, your going to be the team leader and go to person when your patient finally decides to crash in the middle of a case. So developing that ability to cope in high stress situations and formulating a plan to stabilize your patient is your biggest priority. Once you can develop that kind of confidence and find yourself not being challenged by your unstable hearts then your truly ready for the next step - CRNA school. LT CABGMAN USAR SRNA starting 2004-Jun