MollyS

Actually, I am an SRNA and it is not true of all places that the rate you sign on at is the one you are stuck with. The hospital I signed with has had salary increases and I will get those as well. My biggest word of advice, don't sign on too quickly, wait until you have had a few clinical rotations so you can compare pros and cons. Good luck

I am in my senior year currently and it seems that the people who have made the wisest decisions are those that know what kind of a clinical environment they are getting themselves into. If you are looking for job satisfaction than that should be your focus, most places offer some kind of sign-on or incentive. So before you sign on somewhere I would make sure you like the site first. I did not sign on at the hospital I worked at because I had worked in the OR there and compared to the hospitals I have done my clinical rotations at the "team" environment at that hospital was rotten.

Advice that I can give you is to know (obviously) that you are competing with the cream of the crop (as I am sure you are too!). What things can make you stand out? It sounds like you are going in the right direction. Experience is a very strong asset. I am a former Abbott employee who is now in school. I did not get in on my first try. I looked at my strengths and weaknesses. My second attempt I added experience as a charge nurse, preceptor, added more educational experiences via critical care seminars, etc. involvement in my professional organizations. I also made sure they knew I was working full time. It is definitely a complete package that schools seam to look for which includes a personality that will fit in with the school. I hope this helps you. Good luck, I know it is the best decision I have ever made!

Thanks for clearing things up...it's easy to get hung up on words and being a kinetic learner I know this gumbo of info will congeal when I can put things into a real context

I think my brain is turning to mush, I have been reviewing my MAC lecture and cannot quite put the concept together. I am sure someone can help My understanding is that Meyer-Overton Rule says: Anesthetic potency correlates directly with lipid solubility. MAC measures anesthetic potency. The MAC value is inversely proportional to its potency. So when we say Methoxyflurane is the most potent inhalational agent we are talking about this in terms of solubility in the blood (blood:gas partition coefficient) and insolubility in lipid? So if I look at Methoxyflurane and correlate it with the Meyer-overton Rule it is saying that it has low potency because it is not very lipid soluble? I am confused because I would think that if I go by the Meyer-overtin theory then Methoxyflurane would have low potency and desflurane would have high potency due to its high solubility in lipid. Where am I getting screwed up here?

Thank you,jwk, for educating me about the role of an AA. I do appreciate it. :wink2:

As a nurse who worked in the OR for about a year and a half, I don't think I ever saw the AA do anything more than bring supplies to the OR rooms and change tubing, etc. I was quite ignorant as to their purpose. I still am not sure exactly what they do here in the larger MN hospitals. I don't think the hospital I work at now utilizes the services of the AA. As I am a professional, I do believe in being respectful to others and to learn. Being a staunch supporter (and 3 weeks away from being an SRNA) of the CRNA practice, I think that the reason the profession has maintained its strength is obviously its history, and the unity of the individuals involved. When I read an earlier link that was part of a student MD forum I realized how angry I became listening to the cocky MD student fighting with the nurse who was in on the thread. After hearing his/her retarded rebuttals about his/her quest for money and power I realized that that was his/her purpose and he/she was obviously an ignorant individual. I sometimes find the more inciteful comments interesting but ultimately it comes down to plain old respect.

One of the many reasons that I chose to start on the path (starting August 05) to becoming a CRNA is due to the fact that there is that great solidarity and strength that has greatly escaped some of the other nursing specialties. Not that I think it is fabulous that nurses always have to fight for respect and justify what we do. It would be awesome if so many other areas of nursing were as politically motivated. I do, and will continue to, keep my watchdog eye on what is happening and will be happy to go to bat for my profession.

Interviewed in 2003 at MSA in MN and was alternate. Reinterviewed in 2004 and will start this August 2005. I haven't seen anyone else post from MSA. Anyone else out there starting this fall? Good luck everyone!

I will be an SRNA in August but I just have to tell you that I am expecting all of that because I trained to be an OR nurse for 5 months and it was enough to drive me completely mad. Except not only was it CRNA's, it was surgeons, scrub tech's, other circs. You name it every single person had their way and I just came to realize that there is no way around it listen, do, develop your own technique,and ultimately try not to tear your hair out. I know that doesn't answer your question but it just reminded me of the environment I am returning too. The OR in particular is the most unique environment and with it comes "unique personalties" and ways for doing everything.

Thanks again, apaisRN. I think I am going to look into doing that course too! I really want to be a little more up to date on my chem.

Thanks apaisRN! Will definitely keep in touch. I am in the same boat except my chem was 3 years ago. I keep pondering taking org. chem online as well. I feel like I am having a mental mind war with myself....follow advice and relax..brush up on chem..Where are you taking the online chem? Good luck and keep me updated

Thank you for the tips, it really helps to visualize what will be studied so I can at least think about what I know and maybe where I will have a harder time. Thanks!

Thanks for the tip. I went to the AANA bookstore site and I am not sure which book it was that you were talking about. Do you know the title? Thanks!

Okay, now that I've gotten in and I am beyond excited to start my classes in the fall, I am also nervous at the same time. I am taking the advice from my previous post and I am going to take it easy until school starts. However, I wonder if you guys can give me a little heads up on what your didactic portions were like when you started your program. I mean how does your chemistry, etc. tie into everything. I can see knowing gas law equations and having a solid fundamental knowledge of chemical principles but I guess I just have that apprehension from not knowing. Are there chem labs? Are you balancing chem equations? I know all programs are different but the curiosity is driving me crazy!

Just wondering if anyone has some advice about what to study up on before starting school in the fall. My last chem class was two years ago and I am still working in ICU. Any specific ideas would be appreciated. Also, any opinions on whether a laptop is a must. I have a desktop but it is shared. Thanks! :)

I just found out that I was granted an interview for this year with MSA! My problem is that last year I was so nervous and to tell the truth it was a very laid back interview style that I wasn't prepared for. The big question was, Do you have any questions for us? I had my rote questions ready and questions about their program but then I couldn't think of anything else to ask. 1) I worked in the OR 2) I have had many shadow opportunities. I didn't want to ask any dumb questions that would make them think hmmm! this person has worked in an OR and is asking about this topic! I spent a lot of time with the CRNA's asking boatloads of questions, I have read articles. I am stumped with what kind of questions to discuss! Any help or suggestions would be really appreciated! :)

Thank you Roland, and everyone else for their great ideas and moral support. I know I am not the first person to go through this and I hope that someday I will be able to be on the other side of this issue helping someone else out!!!! This site is awesome!!!!

has anyone out there been rejected more than three times and can anyone give me some hope that they have gotten in after two years of applying? I have gotten my first reject letter after spending months on this app, they even required a high school transcript. It is MSA in Mpls and the one I thought I had the best chance of getting into. I can't even apply out of state because right now we can't move. Should I reapply to this school in the fall? I have my app in at 2 other schools now but I don't think my chances are any better with them. I am so sad and bummed that my dream is not coming true after all t he had work and everything i've gone through to get this far.....Big time bummed out

I interviewed at MSA in Minneapolis. They accept 33 students and are interviewing 100 applicants. I have my application in at St. Mary's also but they don't let you know if you get an interview until May. Has anyone experienced any other program requiring a high school transcript?

I worked as a urology/general surgery nurse in the OR and the surgeons that were rude were the ones who were unsure of their skills/had poor patient outcomes, or were the ones who had been getting the royalty treatment for years and thought they were Gods. 80% of them were nice once they got to know you and realized you wouldn't put up with being treated like a sub-human being:)

I had my interview a few days ago...am now waiting until mid february for results. The interview was not what I was expecting. As I have changed positions a few times, I have gone through a couple interviews. All of these interviews incorporated difficult questions and behavioral interviewing techniques. I went through as many websites, researched my answers and really prepared myself. When I got to the interview all they asked me to do was to describe myself and then asked me if I had any questions for them. The second interviewer did the same. I came with about 7 or 8 questions for them but they seemed to really want me to ask more questions. Since I had worked in the OR and spent a lot of time with CRNA's, I really knew a lot about the role and I felt I had to make up some pretty dumb questions to pass the time. I don't think I told them as much as I wanted to get through about myself because I thought they would ask me more questions. The only other thing was they told me that I needed to pick up more ICU hours and suggested that I increase my hours. I have followed their advice, however I can't pick up full time because I have a second job that Ihave been at for 5 years and am just 6 months short of being vested with my pension. I did not explain this to them because I didn't want to sound like I didn't want to sacrifice to get in. Combined, I habve been working 55-60 hours per week at both jobs for over a year. Do you think that this will decrease mychances since I am not committing to full time in the ICU? I will be getting about 100-110 hours a month in the ICU. Help!!