Dangerfish

Well first off, you need to become an RN. Doesnt really matter where you do that. An RN is an RN. Then you must get experience. You need critical care experience. Floor nursing wont cut it. Ideally, you will go to work in a busy ICU and get as much experience as you can. The minimum is 1yr but I would think most folks have at least 2 years. Once you have the experience to prepare you to enter CRNA school, you can apply to the program of your choice. I wouldnt worry about what degree they offer unless it matters to you. If you go to a school that offers an MSN it is within a school of nursing, then be prepared to do some research. Regardless of which school you go to, you will graduate with a Masters degree and you will be prepared to practice anesthesia.

I would hesitate to take a rural position right out of school. I think you still have a lot to learn at that point (I know I did) and working in a larger facility can get you the kind of experience you need to go work solo in a rural area. I did have a friend that took a rural position right out of school but she had a really strenuous clinical phase and was probably a lot more experienced coming out of school than I was.

I personally dont give muscle relaxants if I am planning on using an LMA. If I think I will need them, then I will place an ETT. That being said, I dont really see anything wrong with it so long as the patient is NPO and not obese. My business partner will frequently do her abdominoplasty's with an LMA. For those cases, the surgeon really only needs relaxation when they tighten the muscles so she will give just a small dose of Roc for that portion of the case.