hulk

It is all relative. Single SRNAs are lonely and feel like a third wheel with the married couples. Married couples worry about not spending enough time with the spouse and kids. Here is another perspective---try doing it while being married and not being able to be with your spouse. My wife lives over 6 hours away and i rarely get to see her. So, I now become the third wheel to other married couples and feel uncomfortable doing the whole clubbing/dancing thing with the single students. I will say that I am blessed to have a loving, supportive wife who is handling things away from me the best she can. Nightly calls, web-video emails, and frequent cards and brief notes of my adoration probrably help sate this need for attention that was mentioned earlier. At any rate, I agree it would be hard going through it single in some programs. My program is one of the largest in the country, though, so there are plenty of other singles to do things with if you do not have that serious someone. I think it all depends on the program. In mine, I think it is tough for the married student who lives away from their spouse and doesn't get to see them much. Again, everything is relative.

I am currently a student in TCU's program. Although new, the program is run and has been set up by people who have been involved with nursing schools of anesthesia for many years. The professors are very helpful and the administration of the school seems to go out of their way to make sure you do what you need to do to succeed and learn. It is a front loaded program, so the vast majority of the classroom work is in the first year, with the last 16 months being dedicated to the residency (clinical) side of it. I have only been here since August, but i love it. I have studied more in the last month than I did for my entire Bachelor's program. There is just tons of information given to you. At any rate, I recommend TCU's program to anyone thinking about coming here. Tuition is the same for in and out of state. For my class, I believe everyone is paying 11,000 this semester and next with reduced amounts for the summer and clinical portion. If you need additional info or want more details about things, just pm me and I'll be happy to help.

Depends on the program. Many people in my current program have only had basic chemistry and no exposure to organic. Anyway, I earned a 'B' in my organic class and was accepted to both schools where I applied.

tcu's crna program is 11,000 per semester for the first couple of semesters, and then it gets cheaper once the main didactic portion is complete.

I say go for it. I went straight to icu out of school. I had not even worked as a tech anywhere first. I just knew that the icu looked more interesting and that I thought if I really liked it, it would give me a better idea of whether crna school would be a possibility. When I started in the icu, I truly didn't know squat but the theory, etc. I had learned in school. Now, a few years later, and I start crna school this August. I agree with the other posts about good preceptors making all the difference. I had a few that had the old "sink or swim" way of doing things and, luckily, I had a few preceptors that genuinely took an interest in showing me the ropes. I have been a preceptor for a couple of years now, and I always encourage new nurses to come to the icu if they are interested. In my experience, I would rather teach a new nurse who is scared to death and admits they don't know what the heck is going on than work with a nurse who is new to icu and thinks they know everything. Whether a new graduate or a floor nurse transfering to the icu for the first time, I believe the key to success is admitting to yourself and your co-workers, "I need help". Unfortunately, there will always be nurses who hate new grads in the icu and will tell you so at every opportunity. Too many nurses are stuck in the mind frame that if a new nurse doesn't go through the same hell and follow the same route to the icu that they did, they will not be learning as much or be as good a nurse. Ridiculous! Every person is different-this is true whether doctor or nurse, and different people need different styles of teaching, experience, etc. to bring out their potential. I cringe when at three in the morning, here comes the poor resident, dragging themselves to the icu in the midst of a 36 hr stretch. The mentality of "we did it so you should do it" should have been retired long ago. Generally speaking, with physicians it is the long hours during residency. With nurses, it is many things, among them "new nurses do not belong in the icu". I say with the right support and attitude, new graduates can easily succeed in even the busiest icu (I did). So, to sum up, if you really want it, do it. Go in with the right attitude. Admit that you don't know much, but are desperate to learn. Good luck!

ltk007, I plan on going to fort worth after the 4th of july and renting a place to live. Then I'll move down a week or two before school starts to kind of get a feel for the area. You?

ltk007, I plan on going to fort worth after the 4th of july and renting a place to live. Then I'll move down a week or two before school starts to kind of get a feel for the area. You?

TCU in Fort Worth, Texas

i, also, feel like maybe i slipped in by accident. i have 5+ years of icu experience, but still worry that i will be the "dumb" one in the class. i won't even go into the financial worries. however, whether i deserve it or not, i will be in a program come august and in the end i will be a crna--i just have to stay focused on that.

i'm at work right now, but i will pm you all the info on both in the next couple of days. i was accepted into both and can give you a good rundown of some of the differences.

hey blood, I will also be going to TCU this fall. Right now I'm just trying to figure out how much extra money to borrow over what the gov. is lending me. Obviously need extra to cover remainder of tuition, books, etc.-just trying to decide how much to borrow for rent, living expenses,etc. Probrably will be going down the first part of June to try to find a pad close to campus to live. Other than that, I am just counting the days until I will quit at work.

The only book I used was the Pass CCRN by Robin Dennison. It is a great book. I did not go to any reviews right before I took the test, but it would be a great idea to do so. There is a lot of material out there (books, tapes, reviews) that are designed to help you pass, but if you can only afford one book or one thing to help you learn the stuff, I used the Pass CCRN book and I did, indeed, pass. My advice is to saturate yourself in the ccrn material. If you can read quick snatches of stuff at work, then do so. Study in your spare time. Study right before bed. Anything that you think may help you as you know what type of studying will work for you better than anyone else. Good luck!

congratulations! look forward to meeting you in the fall!

congrats! I will also be going to TCU this fall. See you there!

so is your class at tcu a pretty close group? occasionally go out together, etc? i've been wondering if being in crna school draws you all together as a group. so far, the responses from my coworkers have been mixed when i tell them about getting into a couple of crna programs. it ranges from being happy for me, to projecting a sense of bitterness towards me because i am getting out of "bedside nursing" and they wish they had sought higher education. At any rate, I look forward to being with a group that will be going through the same thing that i will be. I am extremely nervous