Quincke

I also had a BS in biology/psychology before starting nursing school, and only had about a 3.4 gpa in that program. When you apply to a school w/ a nursing program, you will have to make sure that you have met all of their prerequisites before you can start nursing school, if it is like the nursing school that I went to (e.g. I had two semesters of lit classes, but not two quarters of lit classes in a series, so I had to take these classes before I could start school! - just having a BS already wasn't enough). Most anesthesia programs average your GPA in many ways: just nursing, just science and math, overall, last 60 hours, etc. It took me almost two years to get through my nursing program, then a year of working, and now I will graduate from CRNA school in 4 months. While a lot of weight is put on your gpa, I think a really good gre score can help a bunch to overcome a slightly lower gpa. I also am very happy that I chose CRNA school, and not medical school. Hope this helps, and best of luck!:)

I got into school with the minimal amount of experience and agree with Duckboy that it depends more on just how long you have worked, although I'm not sure that the interview is the most part. I think grades and GRE scores are bigger at most places. As for getting in the ICU right out of school...my last semester in nursing school was spent during a preceptorship. I did mine in the CICU at a major university hospital. I learned so much and felt prepared to take an ICU position when I gradutated. There are many posts about which ICU to pick on this site. I wouldn't recommend pediatrics only because you (typically) will not get as much hemodynamic monitoring, drips, etc. that you would get in an adult ICU. There is one person in my class who only worked in PICU. She has done great through school, but she has had to study more with ekg analysis and drug doses that I was very familiar with because of the adult cardiac ICU. Just my thoughts:)

I have to agree with the previous posts.....you will study so much once you are in school, and it will be much more valuable b/c you will be in class and can ask questions about anything that is confusing. Our program director actually told us NOT to read before we got into our classes. Go out and enjoy yourself now b/c the next couple of years you will be completely engulfed in school:)

First, don't be overwelmed. There is a lot to do during heart surgery, but you will learn it. Not in the first couple of days, but over your heart rotation you will get a routine and feel much more comfortable than when you begin:) If the CRNA you are working with will let you, watch as much of the surgery as possible. It really took a lot of pressure off me the first time to not worry about charting and really focus on the surgery and the anesthesia and how they match up. I was really lucky, and this is what I did the first open heart I had: helped set the room up - this takes some getting used to b/c there are lots of drips, etc. that need to be ready, put the a-line in, watched the mda put the swan in, intubated, hooked up monitors, then monitored the patient until chest incision. Then, the CRNA let me watch what the surgeon did and helped me learn the timing of things like lungs down, heparin, titrating drips to get pressure where you want it for cannulation, and all the other things you will learn (be prepared to have BP problems when coming off CPB and after protamine). This was a great way to learn, and I hope that you will have the same opportunity. I also hope that any CRNAs who precept students in the heart room reading this will take it into consideration for us SRNAs doing our first heart. GOOD LUCK!!!

Congrats!!! You're gonna be a great grandfather:) And do great in school!!

Great advice, I would just add DON'T try to read and get "ahead" for your classes. You will be studying enough for the next two and a half years of your life!! Have fun while you can:roll

There is one person in my class who only had PICU experience, and one in the class behind me (out of 18 in each class). As for rural areas, the place where I have clinicals right now is somewhat rural. Children who are extremely sick or need a major surgery will go to the "big city" with the children's hospital, but many B&B cases are done at outlying hospitals (BMT, T&As, circs, etc). I would say I have seen anywhere from 0-10 4yo and under a week at this hospital (which does about 600 cases/month). Hope this helps:)

If you are interested in anesthesia I suggest you follow a CRNA or an MDA around for a couple of days and decided what you would like to do. You may find that you don't even like the field. If you decided you do like it, the fastest you would be able to get through CRNA school would be about 8 years (four years college, 1 year working, 2+ years school). The fastest for the MDA route is probably 12 years (4 college, 4 med, probably 4 residency). All of this is assuming that you get accepted to either med or NA school ASAP, which does not happen for many people. One of the main reasons I chose the CRNA route was because of the time issue, but you have to figure out what is best for you:)

I think it depends on where you are having the procedure done as to whether a penile or caudal block would be done. From what I have seen, the main place near me that does regular caudal blocks on children is the pediatric only hospital. Most other hospitals do penile blocks for children having circs along with general anesthesia. As far as questions to ask, ask about the risk and benefit of whatever anesthesia that will be done (Gaspassah stated several of them earlier). Good luck:)

Hey and congrats to you for an interview. I am (like Sprout) biased, but I think Samford is a great school. The small class size is a big advantage. I am a senior student and have found that I have been well prepared for clinicals by our faculty. I did not apply or interview anywhere else, but I think most people will tell you preparation for the interview process is the same most places. Review your hemodynamics and your vasoactive drugs (the more you know the better - like down to the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics). Know about invasive monitoring. Trauma Tom's first advise is great. You want to be relaxed and be yourself when you interview and confident when answering your questions. Also, explore the campus and Birmingham while you are there. IBirmingham's a great place with lots to do!! GOOD LUCK:)

Like others have said, some people get into school with only PICU experience. I would go this route if you think that you will enjoy working with children:) You never know if you will actually get the transfer into ICU if you go to the stepdown unit!

I took a year of general chem and a year of organic chem in college, but not biochem or physics. I found the organic to help some, but the lack of biochem or physics did not hurt. You will be taught all you need in your program. I can't say about the $$ situation, but I think you should just talk to the anesthesia group, but I do know that many people have money from groups and take out pretty big loans as well...but you will be able to pay the loans back down the road (sooner than many others).:)

Sounds like you will have the opportunity for lots of learning at this "smaller" hospital. Make sure you take every chance you can to take the sicker patients and learn as much as possible. This will help you when applying to school if you can form a strong knowledge foundation. :)

You need to talk to the school admissions directly because they will be able to tell you what scores are required. Most schools will accept the scores that you made, but if it is over five years ago, they will require you to take it again. So, you need to talk and apply soon. Also, the analytical portion of the test is no longer, and you now have to write an essay. Take this into consideration...:)

I would say I spend 12-15 hours a day including driving time, set up time, OR time, care plan time, and prep for the next day time on the average day. I think it is much less stressful being in clinicals every day (class once a week) than class every day. I usually do nothing but clinical, clinical prep, and care plans during the week and have my weekends totally free (NOT what happened when I had class every day). I think 20 hours a day is quite excessive, and personally would not want an anesthetist who is chronically sleep deprived (as opposed to someone on call) putting me to sleep.

Droperidol is a commonly used drug in anesthesia. There are some advantages and disadvantages, which you have already mentioned. Years ago droperidol was used in MUCH higher doses than what is now used to prevent nausea/vomiting (like 20 times higher). While it cause patients to be cool and calm on the outside at high doses, it could cause them to fell like they were dying on the inside, yet it was hard for the patients to transmit this to their providers. I am curious, did they give it through the epidural or through the IV? I have not heard of it in the epidural... Droperidol is not off the market, but dose carry a black box warning because large doses can cause a prolonged QT segment, which if long enough can send a patient into torsades. From what I have learned this is from large doses of droperidol ~20-25 mg. I commonly use LOW dose droperidol for N/V prevention perioperatively - doses of 0.625 - 1.25 mg. It is a great drug for that. I do not use it in c/s b/c it can cause sedation, and I want the mother to remember her child being born, not be sleepy through it. I am sorry that you have had these experiences. If I can answer any other questions, please let me know:)

I think 2 hours study time for each hour in class is also a good place to start, but know that some classes won't need that much time and others will need much more. There is always something that you can be studying while in anesthesia school:) I try to do the majority of my studying during the week so that I can still have some "normal" time to do things on the weekends, but if there are tests on Monday or I didn't get enough done during the week you have to study on the weekends. My school does not have a policy against working, but it is discouraged. However, I worked a pretty good bit during the first year, which was all didactics. Now that I am in clinicals I am not working at all.

What I have found so far is...You will definitely be standing for a large part of the day. There are chances to sit, but I like to see what is going on with the surgery. There are also times that you have to be standing to best access the pt. As for moving, you move the pts to the stretcher, but you control the head and the airway. You may also have to help move the pt up or down in the bed. Bathroom breaks depend on the institute you are at. Sometimes you have time between cases, but sometimes it is 6 hrs (or more) before you get a break. All depends on how the cases are lined up and if anyone is available to give you a break:)

IJs are often used by anesthesia as well as many MDs. The main risk here is hitting the carotid. Can usually be controlled unless the dilator is inserted into the carotid which usually means that pt needs to get to the OR ASAP. SC lines are my favorite as they seem to be the most stable and easily secured for a longer period of time, but there is a risk of pneumo b/c the lungs are right there. SCs are also good with volume depleted pts. Femoral are the ones I see least placed because of infection control (hard to keep this site clean and dressing dry on many pts) unless an emergency. Where I have seen PICCs used most is on pts who need a longer central access site (pts with needs for longterm antibiotics, etc.). Most CVLs are removed after 2 wks from what I have seen if not before that. PICCS can stay in for much longer. Central access is needed for certain drugs that are given and are very helpful when a pt is sick and has multiple drips infusing. Hope this helps:)

I'm right there with you. Sometimes I wonder, but then I think that next year I will graduate from nurse anesthesia school...if I had gone to medical school I would just be starting my (long) residency. Thinking about all that school and pushing back starting a family... If I had gone to med school, I was going to go for anesthesiology, and seeing how in many places, the CRNAs do fully optimize their scope of practice, I am very happy with my decision.:)

I agree with skipaway. I like mixing ketamine with my propofol when doing MACs. It helps combat some of the side effects of propofol like hypotension. It also maintains airway reflexes and is a good analgesic. I find it works especially well with the older population.

I think all of us SRNAs have had some of these things happen to us, but it's good to hear from others and what has happened to them:) I put in my first combined spinal/epidural this week and my hands shook more than I think they ever had!! Last week I had a gallbladder pop on me when the surgeon was removing it through that little laparoscopic hole. Not one drop fell in the surgical field, everything went behind the drapes on anesthesia. Not funny at the time, but I had a good laugh with him this week and brought in a large shield for the next gallbladder:chuckle I totally agree with the lidocaine and the IVs...it takes a while to get used to it, and in the end I'm not sure the lidocaine hurts less than the IV needle would. Thanks for sharing and good luck!

as another student...i think you have to look at it as a learning experience - learning what you won't do when you get out and practice on your own. some people are receptive to research articles or sections from anesthesia books to see what is being taught in schools today so they can learn as well if they are doing something that is contraindicated, but others it is lost on like you said.

I totally agree! I took lots of classes in undergrad that have helped me in the classroom part of anesthesia school: 2 semesters of chemistry, 2 semester of organic chemistry, genetics, micro, patho, etc. All basic science classes that you take will help form a stronger base for your nursing knowledge to grow on.If there are anesthesia schools that you are interested in, you should look at their requirements and stipulations to know what classes are required or suggested. This will help direct you when you choose science classes to take. Hope this helps:)

Just a few comments from a previous ICU nurse who used propofol to sedate INTUBATED pts...First, the true half life of propofol is NOT 1.8 minutes. The actual half life is 30 minutes to 1 hour in a healthy pt younger than 60 and up to 3 hours in an older pt or one with organ insufficiency. What you are actually think of the is distribution half life (due to redistribution) which is typically 2-4 minutes. Second, did you actually titrate the drip after the doctors set it up for your ECTs in the midwest or did you just turn it off. Also, what would you have done if you did have an airway problem? Third, I don't think anyone is selling RNs short. This is just a drug that has a VERY narrow margin of safety. Since I have been in anesthesia school, I have learned so many things about propofol that I did not know before. It if very tricky to give just the right dose of propofol without making the pt apneic (like for a MAC), especially when combined with midazolam or fentanyl. I had ACLS, PALS, etc. when I was working in the ICU, but none of that compares to really being taught how to manage an airway (i.e. anesthesia school). Just curious, what sort of airway devices are kept in the GI lab? What emergency meds are kept there? How long would it take to get anesthesia or some else able to manage the airway and intubate if needed to get to there?