DreameRN

What's going on with Union now? I'm curious...Did they get any teachers hired?

Will you be a licensed RN during this residency year? will you be taking full assignments on your own in the ICU? If so, I believe you can count this as experience. If not, then you can't. As I understand it, residency programs are a support system put into place for new grads in the ICU, with extra classes, and meetings, and things like that on top of your normal work in the ICU. If it's that, you can count it. However, to make yourself the most competitive--and better CRNA--plan to do at least one more year than the residency year. Say a code happens in the OR, will you be comfortable running it yourself? Best of luck.

Not really. That's why you need solid couple years experience and be comfortable with most types of patients, codes, all in a strange/new environment etc. Many times if they are short enough that they need a travel nurse, staffing ratios will not be good and instead of 1-2 ICU patients, you'll have 3 critical patients, and you'll need to be able to handle that workload and time manage. There are some resources to check into--there's a travel nurse forum on here that you could read through and get most of the info you'll need. There are also some facebook travel nurse groups as well that has a lot of info and tips.

Just for your planning, you should know that you cannot travel nurse until you have at least 1 year of experience in your specialty, and the better companies require minimum 2 years. As a travel nurse, you are expected to show up and be able to fully function in any assignment with any patient assignment the day you roll in the door. There is often zero orientation, you just show up to the hospital, go up to your floor, and start work on the unit. And since you want to do CRNA school, that unit would need to be ICU, and no travel nurse assignment will take a new grad in the ICU, I'm sorry to say. You could find an ICU as a new grad and do your 1-2 years there and once you get accepted, take a travel assignment or two to bank some money until you start? Good luck!

So you are a nursing student, not an SRNA?

Ours has said they will have something for us online to do, to replace some of clinical. If there was not a shortage of PPE, then I think it would be reasonable to continue in clinical if the person wanted to. However, with the shortage of PPE, there is no reason to double the amount of everything and burn up supplies that much. Clinical can wait, as much as that pains me, and as much as I hate to delay my education, conserving supplies is more important and also exposing less people is also prudent. I'll stay home and review my notes, books, board material, and yes, likely netflix..

This is more along the lines of what I meant. Some schools operate with clinical sites where this is the norm. MDs push the drugs, and decide how much/what to give of each.

Update.... We are now cancelled from clinical for the forsee able future. PPE concerns. We live in interesting times..

Mine has currently gone online with classes. Clinicals are still ongoing for the moment, such as they are with elective cases being cancelled.

I'd also ask about MDA oversight. I've read posts from people (prominent ones in the CRNA community) that said because of their program and the clinical sites, they graduated *without ever pushing their own induction agents*. So ask programs, at their sites, do you push your own meds? If you pick a school that is heavily MDA directed, this could be you. I can't imagine graduating, not having pushed my own meds. This also means they weren't exposed to CRNA independent practice sites, which is also a great thing to see/rotate through. This is also something to avoid and be aware of.

I don't have experience with the east coast but I am midwest and I was similar to you. initial science GPA of 2.7. I retook anatomy and chemistry at the community college and that brought my science GPA up to 3.2. I was then scheduled to retake a couple other classes (to replace those Cs in the sciences) but I got into school and didn't have to. I'd talk directly TO the schools you are applying to and see how they factor your GPA. Many if not most, will accept a grade in place of the previous bad grade, no matter where it is from. I got Cs in undergrad at community college, I got As when I re took them at community college and they just swapped it. I have heard of some schools merging all of the grades, thus I suggest you talk to the schools you are interested in so if you don't have to pay more money for a 4 year school, you don't have to.

I get the lament about the money. I do and agree--I applied to 3 masters and 1 doctorate program for the same reasons you outlined--I'm also older, and I wanted to be able to start working as soon as possible, regaining that paycheck 9-11 months sooner. I got in the doctorate and so be it and I'm glad now. If you read into the politics and familiarize yourself with the history, and politics of NA, you will begin to understand why the move to doctorate occurred. Most states are fighting a battle legislatively and in the public, with physicians for recognition of NA skill--that we are safe and independent providers and have equal abilities in the OR and that our years of clinical experience and schooling are important along with SO many other things. I'm sorry though, I wish there was a better option for you without moving.

I can also vouch for reading this. Opening the application mid-Jan for an August start I think it said.

Thanks Progressive that really helps... I'll start the application process early then in switching my RN license once I have a job offer and I get closer to graduation. Appreciate it!

I am wondering if anyone can fill me in on how it would work for CRNA licensure. I am graduating from one state, but I won't be staying in this state, only am here for school. Primary license is the school state license. I am hoping to work in a different state. How does this work for CRNA license? Do I need to take my boards in a different state, or get my RN license switched prior to applying for CRNA license? Thanks!