naptime14

OMG....I'm so sorry to the previous posters whom asked me questions. I never got alerted to them. I've now been a CRNA for 5 years. Haha, wow....these posts were a while ago! As for the recent question, I did grad level courses at a different institution than I did my CRNA program. I never ended up going to my interview at the school that I took grad courses.

yep, 2.5 months in Ohio as well. That's about average for all my old classmates as well. 1 year seems a bit crazy.

Hi, I would continue to contact them and just let them know that you are being persistent because it's really something you are interested in. Can you call them so you can speak with them personally? Is the person in charge of the shadowing an actual CRNA? If not, are you in a unit at the hospital where you see anesthesia personnel? I would try to ask some of them too. Usually we are pretty helpful when people show interest. As far as lecture notes....there are several different subjects you go over in anesthesia school, so not sure what you would be looking for as far as notes to look at. Basics of Anesthesia (your first class in anesthesia school), cardiac anesthesia, respiratory, OB, pediatrics, neuro, physics, chemistry, pharmacology, regional anesthesia (epidurals, spinals, caudals, nerve blocks).....and many more.

I would focus again on Valley. I only found Prodigy helpful for a few topics. The Prodigy tests didn't really help me because I felt like you would do well only because you saw the same questions over and over. I only looked at certain things in Memory Master right before boards. I truly believe that you must understand concepts to pass the exam. Understanding the concepts in Valley will help you earn the big points on boards. Not really sure how some people say they pass by just looking at Memory Master. Why would you want to memorize things....wouldn't you rather understand them if this is going to be your life for the next 30+ years? Sorry for your little bump in the road and good luck to you. You will get it next time!

I was in the same boat as you and had the same concerns. I thought I would have to take private loans, but turns out, I never had to. It all ends up working out in the end. I had no savings before school and parents that could not help, I had a $370/month car payment, paid half the mortgage, $165/month cell phone bill, cable bill, electric bill, groceries and I did it with a little money left over each semester. After tuition was paid for the semester, the left-over money was disbursed and it was anywhere from 9 to $11,000 for spring and 9 to 11 grand for fall semester. I believe in the summer semester, it was about 4 to 5 grand left-over after tuition was paid. It's a little tight and you have to be pretty careful with what you spend. But take into consideration that your undergrad loans will be in deferment and you won't have time to go out and spend money. That right there will save you tons. I honesty feel as though I had more money in anesthesia school than I did as an RN (crazy, I know). But don't lose sleep over it! It will all work out and be worth it in the end. For 2.5 years of living poor, you will gain a career you love and have a wonderful income once done. That is well worth the dinky 2.5 years of school.

Every CRNA I know absolutely loves what they do. I'd be surprised to ever meet one that disliked their career. Anesthesia is an advanced nursing practice like no other. I have to ask what interests you in anesthesia? I feel that a career in anesthesia has to be something that you have your heart set on. If you love being around babies and in the NICU, I would stick with that. Of course, I tell everyone to shadow a CRNA for the day to see what they do. Most people have no idea what a CRNA does. They just think the idea sounds nice because of the money. But I must say, it is not an easy path and takes a lot of dedication to get there. But in the end, it is worth it. You are the most important person in that O.R. with the patient. You are the one protecting their airway, monitoring their vital signs, making quick decisions, deciding what kind of anesthesia techniques will be the best for that patient. When crap hits the fan, you are the boss and the leader in that room. This is why it's so important to have a strong background in critical care. It can be boring, it can be stressful (just depends on where you work). The thing I love about it is the response you get from patients and their families. When they see "anesthesia" coming with the "crazy hats", it is like a sigh of relief. They all absolutely love you, you are their best friend (especially if working in labor and delivery and placing epidurals). Every laboring mom will call you her best friend. It is a rewarding feeling to know you are helping patients by keeping them comfortable, pain free, asleep and happy!

Try to save as much money as you can first. Unfortunately, I didn't save a whole lot. Grad school loans are usually sufficient enough to get you thru the program. My husband works and has a decent income, but we still lived as though I was working as an RN with my student loans. I also went to a program that provided me with a monthy stipend (a little over $800/month after taxes) so this was a little bit of help for some bills. As scary as it seems, it just ends up working out in the end somehow. Believe me. Once you are done with school and working, loans can be paid off quickly as long as you don't live above your means.

I agree with the above response. Going back to school to receive your MSN would be a waste of time and money. Before I got accepted into CRNA school, I started to take some MSN courses. I was then accepted into another program and most of the courses I took did not transfer over into my program's curriculum. You would not be proving anything by getting your MSN before-hand. As long as your BSN grades are good, you work in a high acuity ICU, maintain certifications and good references from your employer, you will be good.

CRNA school is a whole different animal than nursing school. There is really no comparison. You are basically on your own during your training, so you are more than competent in the O.R. once you graduate and take boards. You are primarily the one responsible for the patient in the O.R. so you better believe that you must be competent.

In my opinion and from my experience, the SICU is going to give you much better experience all around. Also, you will be in contact with CRNA's and anesthesiologists daily. In the MICU, you are going to be working with medical doctors and will become proficient with medical issues and not surgical issues. Being in the SICU will also help you to understand surgical procedures which is part of the battle when starting off in CRNA school.

I was very PRN! I mostly went back on holidays and worked some 12 hours shifts here and there. Didn't work much at all. Got to be nearly impossible by senior year. I eventually ended up re-signing in my unit.

I graduate in December from my CRNA program. I will just be turning 32 at this point. Most in my class range from 25 to 45 (with the average about 30 yrs old).

Get your BSN and then work in an ICU for atleast 2 years. Get as much experience and accolades as possible. After working full time in the ICU for a few years, take your CCRN exam. Take your GRE or MAT and then apply to schools. Some CRNA programs like for you to freshen up on some of your science courses (like advanced pathophysiology).

From what I've heard, seems this happens pretty frequently. I've worked with quite a few nurses that interviewed and never got accepted. They interviewed at 2 or 3 different schools. They ended up going the NP route instead. I also worked w/ some that never got interviews out of the 3 schools they applied to.

I honestly don't think any employer would hire someone with facial piercings unless you are working at a pizza place or tattoo shop. Nurses and CRNA's are a group of professionals (not saying people with piercings aren't professional, but it just doesn't look good to patients and employers). Really though, you have a while to think about the CRNA part (atleast 5+ years). It's great that you are thinking ahead, but I would focus on your undergrad first and getting a job as a nurse in an ICU.

Hi, Once you start your clinicals in nursing school, they will not allow facial piercings. They are pretty strict on uniform policy and professional appearance. We weren't even allowed to wear any earrings that would hang down. They had to be small stud earrings and we were only allowed one in each ear.

No problem! I suggest contacting schools that have CRNA programs that are close to where you live. They can possibly get you into contact with CRNA's in the area that will allow you to shadow. Contact any surgical centers or hospitals within an hour or so from where you live. I'm sure there will be CRNA's around that are willing to help.

I'm not pregnant, but someone in my class is and she also has 3 kids. I guess I can't really speak for her, but I do see that she has a pretty good support system in her husband. Seems like the fast O.R. turnovers are the biggest issue for her. Surgeons want to move onto the next case and they want it done yesterday and she still hasn't come back from the PACU yet with her first case. She is managing though. Good luck!

I work with many anesthesia residents, surgeons, etc. that wish they had gone to school to become a CRNA. If I had a dollar for every time a doctor said "I wish I would have known about CRNA's when I went into college.....", I would be rich. Yes, most anesthesiologists that you come into contact with are going to be biased against nurse anesthetists. I honestly think it is just a jealousy thing (I always hear them griping about how CRNA's "work less hours (not true), have time to go to the gym and stay in shape, make tons of money".....blah blah blah). They feel their jobs are threatened by CRNA's. What is funny is that nurse anesthetists existed far before MD's in anesthesia. Also, there is no difference in the care provided. Anesthesia is safer than ever (and mostly performed by CRNA's). Before I decided to go into CRNA school, I had some doctors here and there tell me and also tell my family members, "She should just go to med school and become an anesthesiologist." But like you, I didn't want that life. It never appealed to me and I love the interaction I have with my patients. Even if they are asleep now most of the time :) I would shadow a CRNA. I don't think you will regret your decision to become a nurse first and then a CRNA. Good luck!

In my area, new grads are having NO trouble finding jobs. Also, still making $150k +. You have to take into consideration that once schools start going to Doctorate programs, the "CRNA mills" will not be "pumping out" new grads. People are lazy and won't want to do the extra work that it will take to become a CRNA. Also just heard that they are cutting down the residency program in my area for M.D.'s......so this means more jobs for CRNA's :)

Agree with the above comments. CRNA programs are completely different than all others. They won't care if you have a Master's degree in some sort of pediatric specialty or something else. You will have to go through the whole anesthesia program along with all your other classmates in the program. You may just be exempt from your pre-req coures (theory, research, policy, etc). While your classmates are taking these courses, they would just make you do more time in the O.R. If CRNA is the route you want to take, just focus on becoming a nurse in an ICU and working on your CRNA application.

Yes, you must be a registered nurse in an ICU for atleast one year to become a CRNA. I will say, I know some schools (very few) do take ER exerpience or PACU (depending on what kind of hospital you work at......mainly the large teaching hospitals). This is rare though! You could apply to CRNA school with less than a year experience in an ICU with them knowing that you will have atleast a year experience once CRNA school gets started. But the more experience you have in an ICU, the better your experience will be in an anesthesia program. Get as much under your belt as possible. Also, you must have either your 4 year nursing degree (BSN) or some schools will take a Bachelors in some sort of science (B.S.) but you would have to go into an accelerated nursing program to become a nurse. You could also become an RN with an associates degree and work as a nurse in the ICU while obtaining your BSN. There are a few different options to approaching it. CRNA school is not 4 years. Most programs are anywhere from 27 to 36 months long. Some schools are also going to be changing from a Master's degree to a Doctorate degree (so this will make the program longer). The cost of going to college to become an RN sort of varies on the approach you are going to take (for example......going for an associates degree in nursing may be around $35,000 and then you could work as an RN while paying to go back for your bachelors in nursing.....which may be another $15,000). My student loans for my BSN were around $70,000 and most of my friends range anywhere from 40 to $80,000. Seems about normal if you don't have the financial help from parents. I will say, if your weakness is math, CRNA school may not be suitable for you. There is quite a bit of math involved (knowing how to calculate dosages, drip rates based on the patient's weight, maximum infiltration for local anesthetics, having to be quick to know how to figure out how many milligrams or micrograms of a drug you are giving in an emergency situation. It's not too bad (you don't have to be a genius at calculus or trig). Sciences are also very important! I would suggest shadowing a CRNA for a few days if you haven't already. This will be the best way for you to decide if this career field is something you are interested in (not just the money aspect of it). Good luck!

It would still be the normal length of any CRNA program (28 month avg. for most schools). You just most likely would get out of taking all your Master's pre-reqs.....that's all.

Just as limaRN said, you must first be a registered nurse before becoming a CRNA. The minimum requirement is one year as a critical care nurse in a high acuity ICU (the more exerpience, the better). So you would have to go into an accelerated BSN program, which I believe are about 1.5 years. You could do the AA (anesthesia assistant) program with your biochem degree. You would have to take the MCAT to get into the AA program. If CRNA is the route you want to take, you will have to take your GRE to get into grad school. Once a nurse in the ICU, some programs may require you to take your CCRN (critical care registered nurse) certification exam. Some CRNA schools are moving towards Doctorate programs. My program will be a Doctorate in 2 years. My best advice would be to shadow a CRNA. This will help you decide the path you really want to take.

Thinking about what you will owe in loans once done with school is definitely a scary thing! I will be around $160,000 when done. It's almost nauseating to think about. But it is worth it in the end. I have days where I think, "What am I doing to myself?" Then I go back into my ICU prn to work a 12 and say, "Oh yes, this is why I'm in anesthesia school." You realize that you don't want to be that old grumpy ICU nurse that has been there for 25 years and is stuck there being miserable while all the young nurses go off to school. Honestly, it is a large chunk of change, but you can still live comfortably even if your loans are a mortgage payment. With what you make per month, you can pay down your loans quickly. Also, some hospitals will pay back some of your loans if you sign a contract to work for them. If being a CRNA is your ultimate goal, go for it.....you won't be disappointed!