Nataayy

Thank for the advice. I have my CCRN already. But when it comes to schools that currently do not require the GRE many of them require that your GPA higher then 3.2 or 3.5.

GRE: 148Verbal 152Math 3.0writing GPA: 3.2 Nursing 3.12 Undergrad. Simply, I want to increase my chances of getting into graduate school. I took one graduate level course in research statistics and received an A, giving me a graduate GPA of 4.0. I want to take another graduate coorifice (I feel a 4.0 GPA from one class will not be taken serious) but my husband feels that I should save the money for when I do get accepted in to a CRNA program and just focus on scoring higher on the GRE. I know doing both at the same time is an option but expensive just the same. I just wanted to get some people opinions.

I have only worked in small rural hospitals and I believe because of this I am a great nurse. I have obtained a wide range of experience compared to my counterparts at larger hospitals. I can draw blood and ABGs, obtain and somewhat interpret EKGs, perform RT, PT and at one hospital I ran Lab test. (mono, strep, cardiacs) I have the amazing ability to work with minimal supplies and resources. Like other RNs at small hospitals I wear many hats simultaneously. Currently I work in the ER and the house supervisor. As night house supervisor I am over the ER, M/S, and ICU. We don't have an OB department. After 7pm I am the pharmacist, housekeeping, dietary, and lead nurse in all codes. At times, I am very close to wearing the doctors hat when the one incompetent doctor is giving me that "what do I do" look. I am a military wife and we will be moving at the end of the year. I determined that this is the perfect time to start making strides toward my dream job of nurse anesthetist. This means becoming an ICU nurse. I began to look for jobs at our new duty station. Many are large hospitals, the one I am most interested in working at is a level 1 trauma hospital. These large hospitals are starting to intimidate me. I believe that when I apply for an ICU position in a large hospital they are going to look at my small hospital experience and say that I am unqualified to work in their ICU. They will state that I lack exposure to many medical disorders. I have extensive experience in common ER disorders and trauma situations but due to the rural location, pts with uncommon conditions are rare. For example, last week was my first pt with sick sinus syndrome. I know how to take care of a pt like this by using my knowledge of cardiac pathophysiology. I believe that a large hospital HR will not care that I have the knowledge; they want me to have the experience. When sending in my resume I don't think they will care that I have phlebotomy or RT skills, because nurses don't perform these jobs in large hospitals. They have more than enough employees in these department to complete the job. Lastly my husband made a statement that made me unsure of my ability to easily obtain ICU position. He pointed out that large hospitals are more modern in technology. My experience working in rural hospital has set me back in working with the most up-to-date equipment thus putting me behind the other job applicants. Do I have standing for being intimidated by larger hospitals or am I making a mountain out of a mole hill? What are your views on the ability to transition from small ER to large ICU? If you are HR personnel would you care I have experience in outside areas (RT, pharmacy, PT) or lack experience using modern/high-tech equipment? P.S. I know that some CRNA school will take ER experience but these schools are few and being a military wife it not guaranteed that we will be based by any of these schools. I want to get the ICU experience to increase my choice of schools & military bases.

I am the nurse in charge. Do you want to sign out AMA?

My very first job was at a poor small rural hospital that could not afford anything. It was amazing that we could afford to stay open. Well working at that hospital taught me how to work with nothing. Here are my tricks 1) Eye wash station? Thats for rich folks. Take a 500 bag of NS and a piggyback tubing, use that rolling clamp to control the flow. 2) Have a unresponsive/lethargic patient thats blood sugar is low, no IV and the refrige only has sugar free pudding. Wipe the icing off the cake left from lunch and place in cheek. And keep a tube of writing icing in your locker. 3) Have a hard stick or small veins, rub a dab of intro paste over the desired IV vein. 4) Always have a small flashlight in you locker, never know when you will need it. A 300lb pt that needs a Foley or when the hospital get hit by lighting. (yes it's happened, with no back up generator) 5) If some how the plastic hoop on the nitro drip bottle is "magically" gone get a zip lock bag and cut a whole in the bottom corner and tread the line through and hang the bottle by the bag. 6) Need to elevate legs and take pressure off of the heels but don't have anymore pillows; pull the bottom side rails up and loop a sheet though the rails and tie it tight. Spread the sheet out where it is supporting the calfs.

I am currently looking at a drug-seeking pt as I read this. The pt comes in a minimum of three times a week seeking pain meds. He comes in so often, I know his allergies and medical history by heart. At times the pt has come into the ED already high seeking narcotics. The pt always has a story on how he has a future appointment with a pain management doctor. In short I am just getting just plain tired of it. I am one of the nicest and most patient RN's in the ED and this pt ****** me off. We have some doctors that will not give him anything more then toradol, while another doctor would order 2mg dilaudid when the pt is already slurring and glazed over. There is no point to my comment. I guess I am just venting.

Recently, I was in a heated discussion with the ER physician over calling the police about a physical assault. I call when its a MVA, sexual assault, involves a child and elderly, gun shoot/stabbing, and domestic abuse. But when it is an old fashion fight and no one is hurt, I ask the pt if he/she want to press charges if they say no then I don't report it. I found out in the past that its a waste of the police's time and my pt exam room to call when the pt does not want to. I hold the pt in the exam room until the police come (even if it hrs) just for the pt to tell the police "I don't want to talk about it" and leave. In short, does Florida law or Florida BON require me to report a regular old fashion fight? I looked on internet and hospital protocols and did not find anything.

Thank You

I am currently an house supervisor/ER nurse with my BSN. I want to start my education to become a CRNA now. I know that most schools want ICU experience. I work in ICU PRN. (rarely). I decided to wait until 2013 to look for an ICU job due to the fact that I am a military wife and we will be moving around November 2012. That means I will not get my 1 year of experience until 2014. Since the CRNA will become a doctorate in 2015, I want to make plans on the chance I get in a program after 2015. I need clarification on how the CRNA doctorate programs will work after 2015. When I get accepted to a program will I have to have a masters already? Or will the program be a combo were you get the masters and the doctorate at the same time. (example, MDs gets their bachelors then go to medical school and skip then masters.) If I have to have a Masters first, I can start that now, what masters will be best? I don't want to get a masters in nursing administration and later find out that I have to take additional class before applying to a CRNA program. I start shadowing a CRNA next month, will this still help when applying to schools 2-3years from now or should I wait until I am closer to applying? How many shadowing hours is best? Thank You Advance