Stormy8

I would be cautious on how to leave your position. You don't want to burn bridges. However I do agree that you do need to get into an ICU. I came from an OR. Was there for two years then got an ICU position in a CVSICU. Been there for 3 years. I'm starting school in the fall. You probably still need to get certifications, ACLS etc. basically I'm saying you have time. You def need to leave the OR. Just figure out when is the best time. Never burn a bridge bc they need to give you a recommendation.

I'm sorry to hear this happened to you. This is a fear of mine as well as I'll be starting in the fall. Do you mind explaining what happened? Did the program try and help you?

I'm a SRNA starting school in the fall and I understand what you are saying. I'm nervous, excited, scared, you name it. But I have worked too hard to turn back now! You can do this! Believe in yourself!

Thank you for the encouragement. I truly appreciate it!

I absolutely love this thread. I find myself coming back to it and rereading it. Now that I've been accepted into a program, I'm so excited and nervous. Chemistry is not my strong suit, I'll be honest. I don't enjoy it. Failure is NOT an option so I wanted to hear from your experience how much of chemistry is in the curriculum. A SRNA told me that you go over basics but it's more related to anesthesia which gives me relief. Truly thank you for all the information you have shared. This has been a long journey for me and I'm so excited to finally be a SRNA

I'll be starting school next fall and i'm soooo excited!!! To be honest, I'm also nervous. Failure is not an option. Period. Chemistry is not my strong suit. Anyone have any advice?

Hi everyone! I recently have been accepted into school and wanted to hear of any books you recommend I read before hand. Thanks for your help!

I recently have been accepted into a CRNA program. What do you recommend I do in the mean time before the program starts? Thanks for answering all these questions. Great thread!

Did anyone get rejected yet? I'm still waiting for a response from them. Still says committee ready?!

Well said. Thank you for your input!

So....need to let off a little steam. I work in a CVSICU. Had a patient who was dying. In liver/renal failure...lactate >20, acidotic, full support. Family plan to come in the AM to say goodbye. Brief picture for you. I take on care of pt. currently maxed on VASO and very high dose of Levo. My pressure sudden started softening. She's been labile all day. Checking my Aline, ran a cuff pressure to check. Previous iCal was low so I grabbed a CaCl stick and gave it to the patient. BP improved. Mind you before all this, I called my NP to ask her if she could give me the plan for the patient when she could and she replied with attitude :)...I'm busy with two bleeding patients. Totally understandable. Once she was able to come see me, I told her what happened and she yelled at me and told me to write myself up for giving the CaCl without an order. I see where she is coming from. Just wanted to get that off my chest and maybe get some feedback.

Alright everyone. He apologized. Let it go. We all get it. No matter where you work, we all work just as hard. Let's move on.

Congrats!!!!

Plus my GPA isn't the strongest so I really need to do well. I've already retaken a course and a grad course to help but I need to do well with the GRE.

I've been out of school for about five years. I'm just not strong in standardized test which makes me nervous for the GRE.

Hi everyone! I'm getting all my ducks in a row before I apply for CRNA school. Need advice on GRE prep. What did you guys use? Princeton? Kaplan? Thanks for your help!!

I am looking at York as well! Any info would be appreciated!

Thought I would throw this question out there. Anyone you know who hasn't been able to get accepted in a CRNA program? How many times did they apply? Schools?

Great thread. I'm about to start studying for the CCRN.

Great feedback. Thank you everyone. I agree with giving pain med but I had a provider tell me no bc they don't want to make them too sleepy where we can't get them extubated. I don't agree. We normally give fentanyl 25/50mcg. Thoughts?

Tomorrow is my first day on my own!! Ahhh!

Hi everyone. Need some advice. I'm coming off orientation soon and I need some guidance. I've admitted many post op heart pts and one of the things I'm still not completely comfortable with is the waking up/extubation part. When it's time to reverse them and shut off the propofol, I'm so nervous bc sometimes they are all over the place and its hard to calm them down. I normally have fentanyl right there if I need it. I wish there was a recipe to make them wake up and calm. Does anyone have any tricks from their exp? Thanks for listening.

Hi everyone. Great thread. My goal would be to go to UMD. I'm currently working in a ICU in the area. My question for you guys who have applied and got in was when did you start applying? After how many years of experience? I was thinking about taking some grad courses to help my application. Has anyone done that? Thanks for your help!

Keep your chin up! You're doing great. You sound just like me. I'm finishing up my orientation in two weeks in the CVSICU. Def have those days where you feel like you're not good enough, that anything you do, however fast you are is not enough. BUT I then try and put things in perspective. Am I practicing safe nursing? Are my patients okay? Have I caused harm? I've learned a lot about myself working in the ICU. I'm a perfectionist. Sometimes I have to accept that things are not always going to be perfect. At the end if the day as long as my patient is safe and I was safe, I'm happy with that.

Yes! I can relate. That's pretty much what my days are comprised of. It's exhausting.