Hobberdog

Apex is 100% online. It will prepare you for boards. They do not offer lecture style learning. Read the reviews. It is worth it.

CRNA Schools… Where Will You Apply? - All CRNA Schools

Don't tell anyone until you are accepted. Even then, don't tell anyone until you have to give notice. You will be treated differently and get poor assignments. It's just not worth it. Even your "friends" will chew you up if they find out you want to be a CRNA. They will treat you like you think you are above them.

Get your 1 year and apply. The worst that can happen is they say no.

My info is outdated (3 years ago). The program is new. They don't have great clinical sites (they encourage you to find people who will precept you). It is at a top medical university and I am confident that the program will turn out to be great, but as of 3 years ago when I was applying, I was not impressed. In AZ there is also Midwestern, but their extensive travel requirements for clinical also deterred me from going there.

You should have no problem getting in. You will most likely get asked why, which is good. You get to explain what happened, that you lost your focus, and then recovered brilliantly. I had similar difficulties when I first began college. I took some time off and returned to graduate summa cum laude. When questioned about my initial grades, I told them that I lacked focus, that I didn't know what I wanted to do. When I returned, I knew exactly what I wanted and worked toward that goal. Go get it!

Stay in ICU. There is no need for you to get PACU experience at this time. ICU experience is what they are looking for.

The Columbia and Greenville groups attend all the same classes and are conferenced together with cameras. You can hear and see each other. Sometimes the teacher is in Greenville, and sometimes they are in Columbia. It works well. The Greenville campus has the majority of their clinical at Greenville Memorial Hospital. The Columbia campus has the majority of their clinical at Palmetto Health Richland. It seems that most of the students who want Greenville are already living there. My cohort had 4 or 5 students who worked in Greenville but they weren't selected to attend school there so they had to come to Columbia. For those of us who came from out of state, we just selected Columbia. Hope that helps.

The interviews are all about personality. They will ask you tough questions that will be above your knowledge level. Don't EVER BS an answer... they will know. I think I answered "I don't know" at least 15 times to questions they asked. I answered the questions I knew to the best of my ability and if I was speculating, I said so. They want to get to know you, how you handle stress, if you are a pleasant person, and if you are teachable. They will be stuck with you for the next 2 1/2 years and don't want someone who will be a pain in the backside! One of my interviews went really well, the other not so much. I left the interview feeling that I would not be accepted. I had an email within a few days accepting me into the program. They want to see how you will handle stress. It feels bad at the time, but looking back, it's not that bad. You will be put in a large room and called out into two separate interviews. There will be two students waiting there with you. They are there to answer questions about the program and get to know you while you wait to be called. THIS IS PART OF THE INTERVIEW. Talk with them. Get to know them. Ask questions. They want to see that you are interested in their program. Again, it has a lot to do with personality. Smile. Be happy. Talk with each other. Good luck!

Go with the resident. It will reflect the confidence that they have in your abilities as a nurse and your ability to work together as a team, each playing a vital part in the care of your patients.

Are you dead? Then no! You are not too old. I graduated at 45. If anything it helps in clinical because people assume you have been doing this a while and are put at ease quickly.

I wouldn't worry about it so much. Get through the didactic and then focus on clinical. Once you are there, sign up for Apex, Valley, or Prodigy. I am personally using Apex. Passing your classes gives you the right to take the NCE, one of these courses will help you pass it. Your clinical experience will train you in how to do anesthesia.

No one is throwing money at you. I graduate in May and will have 200K in debt when all is said and done. Nurse anesthesia is one profession where you can realistically pay off the debt within 5 years (with proper budgeting). Don't let the debt stop you, but plan on living an impoverished lifestyle for a bit as well.

I never took physics or organic chemistry. It wasn't required by my program. Only about 1/2 of the programs out there require these courses so I would look at where you want to apply and see if you need to take them.

I graduate soon and in my class of 30, only one of us had a deal with a hospital to work for them in exchange for a stipend while in school. It is not very common. Your best bet is to join the military. They will cover tuition and give you a stipend in exchange for 3-5 years of service.