tsicuRN1

I don't think its alphabetically, mine is on the 18th too and my last name is towards the beginning of the alphabet! But you know what they say... save the best for last, right?! hah. I've heard they interview up to 150 people but thats just hearsay..

Scooby-Do! I tried to send you a PM but it won't let me since I don't have enough posts on this site. If you send me another PM w/ an email address or something I'll send it to you again

I had doubts too. I briefly considered going to NP school instead.. it'd be way cheaper, I could work full time and my hospital would even pay 5000 a year. But.. when I thought about going to NP school, it didn't give me the same excited, jittery feeling inside that I got when I thought about going to CRNA school. In the end, I had to go with my gut feeling!

Does your school have a minimum requirement for the GRE? The school I applied to requires >302 total and they basically told people that they pretty much toss your application if you don't meet that requirement... Maybe with a few VERY RARE exceptions.

Me too! Ugh, the waiting game is the worst!

Hey! The ICU is for sure the best place to be! You should definitely mention your internship in school and how you developed your passion for critical care during that time. You went on to a med/surg tele just to get that "experience" all the nursing professors tell you to do... time management or something. (You dont need it) But the fact that you have some experience and do know most of the basics, they will much likely pick you over any new grad that applies. If you get an interview, bring your resume, cover letter (2 of each, just in case). ICU nurses are known for being ocd/anal whatever you want to call it so come super prepared. Even type out a list of questions you have for them at the end of the interview. It will impress them, I promise. Good luck! :)

1. Read! A lot! Buy all of those critical care nursing books and just read them all! Since you'll be in CV, memorize ALL of the vasoactive gtts and also be able to interpret hemodynamic profiles! You are expected to know this, even as a new grad. 2. Confidence. Even if its an act! Other nurses will respect this, and the fact is that you DO know what you are doing, you are just going to doubt yourself for a very long time. But don't let other nurses doubt your abilities too. I started out in a pretty busy ICU as a new grad and the first 6 months were the most challenging and difficult times I've ever had, but also quite rewarding and inspiring! You will exceed if you believe you can. Good luck.

I have a dilemma here! Considering applying for CRNA school next year for starting class of 2014 but I am not sure if I should wait one more year for the added experience and chance to gain better LOCs, CEs, volunteer work, shadowing etc etc... Stats now: Experience: 1.5 years community hospital (400 bed hospital w/20 bed ICU, pt population included stroke & cranis/EVDs, PNA/resp distress/ARDS, lots of sepsis/septic shock, GI bleeders, s/p cardiac arrest w/ hypothermia, CABGs...) Just starting at a level one trauma facility/teaching hospital >1000+ beds, will be working transplant & general surgical ICU, very sick patients, lots of CRRT, vasoactive gtts, etc.. (we do liver/kidney/pancreas/small bowel transplants... hearts&lungs go to CVICU) GPA: graduated 3.6, nursing GPA 3.8 (cum laude) science courses: A&P1- A A&P2- A Chemistry-A Biochemistry-B Biology-B Statistics-A Pharmacology-B Pathophysiology-A Certs: BLS/CPR, ACLS, PALS, CCRN Committees: EHR council rep, shared govt. council member, Sigma theta tau, AACN member, AHA volunteer (teach cpr classes for community) Have shadowed CRNA in nursing school, she is a family friend and could probably follow her again now that I actually know stuff! havent taken GRE yet... I dont know if I should apply next year in June for starting class of 2014... or wait one more year for the added experience. I don't feel that I really stand out anywhere. If I apply next year and by some miracle do get accepted then I will have had 1.5 years in the smaller ICU and 1.5 years in the large ICU...and a pretty typical application/resume... But I just want to do it right the first time!!!! Suggestions? Advice?

Thank you so much! They changed the scoring system on the GRE btw! But for the school I want to go to you actually have to get >1100 if you are looking at the old test... >302 on the new one. I took a practice GRE on the Kaplan website and realized I REALLY need to refresh my basic geometry/algebra knowledge, my quantitative reasoning score was not so hot! But I did get a 298 overall which almost makes the cut for where I want to go and thats without studying! But I definitely see what you mean about focusing on studying for that section of the test and not spending so much time on vocabulary. English if my first language and I read quite a bit but I'd say there were a large number of words on that test that I don't think I have ever seen in my life before! I think it would be much easier to memorize a few math equations than learn a new language in just a few months! Hah. So if I do manage to do well on the GRE I guess I will aim at applying for next year. The school I want to go to is a DNP program... and application is due in July, you are notified in October and classes begin mid-jan. Is that sort of timing typical with most schools? I feel like thats going to be a long 3-4 months waiting on that letter! Also, how soon is too soon to submit your application? Or does it matter? I don't want to look like the procrastinator or who waited until that last minute to turn everything in. Did you only work in one type of ICU before school? Going from a MSICU to a Transplant ICU has been challenging. I was starting to feel very comfortable and secure in the MSICU and it was a pretty easy transition since we use the same charting system, vents, pumps and cvvhd machines... but now that I am taking fresh transplants on my own I am starting to feel like an amateur all over again! I guess you can never know everything... Wouldn't it be nice though? :) Thanks for your help again.

You all seem to have much more faith in me than I have in myself! Hah, thanks for the words of encouragement. I need that. I just want my application to be absolutely perfect before I submit it ...and the GRE test freaks me out... Seriously though, congrats to all of you who have gone through this stressful and terrifying application process, you guys rock.

I have a dilemma here! Considering applying for CRNA school next year for starting class of 2014 but I am not sure if I should wait one more year for the added experience and chance to gain better LOCs, CEs, volunteer work, shadowing etc etc... Stats now: Experience: 1.5 years community hospital (300 bed hospital w/20 bed ICU, pt population included stroke & cranis/EVDs, PNA/resp distress/ARDS, lots of sepsis/septic shock, GI bleeders, s/p cardiac arrest w/ hypothermia, CABGs...) Just starting at a level one trauma facility/teaching hospital >1000+ beds, will be working transplant & general surgical ICU, very sick patients, lots of CRRT, vasoactive gtts, etc.. (we do liver/kidney/pancreas/small bowel transplants... hearts&lungs go to CVICU) GPA: graduated 3.6, nursing GPA 3.8 (cum laude) science courses: A&P1- A A&P2- A Chemistry-A Biochemistry-B Biology-B Statistics-A Pharmacology-B Pathophysiology-A Certs: BLS/CPR, ACLS, CCRN Committees: EHR council rep, shared govt. council member, Sigma theta tau, AACN member, AHA volunteer (teach cpr classes for community) Have shadowed CRNA in nursing school, she is a family friend and could probably follow her again now that I actually know stuff! havent taken GRE yet... I dont know if I should apply next year in June for starting class of 2014... or wait one more year for the added experience. I don't feel that I really stand out anywhere. If I apply next year and by some miracle do get accepted then I will have had 1.5 years in the smaller ICU and 1.5 years in the large ICU...and a pretty typical application/resume... But I just want to do it right the first time!!!! Suggestions?