chansonsrna

Sleep....what is that? j/k. I have found that the body adapts to a change in sleep cycles after a short time (2 months). I have only done a couple of weeks of clinicals, but it's the very early mornings in clinical that get to some people (5:30 am for me). A classmate and I during the didactic portion of our program got used to the early mornings by going swimming at a gym a little after 5am every day. I also think the exercise helps with the "zombie like" state the OP had mentioned. Even in some afternoons we would do something, ie lift weights, play basketball, any sort of activity will help. One last key to sleep, I think, is to set yourself up to fall asleep fast. In didactic I never studied past 9pm, tried not to watch too much tv before bed (still did get trapped sometimes, making for short nights). Hope this helps someone.

Would get both palm (life drive which rocks the shazba) and laptop (I have a desktop, but several of my classmates have laptops and I wish I would have purchased instead) Whatever you get, do it before school starts and as a hint you may be able to contact your financial aid office and have the cost added onto your financial need for loans.

Well i'm about one year into school, so my didactic is nearly over (less than 3 weeks till clinical starts). Well, I don't think undergrad compares to the graduate level. When I was in undergrad I worked full time plus (nights) and went to school and did well.....Now I am not working and spend on average 12-14+ hours a day studying (counting in class time) 5 days a week so I don't have to study as much on weekends. Weekends I study 2-4 hours a day and take some days off completely. Sounds like a lot, but when you're not working school becomes your job. Well, that's my schedule, some study more some less, but from a volume standpoint it is amazing how much you learn in such a short time. Hope this helps.

I'd suggest going to mhaus.org could be helpful, are your other group members stumped as well?

Like having the clinical questions...I agree w/spinal would have to b/c need to block to T4 for C-section. Also good to blunt r/o autonomic hyperreflexia. Would also consider regional as my primary technique unless I had to convert to GA. If converting to general would use pentathol and rocuronium due to fast onset as NDMRS wouldn't want succs because may cause severe hyperkalemia. Definately monitor for s/s hyperreflexia, hypoventillation. Haven't hit clinicals yet, but best shot.

lol, the reference to TP was my poor stab at humor, which is another thing I fear I haven't had enough time to work on while in school....I did find the john wayne tp reference hilarious...never tried wax paper either hmmmm......

I concur...I miss life, and I don't just mean luxuries (ie shows, dinner out, 2 ply TP, etc). I also miss 6-7 hours of sleep, and seeing my wife. Still wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world. "Thank you sir may I have another"

To the OP congrats....Well I am 9 mos into my program Mt Marty (front loaded NA program in South Dakota) Surprises....how fast the human mind assimilates information what I mean is that I could have never fathomed the volume of information we absorb from lectures and reading. I also agree w/one of the other posters, you truly learn time management in a whole new way...(based on limited experience....though front loaded we do get a couple weeks of clinical in before we go full time in OR)...Other surprises include learning humility (especially when you find not smartest person in class b/c everyone is), fatigue, and an appreciation for the time spent with family. I have to commute every week to apartment near campus and come home to my wife and dogs on the weekends, which gets old quickly. Don't get me wrong though I ABSOLUTELY love the learning process and wouldn't trade it for the world

Nitecap, Great Post!.....2nd semester in at Mount Marty College in the frozen tundra of South Dakota...I find that I just keep coming here and reading, and not contributing. I will definately make a mental note to contribute more (I feel like info from this forum has been invaluable not only in getting this program, but also surviving.....guess I'm just saying thanks to all contributors ie Yoga, Kevin etc.) Ok, down to business..... I now enjoy Bud Select, when I have time. When I had money I enjoyed scotch. Done in 2/2008....even after the worst tests/experiences from the past semester I still thank God for the opportunity I've been given and for the support of my wife! (I'm sure those who are married with or without children can vouch)

I must say about six months in now.:stone Financial aid is a must to ANYONE before becoming unemployed (the likelihood of having time to work in school is minimal at best). A good idea is to pay down debt ie cars, credit cards etc. I went on a vacation with my wife, which touches on another point: enjoy your time with friends and family as much as possible. This is especially true if your school is in a different city than your family or spouse. Lastly, if you just can't get enough education and and really feel the need to do course work I would suggest organic chem if it wasn't a prereq, and touching up on physiology. Personally, I would forego trying to study anything, you will get more than enough studying in soon enough.:deadhorse

Love this strand....though old it's amazing how the hits keep coming.... MTBFU- My toof be ****ed up (actually complaint from patient with one carrie filled tooth) Funk in the junk (use your imagination)

anes-thanks for your assistance!

Just curious if anyone has any links to (free) online video tutorials on CVC/Epidural/AL etc placement. Tried a site and google search without luck, didn't happen to see it in any of the links in this forum. Also tried a couple of manufacturer websites ie Cook.

Nia, I would not be terribly concerned as of yet that the market is completely saturated. What you should note is what was said "there are 2 CRNAs licensed in NC for every OR suite"....this doesn't mean that there are physically 2 CRNAs trying to work for every suite. Some people are licensed in multiple states, and may not even be practicing in NC. Becoming a CRNA is a wonderful career decision (not implying that it's an easy road for which my fellow S/CRNAs will vouch), don't let anything like this intimidate you.

I know this is an older post, but someone asked about study requirements in school. Started last week and now seem to understand that whole "staggering amount of information to assimilate concept." Well, back to the books.

I definately agree with all the aforementioned enjoyable tasks to the job...let us not forget cleaning up funk in people's junk. I must say I will have to savor my last three shifts (done with floor nursing this Sunday ) No, I have not been counting down at all. :rotfl:

First, I apologize in advance for the very long post. I must say first and foremost, I am not a paramedic, but have the utmost respect for them having worked in an emergency room for 3 years. I also don't want to see any kind of a war of words started by people of Nurse vs Paramedics. Additionally I feel that online education, is good for some people. I will not argue against the quality of an online program for the right person, with the right experience as opposed to a standardized nursing program. However all the aforementioned is not the information you should be looking for if you want to improve your chances of getting into CRNA school. That being said I can appreciate your desire to become a CRNA Dean, and would like to possibly bring up a couple of points. Have you talked to any representatives of CRNA schools in your area, I am sure that you know that to be a CRNA you must have 1 year of Critical Care experience. I am only guessing, but I imagine that these programs will only accept actual nursing experience. I am not saying that being a paramedic doesn't require critical care skills, as I said I am just assuming schools will require it so it would warrant checking. When you do get your nursing degree do you have contacts/nursing managers you are certain will hire you in the critical care setting? Have you shadowed any CRNAs?...of the 4 schools I interviewed every one of them asked this. Many schools look at sacrifice (even in the eyes of a 60k/yr job) as a display of desire to obtain goals. I guess my advice that I'm getting to is to bite the bullet, go to a standard nursing school, work in an ER as a paramedic if this is an option, or in a hospital as a tech, to build a network of connections (CRNAs, Nursing managers esp for good solid references), work as a staff nurse after graduation and apply to school. Dean if you have any questions feel free to PM me, I wish you the best of luck in achieving your goal in any route you take to reach it.

Out of curiosity why can't you go to an ADN, or BSN school. I would strongly advise against excelsior as a program to obtain your nursing degree. Out of curiosity if you can't go to school, how will you be able to go through CRNA school. Just curious.

Fetha, Nice to know another person is interested in becoming a CRNA/SRNA. My advice would be to scroll down to successful crna/srna link or follow this https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111655 This question seems to get asked every other day, but I think you will see more replies by looking at the above link.

forgot to add to previous post 3 years ICU experience in Level 1 Trauma and Transplant Center.

Sorry in advance for my long post. Well here is my situation. I obviously won't be working and wife makes enough to pay for the house where we live. However, I will be getting an apt 3 hours away for the didactic portion of my front loaded program. Tuition is expensive where I am going and Stafford loans will almost cover it. Enter alternative loans which my school decided to be a need based total of appx 20k/yr giving me a total of appx 18k to live off of and cover expenses not included in tuition. My wife and I decided to look for additional loans that are credit based so we are taking out 25k from bank one (through Chase) which is dispersed to us, and allows deferrment. I highly recommend those interested shop around before unemployment hits, you will find very few financial institutions will grant education loans outside of what schools determine as financial need. Needless to say this has really relieved a lot of trepidation my wife and I have had over our future budget. I looked at sallie mae for GRADUATE students, and funds were dispersed to school based on financial need determined by school. This would have lumped it into the need based alternative loans which I am already going to recieve making me ineligible. I strongly feel that though these are large numbers, we plan to not dip into the 25k if necessary, adding peace of mind that should large unexpected expenses arise we can take care of them. My wife and I feel anesthesia school will be stressful enough without needing to worry about money. I hope my experience helps relieve a fellow/future student/spouse worried about the financial impact of school.

Starting at Mt Marty this fall, also think this is a good idea additionally b/c so many people ask this question in one form or other. That being said here is the dirt on me. Cumulative GPA: 3.35 Science GPA: 3.19 (retook a class to bring it up quickly) GRE: Quant-620 Verbal-480 Analytical writing (new format since '02?) 5.5 out of six Schools applied to 4 Kansas not even an interview Bryan (Lincoln, NE) accepted Truman (Kansas City, MO) accepted Mt Marty (Sioux Falls, SD) accepted and will be attending

GP, thanks for your kind words. To all who have or soon are starting (as I soon will August 30 ) good luck and congrats. I personally can't wait to move to the head of the bed away from cleaning those melanic stools . Can't wait to get beaten down in school! (Thank you sir may I have another) Mt Marty Class of '08

As an ICU nurse (not for much longer) in a regional transplant center that specializes in liver and small bowel transplant, I hope I can enlighten you. First, liver failure is as you know a process that effects many organ systems, so to say how long a person will live with it is impossible to say without specific information. Secondly, is she at a facility that does transplantation? I have found that there are a lot of misconceptions about transplant from patients and families transferred to us. Hopefully this helps with understanding prioritizing transplant patients: http://www.cpmc.org/advanced/liver/patients/topics/MELD.html I would NOT recommend living related transplant based off my experience. I also think you may be surprised at how resilient a person can be from a tylenol overdose (have seen many we thought would need a new liver that didn't) Will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Struggling...did you post this the other day? The reason I mention was because your original question had been about anesthesia meds pushed by RNs. To answer this thread our institution uses versed and fentanyll. Both one can consider anesthesia meds. I imagine that from state to state policies may vary, I can only answer for my institution, and I assume my state. (Just because a state allows, institutional policies may vary so to ask how one practices in their hospital may not actually reflect policy in their state) Clear as mud I hope. Hope that helps.