RN to CRNA - which road?

Nursing Students SRNA

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Hello, all! I am new to this forum, new to nursing in general, and still trying to figure out where to post, so bear with me if you see duplicates. This site has been a tremendous tool in garnering different perspectives about the roles of nursing, as I am just a student at this point. I would eventually love to work in anesthesia, despite the many who love to tell me my mind will change during the course of my education and experiences, and I am quite aware that this is a possibility. In the event that I stay on course, however, I am interested to know some of your experiences regarding the path you chose for your education. I am currently enrolled in an ASN program. The direction I move in gets fuzzy at my graduation point: Do I bridge RN to BSN? RN to MSN? Is there a bridge program for RN to MSN specialties? I am in my early 30's now. I've been reading a lot about experience being key to the process, which should be a no-brainer. However, is there room for exceptions to the rule? Obviously, I can't get into certain programs unless I have the experience requirements. My curiosity is more about credibility with peers, colleagues, etc. I'd like to hear about those of you who've made it through online programs, as well as traditional programs (read: online RN to BSN programs, as I know that's not an option for MSN specialties). Regards, tml

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Beside the ICU experience which is a requirement for CRNA School, I want to know every little thing that makes a candidate outstanding (such as shadowing exp.). Does the school where you get your BSN from matters?

I would like to work extensively on and publish one of my research paper because I read somewhere that CRNA schools love that. Should I bother? what do you think?

@ dah doh: Thanks. What kind of committees are you referring to? Do you mean any Leadership Role or Nursing associations like committees

Read here and other sites about info they like to see. Getting published is great, know many that have gotten into school and no one has done this. Take grad level sciences after your bachelors they will like that better.

Committees like unit based or hosp based. Clinical practice shared leadership etc. When u get a job you will see. I did system wide code blue.

I would say where you do rn to bsn doesn't matter , although I personally would only go if they also had a brick and morter bsn program as well. I did online and was accepted.

Good luck

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Thanks for your input missnurse. May I ask you why do you prefer the brick and mortar system?

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Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.
Thanks for your input missnurse. May I ask you why do you prefer the brick and mortar system?

My experience is that getting into CRNA school isn't hard. I have never known anyone who didn't get in. I know a few who had to apply two years in a row to get accepted.

I got my BSN from an online school (). I had classmates who got theirs from U of P and other online schools.

Get good grades, get a job in a high level ICU, SICU and / or CVICU is best but others are OK too. Do a good job (so you can get great reference letters), learn a lot, get your CCRN, get a bachelors degree and apply. If you don't get accepted take 6-9 credits of graduate classes as a non degree seeking student (I did this, side benifit of reducing my work load during the didactic year) and re-apply. I have never even heard of anyone who did those things who didn't get accepted. Well when I was in school we did hear of qualified nurses who didn't make it in cause they blew the interview. The usual reason was they came in acting like Gods' gift to nursing and anesthesia. (huge ego).

I was accepted to 3 of the 4 school I applied to the first time I applied. My grades were good, but not perfect. If I remeber right I had a 3.66 combined nursing school and BSN program and the BSN portion was strait 3.0 (highest GPA possible with WGU).

When I did have was 5 years of very high qualiety experience.

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Thanks for your input missnurse. May I ask you why do you prefer the brick and mortar system?

No I went to an online program for rn-bsn. But it was housed in a college that had a brick and mortar BSN program. Therefore there was infrastructure there, from instructors to everything else. Also I choose a school that had been doing distance learning for a long time, as that state has a spread out population. It was just my choice.

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My experience is that getting into CRNA school isn't hard. I have never known anyone who didn't get in. I know a few who had to apply two years in a row to get accepted. I got my BSN from an online school (WGU). I had classmates who got theirs from U of P and other online schools. Get good grades, get a job in a high level ICU, SICU and / or CVICU is best but others are OK too. Do a good job (so you can get great reference letters), learn a lot, get your CCRN, get a bachelors degree and apply. If you don't get accepted take 6-9 credits of graduate classes as a non degree seeking student (I did this, side benifit of reducing my work load during the didactic year) and re-apply. I have never even heard of anyone who did those things who didn't get accepted. Well when I was in school we did hear of qualified nurses who didn't make it in cause they blew the interview. The usual reason was they came in acting like Gods' gift to nursing and anesthesia. (huge ego). I was accepted to 3 of the 4 school I applied to the first time I applied. My grades were good, but not perfect. If I remeber right I had a 3.66 combined nursing school and BSN program and the BSN portion was strait 3.0 (highest GPA possible with WGU). When I did have was 5 years of very high qualiety experience.
I love to see responses like this, too. So many times, I hear about how or why so-and-so is incredibly difficult, when all along the only requirement is applying yourself and doing the leg work, which in and of itself is not difficult at all; I'm sure if you have time constraints and multiple commitments you will be spread thin, but those are usually the people making all the woeful generalizations. Granted, I'm certain that if I had 5 kids, my perspective would change. However, it's just as nice to hear about the success of someone who manages time well and moves through the process appropriately, instead of the constant stream from those who just don't have any more time to manage. Thank you for your feedback here. ;) My respects to all of you that have done well balancing family life and school; I don't know that I could be so diligent.
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I think what you end up hearing is comments to the posters who do not want to do any of the leg work to get into school. they want to know which schools do not require GRE , and the easiest schools to get into - with both low GPA and minimal experience . they also do not have any intentions of taking more sciences, grad level or not. it is those posters who wear on everyone's nerves and lead people to give short clipped Answers. because these are not to people that we want in anesthesia. we want the ones that will do anything and that will constantly strive for their profession and continually seek out educational advancement .

it's not that it's hardto get in, it's that it takes a lot of work sometimes.

If it were impossible no one would get in to quality programs.

Good luck

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Do most programs require a BSN or do others may exceptions?

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Do most programs require a BSN or do others may exceptions?

*** All school accept a BSN. The only ones that require it are the schools based in university schools of nursing (a minority). All require a bachelors degree in something. I have knows nurses to get accepted to CRNA school with degrees in forestry, music, english, dairy science and the basic sciences like chem.

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Just FYI you can't be qualifed to apply to any CRNA school with a masters degree unless you also have a bachelors degree. For example a nurse who does and ADN to MSN program would not be elligable to apply to CRNA school. All CRNA schools must require a bachelors degree.

That said I have known people to go to CRNA school with bachelors degrees in forestry, dairy science, all the hard sciences, music and english.

My other avice is to keep your plan to go to anesthesia school a secret. ICU nurse managers hate losing RNs just at the point they are starting to become useful to the unit. I have known more than one ICU nurse manager go so far as to call your nursing school instructors and ask if a potential hire ever talked about going to CRNA school.

I had no idea if you had an MSN from an ADN you could not get into CRNA school... Where did you get this information?

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I had no idea if you had an MSN from an ADN you could not get into CRNA school... Where did you get this information?

*** I don't remember where I got the information. Seems like I have always known that. However it can be found on the AANA's web site here:

Become a CRNA

"[h=6]Requirements[/h]

The requirements for becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) mainly include having a bachelor's degree in nursing (or other appropriate baccalaureate degree), Registered Nurse licensure, a minimum of one year acute care experience (for example, ICU or ER), and the successful completion of both an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program and the national certification examination. For more information about the nurse anesthesia profession and its requirements, please read the documents information below.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

I emailed the COA and yes a direct MSN would meet the admission requirement for having a bachelors degree.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I emailed the COA and yes a direct MSN would meet the admission requirement for having a bachelors degree.

Great! Thanks for finding that out. Interesting that the AANA's own website is putting out inaccurate information.

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