Say Goodbye to my CRNA Chances?

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Specializes in MICU, STICU, CTICU, CCRN-CSC-CMC.

Hey! This is my first post so I will start by saying hello I suppose and give a little background to my question. I am a 23 year old male student nurse on his way to his second semester of his ADN. I have always been extremely impressed and very interested in the CRNA role in the hospital and I am very interested in pursuing that route. I took a Chemistry course, General Anatomy & Physiology (GAP) and Advanced Anatomy & Physiology and I got a B- in GAP and a B in AAP. I aced my chemistry course as well, but I am a little concerned that my science grades are not exactly indicative of my desire to pursue this career. I am doing extremely well in the nursing program so far, I finished first semester with a 3.4 gpa. Question is, should I retake GAP or AAP? Thoughts?

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

My friend, you have to complete your ADN, successfully transition into practice, get your BSN (most likely) and THEN you can worry about CRNA. If you end up being a competent nurse in an acute care specialty, I think that matters more than two B's. Best of luck!

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Specializes in MICU, STICU, CTICU, CCRN-CSC-CMC.

I suppose you are right. I was just a little concerned I suppose. I'm sure we'll know soon enough! I am going to start BSN courses this summer to get ahead of the game on all of that good jazz. I'm sure I'll figure it out soon enough!

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I've just completed my ADN and am currently waiting to take boards. The A&P classes I took before nursing school were all about memorization. Once you apply this knowledge in nursing school, and see how A&P relates to disease process and the MOA of meds, you'll connect all the dots.

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You are young and time is on your side.

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Hey young man,

You are still young and you have plenty of time to better yourself and make yourself more competitive. Keep doing what you're doing. Graduate first ! Get a job in the ICU in a big level I trauma teaching hospital (For Example: hospitals where you take care of the patients with A-LINE, Central Line, (or pt need to be intubated, ect.) on DAILY BASIS ! You DO NOT NEED to be on the Ward, or Step-down Unit first (if anyone ever told you so..)

When you are done with nursing school, please SHADOW and also contact the CRNA Program Directors where you want to go, and ask them how to be more competitive and keep in touch with them, allow them to guide you and listen to what they tell you. Show them you have a Fire in your belly that this is what you want to do. I wish that I would have know what I wanted to do when I was as your age. It's not easy, and please understand that while you have done several things to strengthen your application, you are competing against many applicants who have done the same. This contributes to a very competitive field, so the more you can do to "rise to the top", the better. But its totally worth it when you receive a phone call from the director to invite you to join their program. The bottom line is : You might need to retake the science courses you received -B; however, first thing first, graduate and get a good ICU job !

Continue work hard and focus on your goals toward nurse anesthesia. And when things get difficult, do not feel discouraged, just hang tight and you will get there somedays !

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I had Bs on Anatomy and Physio. I was an ADN. Went back to get my BSN. I applied to multiple schools and had multiple rejections. But I got in. I passed CRNA school. I passed the CRNA boards in 100 questions on my first attempt. So short answer is no, I do not say goodbye to your chances. Finish you ADN, get your BSN, work in ICU, shadow a CRNA, and as long as this is your dream, DO NOT GIVE UP!

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Specializes in SRNA.
On 12/18/2018 at 1:10 PM, jk95SN said:

Hey! This is my first post so I will start by saying hello I suppose and give a little background to my question. I am a 23 year old male student nurse on his way to his second semester of his ADN. I have always been extremely impressed and very interested in the CRNA role in the hospital and I am very interested in pursuing that route. I took a Chemistry course, General Anatomy & Physiology (GAP) and Advanced Anatomy & Physiology and I got a B- in GAP and a B in AAP. I aced my chemistry course as well, but I am a little concerned that my science grades are not exactly indicative of my desire to pursue this career. I am doing extremely well in the nursing program so far, I finished first semester with a 3.4 gpa. Question is, should I retake GAP or AAP? Thoughts?

I’m not saying that the other folks on here are wrong because they aren’t. However, I would suggest to just retake them now and get them over with. Try a summer semester or two. You have far fewer responsibilities now than you could potentially have in 4-5 years. Don’t stress about getting them done before you start working but it will be easier now. Be sure you can make A’s though or it shows them that you can’t do it. Good luck my man. Keep putting one academic foot in front of the other.

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