scared advice please

[berry]

I am a new nurse about six months out currently working in the ER. I enjoy nursing but just feel I want to increase my scope of practice. I have entertained the idea of crna school since med/surg. I observed a CABG and spent most of the day with the crna asking a million questions. I worked as a tech during nursing school mostly in the ER and STICU, and talked with srnas that worked prn at the hospital. I started grad school as a non-degree seeking student in the FNP program right out of BSN program just taking one class at a time, but the curriculum focus way to in-depth on caring and the nursing model of care nothing wrong with that but just not my cup of tea. I am currently in adv pharm but the class is a joke. It's online basically the same information as my undergrad pharm it goes a little deeper but not much. I am standing on the edge of deciding to commit to the NP route or go the crna route. I just read so much on this board about difficulty (I am a lurker for about 2 yrs) that I am scared of quitting the easier route for one I am afraid of failing.

I just want to know

How many of you srna work or could work 1-2 days every 2 weeks

How many people have you lost from your class?

Do the majority of the students that schools decide to bring in make it out

Since most schools don't consider er as critical care experience and I will have to change jobs which type of unit do you feel provides for the best experience I know nm in MICU, STICu, burn unit and CCU at an university teaching hospital level 1 trauma center I feel confident about gaining employment in any one of them. I was thinking the CCU since they receive the open hearts post op would probably be excellent experience. I however worked as a tech in STICU and the variety of problems from various traumas would give expose me to a greater variety everything from critical GSW to increase ICP from head injuries.

Thanks in advance for any advice and for all the information you already provide on the board

Berry

[berry]

Thanks for all the info interesting about peds/nicu pass rates. I wonder if they are skewed due to a lower number of applicants entering and most doing well. I am looking at really 3 schools but desire UAB way more than the others and they dont take count ER exp. Loisane you are correct about me wanting to know which unit would prepare me the best.

[arkgolfer]

g8rlimey,

I meant to put SRNA attrition. The article is from a study looking into vulnerable time periods for attrition during nurse anesthesia education. It talks about different motivators during the education process, like econonmic rewards early in the education,compared to more focus on practice issues and value of critical thinking closer to graduation. It outlines time frames during the education process that are critical times for attrition, like at the start of clinicals when the stress level gets higher. Very interesting reading.