Shadowing a CRNA Advice

[cdibley]

Hi everyone,

I am looking at my grad school options and something that appeals to me is CRNA, however I want to REALLY see what they do and hopefully do many shadowing experiences to ensure this is the right move for me. I've done tons of research, but to me, just as with being an ICU nurse, you never know what it's like until you experience it first hand.

I work at a specialty CV hospital and we only have anesthesiologists no CRNAs, anyone set up a shadow experience somewhere other than their hospital? How did you go about it? I called my local anesthesia staffing group but never heard back. TIA!

[fourthtimesacharm, CRNA]

In my area some of the hospitals have specific job shadowing policies. I have found them by just doing a google search OR a search on the hospital website for job shadowing. There are usually a few different steps you have to take--again, at least in the hospitals in my area. Often you have to find a provider to sponsor you first and then you can apply to shadow. Good luck!

[S.Bird]

I had difficultly finding shadowing opportunities, as my facility only employs MDAs also. I called the anesthesiology offices of surrounding hospitals and asked chief CRNAs on LinkedIn to shadow. Surgical centers are often welcoming to aspiring CRNAs also.