am i smart enough for a CRNA?

Trauma Columnist · May 12, 2015

Moved to SRNA forum.

gassy2be · May 12, 2015

Are you a nurse yet?

Shadow a CRNA, have meaningful conversations with them, then tell us about their intellect.

Skip219, BSN, RN · May 12, 2015

Anesthesia school makes nursing school feel like going on vacation!

AGACNPmathis · May 12, 2015

well im not worried about nursing school because honestly, i have been working in a clinical environment for 5 years and man some of therse nurses...well they scare me knowing the have some patients life in their hands to say the least. and i got my CNA and i never studied once even though i know nursing will be more challenging. i feel like a lot of the nursing theory is common sense. im mainly worried about the difficulty of material in CRNA school that i will be expected to comprehend..any current students out there that can give me any advice?

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · May 13, 2015

Honest advice ? Gee, you may not like this...Correct me if I'm wrong but you said your a CNA ? First off, worry about becoming a nurse first, then worry about becoming a CRNA. Do you even know what a CRNA does really does when they are at work? It may not be as exciting as you think. Personally, I thought it was going to be action all the time, and it's not. Far from it actually. Like a previous poster said, go find a CRNA who is willing to let you shadow them and then figure out if you think you can do it. Do you need to be a rocket scientist ? No, but do you need to know your stuff....you surrrrre do ! Because its only you at the head of the table and you sometimes need to make split second decisions in order to ensure the safety of your patient. Is the material hard?? Yea it's certainly not easy, i think the most difficult thing is that the material is new, somewhat difficult, and the sheer volume of stuff you have to know and learn is just absolutely mind-boggling.

AGACNPmathis · May 13, 2015

Well I used to work as a CNA but currently work as a cardiovascular technician in a medical center where I do diagnostic testing of the heart. I have done my research on what a CRNA does. I do plan on shadowing a CRNA in the future but earning my BSN in my priority right now. Ive been reading forums on the course work for the programs and I know they differ from state to state so I guess I will just have to wait and see.

littlepeopleRNICU · May 13, 2015

The biggest red flag of this entire thread:

"Well I'm not worried about nursing school"...

Second, the rest of your comment from that post sounds like you feel a lot of nursing school is just theory. You have another thing coming to you.

KJoRN81, RN · May 13, 2015

The biggest red flag of this entire thread:
"Well I'm not worried about nursing school"...
Second, the rest of your comment from that post sounds like you feel a lot of nursing school is just theory. You have another thing coming to you.

Ha! That's for sure. Nursing school is just "common sense"! :-/

"It never gets easier. You just get stronger."

AGACNPmathis · May 13, 2015

Well i cant say that all of nursing school is common sense because as ive said before there are MANY nurses that i have worked with that lack such a trait...And if they can get their RN then honestly, i dont think getting my RN will be very difficult

THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN · May 13, 2015

Wow. Much knowledge this one has.

Skip219, BSN, RN · May 13, 2015

Being professional, possessing humility and being respectful to others will get you far in life. Going through nursing school is challenging but not close to anesthesia school. You then have to land a ICU job. So don't be so judgemental about other people. Everybody is good at something and you can learn from them.