Someone please clairify education....

I'm am also hoping to pursue the same route. I am 28 and will be starting ADN school next fall...you know all those prereq's had to get done. Then I planned to work while doing the RN-BSN through our local university's online program they offer, less time you have to put in the classroom.

Anyway, I would be very interested in hearing other people's paths to this goal.

The experience you get as an ADN will count toward the year. There is no reason to work another year before you apply. Have fun and good luck!

I am starting the ADN program in Fall 2002 and plan on working ICU or a fast-paced ER while getting my BSN. It is a two-year program that only requires one day of classes. I hear it is not as intense as nursing school. Luckily, nursing schedules are quite flexible as for working in with a school schedule. Although, to get a master's in anaesthesiology you do have to give up work for two years...so I hear. Good luck!

Dantedressage,

It doesn't matter where or when you recieved your one year critical care experience. You should be working there now and gaining as much experience as possible.

Really, the final say comes from your personal interview...it's grueling and it's actually like a verbal boards type thing. However, if you really do well and know your business, sell yourself as the best, the interviewers will want you in regardless of how you went about it.

Get your ICU experience now & continue to work there until you quit, or if you want a change, switch to PACU after you have strong ICU experience...PACU experience is another plus because your already familiar with dealing the P/O complications of anesthesia, it's one on one usually, your used to the drugs etc...don't eliminate that possibility, especially good if your hospital recovers the critical care patients....Good luck & I hope to see you in the CRNA world soon.

Kelycrna, just curious where you went to school, how long you've been a CRNA, etc. Do you have any words of wisdom for a nursing student graduating in May interested in nurse anesthesia. How much more difficult is anesthesia school compared to nursing school, or is there a comparison. What was the hardest part about the didactic part and clinical part of school? I'd appreciate your insights. Thanks!!:)

jperry25,

I recieved my anesthesia training at Texas Wesleyan Univ. in Ft. Worth, TX. Our didactics lasted apprx 12 mo. then we had about 15 mo. residency training at various clinical sites.

I graduated at the end of 1995 and was never so happy to be finished! It was the most grueling 2 two years for many of us in my program. In my opinion it's more comparable to medical training rather than a nursing school training. I say this simply because at times I was trained right along side an anesthesia medical resident, we were expected to know the same stuff.

Concerning didactics, the most difficult subject for me was the advanced phisiology, our professor expected us to know that stuff inside & out, the tests were very difficult. Regarding clinicals, the most difficult part is stepping into clinicals well trained in ICU yet your experience means nothing, you are treated as if you know nothing...you must get past your pride and go with the flow. Your mentors are the boss regardless of what you know and you will be more accepted if you carry an attitude of enthusiasm and willingness to learn even the most basic concepts.

Strong skills for a CRNA includes vigilance, organization, prioritizing your tasks, being able to conceptualize and think abstractly. Remember you don't want to just be a technician in anesthesia, but rather you must know why your doing something or be able to back it up with reasoning, studies & research.

Lastly, begin working right away in a busy ICU after you graduate nursing school. If you are considered for a CRNA program they will want you to come for an oral interview. Be sure and brush up on your ICU skills because you will be asked many questions during this interview concerning ventilatory, circulatory & pharmacological concepts. Anything you DO in ICU is fair game for them to ask and they expect you to know not only HOW to do something but WHY your doing it. Oh BTW, a little brown nosing doesn't hurt either!!! LOL

Good luck!