someone please tell me how ridiculous my doubts are

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I am pretty sure that what I am about to say are the tiniest reasons not to become a CRNA. Overall, I think the job suits me wonderfully and I think the whole concept is so fascinating. I am an extern in a SICU now, and I have to say that I love watching the critical thought process and the titrations; I enjoy the drug and assessment part, not so much the code brown part, or the "bedside" aspect to the nursing... and recently I've noticed I have quite the aversion to those real purulent respiratory secretions!!! I just absolutely gag when suctioning a patient with those thick, yellow, foul smelling secretions and hate when it gets coughed out a trach! That being said.. God willing I become a CRNA, I would plan on working more of an ambulatory setting where I am anticipating most patients would not be having such thick secretions; even hospital setting, I'm sure most patients except for those who are leaving ICU for another operation are not that bad. I don't mind the saliva or anything, and I did shadow a CRNA and did not notice anything "bad" (and also loved the day and thought it flew by!!)... Can anyone just help me out here, will this be an issue for me?

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Specializes in Transplant/Surgical ICU.

As a CRNA you will have to intubate patients orally or nasally whatever the case you WILL need to suction before inserting an artificial airway, that's a given. Can't runaway from that! To become a CRNA you have to work in an ICU to meet standard national requirements for admission into a program. An outpatient setting is not gonna cut it... As an ICU nurse you will suction patients weekly if not daily, you will need to be comfortable with this especially during eemergencies: codes, aspiration, etc. What you should be asking yourself is why do you want to be a CRNA, how bad do you want it, and is suctioning something that really puts you off that much?

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I dont think this is going to be a problem. I can't stand secretions either, but it really isn't that often you have to deal with it. And you would love your job so much that occasionally having to do it wont bother you. Most people don't have alot of oral secretions like your talking about. In the last year I have been bothered once by this, which oddly enough was yesterday.

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Specializes in Transplant/Surgical ICU.

BryanCRNA,

How did you deal with this as an ICU nurse? Did you just bite the bullet?

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hi love-d-OR: sorry if I presented my timeline confusing, I know I have to work in ICU, that's why I'm an extern in one already, set to graduate in May and hopeful on continuing to work there (lev 1 trauma center.. intense patients) or else another ICU. I meant that I would like to work ambulatory as a CRNA. I just meant that I already know that resp. secretions are my least favorite body fluid, and that I can make it through 2 years ICU work to get to my dream, but I don't think I could handle dealing with them every day like 12 times a shift like I do in the ICU... like you pointed out at the end, as long as it's not to the full extent of the ICU, I don't think it's worth it to give up the dream

to BryanCRNA: Your reply made me so happy, thanks for sharing. Makes me feel good to know that there is a practicing CRNA who feels the same. If you can do it, I can do it, right? =)

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Specializes in Transplant/Surgical ICU.

I see... Good luck

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