South College CRNA 2023

Nursing Students SRNA

Published

Anyone heard anything about interviews yet?!

Hi everyone! Are there any current students that would open to talking to me regarding their experience so far, in both didactic and clinicals? I'm trying to weigh out my options and would love to hear how any admitted students experience has been.  I'm a little nervous as they haven't had a graduating cohort yet.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU.
LARNxo said:

Hi everyone! Are there any current students that would open to talking to me regarding their experience so far, in both didactic and clinicals? I'm trying to weigh out my options and would love to hear how any admitted students experience has been.  I'm a little nervous as they haven't had a graduating cohort yet.

Hello, 1st year SRNA here. We just completed 3rd quarter, and this quarter has been the toughest so far. We will not start clinical until April 2024, so I cannot speak to the clinical aspect of your question. However, didactic is its own obstacle. You should be very well-disciplined and able to work on your own for the most part. I have a study group, but we don't meet on a regular basis, just when we feel an exam will be particularly tough. Other than that, I study on my own. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
CVICU nurse22 said:

Hello, 1st year SRNA here. We just completed 3rd quarter, and this quarter has been the toughest so far. We will not start clinical until April 2024, so I cannot speak to the clinical aspect of your question. However, didactic is its own obstacle. You should be very well-disciplined and able to work on your own for the most part. I have a study group, but we don't meet on a regular basis, just when we feel an exam will be particularly tough. Other than that, I study on my own. 

Hey there. Any updates on your progression through the program? How was the didactic portion working from home? How has the clinical portion been? Thanks in advance!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
airpodwhisperer said:

so far it's chill, everyone is doing great. attrition rate is low, teachers are nice. classes are manageable 

Any chance you could update us with how the program is still going for you? How have classes been as the year carried on? Have you started clinicals yet? Thanks in advance !!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
midas22 said:

Any chance you could update us with how the program is still going for you? How have classes been as the year carried on? Have you started clinicals yet? Thanks in advance !!

The program definitely ramps up with each quarter. I wouldn't say the content is hard per se but the volume of info, assignments, and readings you have to do in such a short quarter (12 weeks) is what makes things difficult. Definitely practice learning "how to learn" and retain info in a short amount of time before you apply. If you are a slow reader/comprehender or procrastinator you will fail. We lost 3 people due to academic reasons so far. You just have to be proactive and try to study and read ahead. Each course only has like 3-4 exams so if you bomb one exam it's almost impossible to recover. 

Also we just started clinicals. The good news is that if you really pay attention during your didactic year you will fly during clinicals. The seniors and our cohort are doing extremely well in clinicals and many of the seniors have job offers already lined up and many of our cohort are excelling in clinicals and are able to keep up with preceptor questions and airway management scenarios. Again they prepare us EXTREMELY well even though the first 15 months are online (as long as you put in the effort too). Online format is practically no different than in person because either way CRNA school is a lot of self-directed studying.

LEARN YOUR DRUGS. If there's anything that I'd stress prior to applying is learning all of your top drawer anesthesia medications by heart. It makes the transition to clinical so much faster and smoother. It also helps tie in a lot of the pathophysiology that you will learn in your didactic year. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
airpodwhisperer said:

The program definitely ramps up with each quarter. I wouldn't say the content is hard per se but the volume of info, assignments, and readings you have to do in such a short quarter (12 weeks) is what makes things difficult. Definitely practice learning "how to learn" and retain info in a short amount of time before you apply. If you are a slow reader/comprehender or procrastinator you will fail. We lost 3 people due to academic reasons so far. You just have to be proactive and try to study and read ahead. Each course only has like 3-4 exams so if you bomb one exam it's almost impossible to recover. 

Also we just started clinicals. The good news is that if you really pay attention during your didactic year you will fly during clinicals. The seniors and our cohort are doing extremely well in clinicals and many of the seniors have job offers already lined up and many of our cohort are excelling in clinicals and are able to keep up with preceptor questions and airway management scenarios. Again they prepare us EXTREMELY well even though the first 15 months are online (as long as you put in the effort too). Online format is practically no different than in person because either way CRNA school is a lot of self-directed studying.

LEARN YOUR DRUGS. If there's anything that I'd stress prior to applying is learning all of your top drawer anesthesia medications by heart. It makes the transition to clinical so much faster and smoother. It also helps tie in a lot of the pathophysiology that you will learn in your didactic year. 

Thanks so much for the update. I really appreciate it - especially since it looks like you are insanely busy! How many hours a week were you studying would you say? I understand its a slog no matter what (given some exceptions) but I still like to gauge everything. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
midas22 said:

Thanks so much for the update. I really appreciate it - especially since it looks like you are insanely busy! How many hours a week were you studying would you say? I understand its a slog no matter what (given some exceptions) but I still like to gauge everything. 

First year, you can definitely hold a per diem job and work 1-2 days a week and be fine. Studying can average maybe 15-30 hours a week. 

Second year all that goes out the window. Clinical becomes your full time job and you're scrambling to find time to read and sleep. Expect to be awake 60-80 hours a week doing "something" related to school. 

For frame of reference we have over 25 chapters to read in the first two weeks of the quarter starting, on top of being in clinical (10+ hour days) 2 days every week. In addition to Care Plans that take hours to complete thats due 11:59 every clinical day. 

First year is a breeze, second year is hell.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
airpodwhisperer said:

First year, you can definitely hold a per diem job and work 1-2 days a week and be fine. Studying can average maybe 15-30 hours a week. 

Second year all that goes out the window. Clinical becomes your full time job and you're scrambling to find time to read and sleep. Expect to be awake 60-80 hours a week doing "something" related to school. 

For frame of reference we have over 25 chapters to read in the first two weeks of the quarter starting, on top of being in clinical (10+ hour days) 2 days every week. In addition to Care Plans that take hours to complete thats due 11:59 every clinical day. 

First year is a breeze, second year is hell.

Yeah that sure sounds like hell. How do you even manage to read all that? Just curious about strategy and the like. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
midas22 said:

Yeah that sure sounds like hell. How do you even manage to read all that? Just curious about strategy and the like. 

It depends on how your brain works. 

Some people literally need adderall to focus. Thankfully I'm not on that boat but no judgement to those who are. A couple different strategies my classmates have shared are=

 

- Notification blocking apps on your phone. Staying focused that way.

- Treating it as a story, as you read try to turn it into one big fiction story where you can retell it to someone at the drop of a hat. If you are able to teach/retell someone something without stammering then that means you have mastery over that topic no? 

- Quizlet, quizlet has a great AI function now that allows you to turn your cards into a 4 answer multiple choice questions that all sound similar so it forces you to pick the correct answer.

"what is myesthenia gravis"

Example answers: a) autoimmune disease, b) autoimmune disorder, c) autoimmune dysfunction, d) autoimmune diathesis

- Taking naps. Sleep is the best way to retain info. 

Ultimately its up to you to see what works. I'd say if you have time, try to take the GRE, South doesn't require it but it helps to help you understand how you study/learn before school starts. See what learning/study methods you default to using when trying to relearn algebra and statistics LOL. That will give you a better insight into how your brain works again and then go from there. 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
airpodwhisperer said:

It depends on how your brain works. 

Some people literally need adderall to focus. Thankfully I'm not on that boat but no judgement to those who are. A couple different strategies my classmates have shared are=

 

- Notification blocking apps on your phone. Staying focused that way.

- Treating it as a story, as you read try to turn it into one big fiction story where you can retell it to someone at the drop of a hat. If you are able to teach/retell someone something without stammering then that means you have mastery over that topic no? 

- Quizlet, quizlet has a great AI function now that allows you to turn your cards into a 4 answer multiple choice questions that all sound similar so it forces you to pick the correct answer.

"what is myesthenia gravis"

Example answers: a) autoimmune disease, b) autoimmune disorder, c) autoimmune dysfunction, d) autoimmune diathesis

- Taking naps. Sleep is the best way to retain info. 

Ultimately its up to you to see what works. I'd say if you have time, try to take the GRE, South doesn't require it but it helps to help you understand how you study/learn before school starts. See what learning/study methods you default to using when trying to relearn algebra and statistics LOL. That will give you a better insight into how your brain works again and then go from there. 

Your recent posts were very comforting to read! I start in January! Thank you so much for the tips and I wish you the best in your semester! 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/RAPID nurse.

Anyone currently in the program that can message me about the program ? 

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment