SRNA and/or CRNA - Information for Future School Applicants

Nursing Students SRNA

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Hi all! There were so many people who helped me on my journey into CRNA school so, as an SRNA/RRNA, I want to pay it forward and help anyone who has questions or needs advice on stats, interviews, school, etc. It can be a very competitive and sometimes discouraging process but BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! You will get here when it's your time and you won't look back. ? Hang in there!

Specializes in CRNA.

You could try the CRNA Reddit. AAs, and independent practice/opt out for CRNAs are political topics. 

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Specializes in CVICU.

What are the chances of getting into CRNA school with a 4.0 nursing school GPA and 3.86 cumulative, but only 1 year of CVICU experience?

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Specializes in SRNA.

Hey Guys! Love this thread! 

I was also just recently accepted into CRNA school and it was certainly a long process! There are a lot of great resources that can assist with application preparation and assistance. Feel free to message me for what I found most helpful! 

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Specializes in ICU.

Are there any pocketbooks or guides that you can recommend for CRNA school?  Anything that helps while in class or clinical?

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lovelife said:

Are there any pocketbooks or guides that you can recommend for CRNA school?  Anything that helps while in class or clinical?

Personally, I would wait until you start your program to purchase any of these. I know each program is different but ours paid for some of the apps that we use frequently and my class was also given a "group discount" for the ones the program didn't cover. Honestly, Ninja Nerd has been so, so helpful during didactic so I would start to look at those videos and start understanding concepts - then get excited to put it all in to practice! ?

SRNA-CRNA2b said:

Hey Guys! Love this thread! 

I was also just recently accepted into CRNA school and it was certainly a long process! There are a lot of great resources that can assist with application preparation and assistance. Feel free to message me for what I found most helpful! 

Congratulations! I am so happy you love the thread - I figured it would be a great resource for people who were in our shoes; something I definitely wish that I would have had! ?

 

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Husky1519 said:

What are the chances of getting into CRNA school with a 4.0 nursing school GPA and 3.86 cumulative, but only 1 year of CVICU experience?

Personally, I don't think it's just about getting into CRNA school but truly feeling prepared and understanding concepts before you get in. Each program is different but I would personally shoot for 2 years of experience (at least) in a high acuity ICU when you begin to understand things more in depth and begin to gain confidence. There is so much information that is thrown at you so it is so, so important for our patients that we have a firm foundation/understanding of the things we are doing in the ICU before moving on. This is only my opinion, some people may disagree, but I think it will make schooling much more enjoyable as well. With all this being said, it IS possible to get in with 1 year of experience! Hope this helps!

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loveanesthesia said:

You could try the CRNA Reddit. AAs, and independent practice/opt out for CRNAs are political topics. 

Great answer! This is a huge one! ? 

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Name said:

 need advice for interviews. Also, if you have a link on finding political issues of CRNA. I couldn't find it on AANA website 

Interview Tips:

1. Don't pretend like you know things if you don't.

2. Show your personality.

3. Instead of giving answers that you think they want to hear, provide specific examples from your own life experiences to answer questions.

4. Type up a list of questions/answers and then alter them as you say them.

5. Prepare ahead of time but when you don't know things, show that you are willing to learn them.

6. Show them examples of grit/resilience as this is the epitome of anesthesia school.

Political Issues:

Look up information about CRNA autonomy in different states - the AANA is a great resource now that you have a *topic.* ? 

 

YOU'VE GOT THIS!!

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ICURNHI said:

Hello ! Thanks for offering help so awesome. I got accepted yay ! I am wanting to prepare for school don't want to spend a ton of money on classes to take what do you feel is important to study/ review before the start of school ? YouTube? Any podcasts you recommend ? 

YESSSS! So proud of you - great job! ?

Don't spend money to prepare for school - they will teach you everything you need to know in school after building on your foundational ICU knowledge. That being said, make sure that you are looking into the medications you're giving and start to understand why you're giving those medications and what effect they have on the body when you give them. Start to ask the doctors/respiratory therapists about gases, why they chose ventilator settings, specific medications, etc. A YouTube resource that was super helpful during school is Ninja Nerd and you can definitely review his videos (there are TONS)... and they're FREE. I would recommend the Core Anesthesia podcast once you get IN to school and before school starts I would recommend the CRNA School Prep Academy podcast. 

Again, congratulations! You CAN do this!

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Nurseerc said:

what supplies do you recommend purchasing before school? For example, iPAD

1. Make sure that you have a computer that is reliable and will get you through all 3 years of schooling!

2. My iPad has been AMAZING for school (I am not a tech wizard by any means and I figured it out). It saves SO MUCH money on printing and all of my books/lectures are in one small place which is nice. *Back it up though!*

4. Apple Pencil or a similar cheap one from Amazon - just make sure it works!

5. Notability - I love this for taking notes with lectures and for so many other reasons!

6. A whiteboard with Expo markers so you can understand concepts and write them out over and over again.

Honestly, these are the things that I use consistently every single day! I hope this helps!

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mm1220 said:

How to answer if asked about bouncing around on my resume? I started off in Level 1 SICU, thought about CRNA then but didn't feel confident enough as a baby nurse..moved onto Endoscopy, then MSN Admin/MBA, then a coordinator and finally a short term director role before quitting it to start and raise a family for 2 years. (Total of 10 years since graduating nursing school) 
 

starting from ground zero again this year in the ICU to apply to CRNA. I know it's a long road but nervous about interviewers digging into the several jobs and them not feeling confident in me that I'll stick with the program. 
 

any tips on how to answer to this? 

I would definitely go to the open houses of the programs that you are interested in so they can get to know you. They're not always going to be the people involved in the interviews but sometimes they are! This can help you get to know them and vice versa. In an interview, I would honestly address it as what those things have taught you that will make your experience as a future CRNA unique. Think of things that you have that no one else does because you went down those routes. I would also go about it in a way, explaining that you wanted to prioritize starting your family and now that you're kids are at an age where you feel confident going back to school, it was the perfect time to apply. If this is what you really want to do, go after it! Don't let that hold you back at all!

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA.
SRNA Mentor said:

Personally, I don't think it's just about getting into CRNA school but truly feeling prepared and understanding concepts before you get in. Each program is different but I would personally shoot for 2 years of experience (at least) in a high acuity ICU when you begin to understand things more in depth and begin to gain confidence. There is so much information that is thrown at you so it is so, so important for our patients that we have a firm foundation/understanding of the things we are doing in the ICU before moving on. This is only my opinion, some people may disagree, but I think it will make schooling much more enjoyable as well. With all this being said, it IS possible to get in with 1 year of experience! Hope this helps!

This is great advice. Thank you for the podcast shoutout, too! 

Congratulations on your acceptance and thank you for paying-it-forward to the next round of Aspiring CRNAs!! Cheering you on as you head make your way through your program!! 

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