SRNA's: Study Schedules, Sleep, Sanity?

Nursing Students SRNA

Published

Current and past SRNA's:

I'm starting my education this fall, and would like to hear from SRNA's on how they are managing their time and what works for them to keep their balance and sanity during the semesters. I'm already getting overwhelmed when I think of what's entailed to be successful, but I don't want to "burn out" early. I understand the time involved, but please share what's working for you since you're the "been there, done that" crowd in my eyes. Do you take any days off on the weekend? How much sleep do you try to get?(to function at least coherently) What do you do for "fun" to get away from the books for a short while?

Also, if you could do the first year over now knowing what you know (Not that anyone I've talked to would do it a second time!:chuckle ) what would you have done different?

Finally, any good "on the side" texts that you feel are great supplements to help understand some of the difficult concepts during school. Physiology, Pharm, ect. would be greatly appreciated. Good luck to all on finals this semester!:)

I have a sincere question, please don't take this as a poke at SRNA's or the posts thus far.

Is it possible that those who are starting as SRNA's have been out of school long enough that they've forgotten the rigorous schedule of academia in general? It appears to me that the didactic life of an SRNA isn't terribly different from a medical student, a law student, or any other difficult graduate profession. Why the extra fear and emphasis on it?

Arkgolfer's post "I tried to get in 6-8 hours per day between studying and classtime" is the only numeric measurement I have sofar, but this sounds like any number of other full-time college/graduate students. My husband spends 8-12 hours a day just on undergraduate studies, and while I know being an SRNA will be more intensive, he won't have the added pressure of employment added to it like he does now. Doesn't that make up the difference?

I am interested in feedback from SRNA's and CRNA's. Thanks in advance for your input.

The level of understanding needed is deep and the volume of material is staggering. The fear is well deserved. I was a 4.0 student in undergrad and was thought I was fully prepared for the rigors of NA school. What I wasn't prepared for was the fact I always felt behind in studing/keeping up with the neccessary material. I ended up keeping my average and doing well in clinical but the workload is unbelievable. Days start early and nights run late. Try doing a 12 hour day on your cardiac rotation, getting home at 9 PM and then getting paged at 3 AM to come in and do a heart transplant, talk about the walking dead. The standards are very high and everyone is working very hard to live up to those standards. You are right in comparing it to med school or lawyer school, they are stressed too.

I have a sincere question, please don't take this as a poke at SRNA's or the posts thus far.... My husband spends 8-12 hours a day just on undergraduate studies, and while I know being an SRNA will be more intensive, he won't have the added pressure of employment added to it like he does now. Doesn't that make up the difference?

I believe your question is sincere. Please believe me, that my answer is sincere.

You express an attitude/opinion that I have seen get SRNAs in serious trouble. They think "I'm a good student, I never had to study much, if I just go to class, and pay attention I'll be fine. Maybe read a little, no big deal, that is always how it has worked for me".

It doesn't take too long for these people to get hit with a serious reality shock. And they are truly dazed. They have never been challenged to this extent before. If it takes them too long to recover, and figure out a revised plan, they are in serious trouble.

The posts here are no exaggeration. I have not been to medical or law school, but anesthesia school is most definitely the hardest thing I have ever done.

loisane crna

Hey Guys, What happened to the original Question of the thread? SRNA's out there and CRNA's, what study schedules made you successful and which one made you crazy. What suggestions would you give to help someone not be institutionalized while in school, especially that first year w/ semi-front loaded programs? atainey's question was not really on topic and seemed to have steered us off course. Again, out of the gravel and onto the road. What do SRNA's find works best for studying and keeping their sanity?

Specializes in Anesthesia.
Hey Guys, What happened to the original Question of the thread? SRNA's out there and CRNA's, what study schedules made you successful and which one made you crazy. What suggestions would you give to help someone not be institutionalized while in school.........

Take it one day at a time.

Plan ahead, yes; prepare yourself mentally, yes; but don't borrow trouble from the future.

Stewing about it now is counterproductive.

ohhh... grr. never mind I'll just keep it to my self :imbar

Is this what the grading is in most CRNA classes?

in a word "No". Does your husband fail out if he gets a grade less than an 83? We were required to take pathophysiology from the med school where I attend. While the med students took the same exams we did, they did not have to perform as well. They were allowed to pass, if they were within two standard deviations of the mean. We were only allowed to pass if we scored greater than 83% on a non curved scale. This was a 5 credit hour class, with three exams. During the same semester, I was enrolled in 12 additional credit hours, with similar requirements.

yep - you drop below a B average and you are outta there - it is not fun w/ that hanging over your head.

Yeah, 92 for A, 83 for B, must maintain 3.0 GPA. Make more than two C's (even if your GPA is 3.5), and you're out. NA school is not very forgiving.

Wow you can get a C in your program!!! Get even one C, in a lot of programs, you are HISTORY-this is graduate level- C's are not acceptable. :crying2:

It's interesting how programs vary so much. All three schools I interviewed at allowed either one or 2 C's (which was like 76-82), but of course you still had to keep a 3.0 GPA. I wonder if there's any kind of statistical difference in rates of passing boards and the kind of grades a program requires to make it through. I'm not worried at all about my program....100% pass rate for the past ten years. How are the rest of you guys grading scales and progression requirements?

most of them boast a 100% pass rate. but that is not an average of people who got it. that number comes from people who make it through and consequently pass the board. yeah no C's here. or at least I think anyone who got a C will be here next year.

in away this 100% board passing statistic is kinda like the stats of deaths in the OR or ER. you know how they run the patient over to the ICU for them to die rather than die in the OR so they can keep there stats up. well... in a really twisted way its the same kind of deal. would you go to a shool who boasts an 87% pass rate or a 100 pass rate. right... so of course you make the stat what you want it to be.. like research.

like all those thousands of hospitals that belong to the top 100 hosptials club. top 100 in what?

right well this one is in the top 100 that keeps there patients water full. and that one is in the top 100 with flat parking lots. lol you get the picture> and this one is in the top ten with signs that can be seen from the freeway.. (my favorite) I find thier patient care to be top notch

It's interesting how programs vary so much. All three schools I interviewed at allowed either one or 2 C's (which was like 76-82), but of course you still had to keep a 3.0 GPA. I wonder if there's any kind of statistical difference in rates of passing boards and the kind of grades a program requires to make it through. I'm not worried at all about my program....100% pass rate for the past ten years. How are the rest of you guys grading scales and progression requirements?

C students ultimately won't make it through anesthesia school. Yeah, a program may allow a C in coursework, but I can't see someone making it through clinical, getting pimped, after making a C. If you don't learn it, doing cases proficiently is impossible. And for clarification, my program doesn't allow C's in anesthesia classes. But they'll let one slide in the theory, research, policy BS. And if anyone who can get into anesthesia school gets a C in one of those, then I don't know what's going on.

+ Add a Comment