BS --> CRNA

chemokine · Feb 18, 2015

Yes you can become an RN faster by getting an accelerated second degree BSN. This takes typically 12-15 months. This would be your best option most likely. You will need certain nursing prerequisites first though but you should have some of them already based on your past degree.

Nursing school includes hands on experience for sure but this wont count toward your experience requirement for CRNA school. You will need to get a job in the ICU for at least one year. Two or three years makes you more competitive.

WookieeRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 18, 2015

The only thing you may need to be careful about when applying to an ABSN is the age of your science pre-requisites. Some schools require you to take them if they are over 5 years old.

Psata · Feb 18, 2015

Your other Option is to become a Anesthesiology Assistant (AA), which is a more direct path to being a Anesthesia Provider. There would be no need for getting your RN or the one year minimum ICU experience. AAs for the most part makes the same amount as CRNAs, with certain limitations (re-certification every six years, limited number of States in which to practice and working under a MD, etc.).

Admission Requirements for the Anesthesiologist Assistant Program, Ft. Lauderdale | Nova Southeastern University

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · Feb 19, 2015

Your other Option is to become a Anesthesiology Assistant (AA), which is a more direct path to being a Anesthesia Provider. There would be no need for getting your RN or the one year minimum ICU experience. AAs for the most part makes the same amount as CRNAs, with certain limitations (re-certification every six years, limited number of States in which to practice and working under a MD, etc.).
Admission Requirements for the Anesthesiologist Assistant Program, Ft. Lauderdale | Nova Southeastern University

Are you really promoting being an AA ? Would you want someone with no clinical experience or at worst, not medical experience administering anesthesia to you ? I wouldn't. And there are SIGNIFICANT differences between CRNAs and AAs.

zzbxdo · Feb 20, 2015

I'm all for crnas but in the end, many facilities use both crnas and aas interchangeably. Already having a premed major, a significant of time will be saved going directly to aa schools vs obtaining a BSN, getting 1yr> ICU experience which would likely take you much, much longer.

I'd pay attention to where and where you plan to be located as there practicing States are limited.

jj224 · Feb 20, 2015

Not trying to take over this thread with AA vs CRNA talk, but I just don't understand why there is no hands on patient care required for AA as there is for PA. PAs and NPs fill similar roles, same as CRNAs and AAs. It doesn't make sense to me why there's that disconnect. I hope they make the same requirement for AA as they do for PA.

Psata · Feb 20, 2015

Evidently, based on your hypothetical question, you firmly believe that Anesthesiology Assistants (AA) are not equally qualify to administer Anesthesia as do CRNAs. No, I'm not promoting AAs over CRNAs. In fact, I made a post in another thread trying to understand why AAs do not require at least a one year Critical Care Experience (or even the need to be a RN), while CRNA programs make this a requirement.

https://allnurses.com/student-registered-nurse/crna-schools-no-668591-page4.html

I guess my question to you would be can you explain why MD controlled Anesthesia Groups are hiring AAs if there was any medical risk involve (again, I'm not a CRNA)? I did a search online for Job openings in various States and notice a plethora of positions for Anesthesiology Assistants available in many States. If this so-called "Clinical Experience" is so critical to the outcomes as a Anesthesia Provider, why are Anesthesiology Assistants Programs exist and why are their Graduates being employed in at least 17 States? Could you provide some answers in a less emotional fashion to these very basic questions? Frankly, I see no difference between an AA and a Cardiovascular Perfusionist and their lack of medical experience prior to entering a critical medical profession.

FYI, my sister is a CRNA who got accepted into a CRNA with only 1-year of NICU/Nursing Experience and has been practicing as a CRNA for over 22-years. At least 6-moths of that 1-year experience was devoted to classroom and on-the-job Training. Anesthesiology Assistants have been around for the past 44-46 years, so I'm baffled by the need for 1-year minimum critical care and BSN/RN requirement.

Are you really promoting being an AA ? Would you want someone with no clinical experience or at worst, not medical experience administering anesthesia to you ? I wouldn't. And there are SIGNIFICANT differences between CRNAs and AAs.

zzbxdo · Feb 21, 2015

Evidently, based on your hypothetical question, you firmly believe that Anesthesiology Assistants (AA) are not equally qualify to administer Anesthesia as do CRNAs. No, I'm not promoting AAs over CRNAs. In fact, I made a post in another thread trying to understand why AAs do not require at least a one year Critical Care Experience (or even the need to be a RN), while CRNA programs make this a requirement.
https://allnurses.com/student-registered-nurse/crna-schools-no-668591-page4.html
I guess my question to you would be can you explain why MD controlled Anesthesia Groups are hiring AAs if there was any medical risk involve (again, I'm not a CRNA)? I did a search online for Job openings in various States and notice a plethora of positions for Anesthesiology Assistants available in many States. If this so-called "Clinical Experience" is so critical to the outcomes as a Anesthesia Provider, why are Anesthesiology Assistants Programs exist and why are their Graduates being employed in at least 17 States? Could you provide some answers in a less emotional fashion to these very basic questions? Frankly, I see no difference between an AA and a Cardiovascular Perfusionist and their lack of medical experience prior to entering a critical medical profession.
FYI, my sister is a CRNA who got accepted into a CRNA with only 1-year of NICU/Nursing Experience and has been practicing as a CRNA for over 22-years. At least 6-moths of that 1-year experience was devoted to classroom and on-the-job Training. Anesthesiology Assistants have been around for the past 44-46 years, so I'm baffled by the need for 1-year minimum critical care and BSN/RN requirement.

I agree. Let's face it, crnas are far off the spectrum in relation to bedside nursing, let alone ICU experience. Sure we titrated vasoactive gtts, narcs and sedatives but the comparable knowledge with 1 year experience is pretty vast. Fresh ICU experience doesn't really relate to gas and nmb knowledge required to keep a patient chill and safely extubate/transfer in a timely manner.

Both education is pretty intense and it's obvious that your experience as practitioner is gained through the several hundred hours of clinical experience post didactics.

There's a reason why many crna schools prefer novice nurses, and that is due to the fact that they are easier to mold. My uncle is a director of Anesthesia somewhere and hires both aa and crnas equally. They are paid the same, respected the same, and expected to work through same. Also admits that they probably know than him.

QuietRiot · Mar 7, 2015

Are you really promoting being an AA ? Would you want someone with no clinical experience or at worst, not medical experience administering anesthesia to you ? I wouldn't. And there are SIGNIFICANT differences between CRNAs and AAs.

The Op clearly asked for the most time efficient path to becoming an anesthesia provider, so her response is justified. SMH, at CRNAs who attempt to dwarf the AA profession...all while having their own similar battle with anesthesiologist

Llhook · Jul 23, 2015

I entered perfusion school in 2010. And most perfusion programs require a minimum of 2000 hours of health care experience to be considered as an applicant.