Just accepted to CRNA school or applying soon...

3ccBolus · Aug 11, 2011

I'm leaving for school next month, and currently have 2 years 4 months experience. At the time I interviewed I had almost 1.5 years.I have felt infinitely more comfortable at my job after about month 14, and even more so at the 2 year mark. I feel like I can handle whatever they might throw at me now. As far as how much experience I think is necessary-- I think I'll have a better idea once my school starts... But I think I'll be fine.

CVICU14 · Aug 11, 2011

What kind of ICU were you in. What's your stats? I'm in Neuro ICU.

ERNURSE11 · Aug 11, 2011

Could you guys give any updated tips for the interviews? I have read so many different things on these forums but none seem to be dated for 2011? Any recent advice would be much appriciated.

Have my first interview next week :)

3ccBolus · Aug 11, 2011

Goody--

I work in a 40 bed ICU. There are probably around 10-15 open heart surgeries per week. So at LEAST once a week I am taking care of a fresh open heart patient who is still sedated and not yet extubated. We recover and extubate the hearts on the unit rather than in a recovery room. I also see a multitude of critically ill medical patients, and other big surgeries (like big belly surgeries).

I started off in the Neuro ICU, and frankly I felt like I was NOT going to get the type of experience that I needed for anesthesia school. I rarely saw Swan Ganz catheters. I used pressors on occasion, but never the multitude of vasoactive drips that I use now. I had ventilated patients all the time, but we were rarely weaning the ventilator aggressively for extubation. I think weaning lets you learn a lot about how to troubleshoot vents, what different settings are really good for, etc. The sickest neuro patient I ever had did not make me think nearly as much as the healthiest open heart, or septic patient I've had. Honestly, I felt like the only nursing interventions that I was doing in Neuro was either: Steroids, Mannitol, or the Operating Room. Of course you do have to be vigilant in neuro and recognize change quickly, but from a nursing perspective I think your interventions are extremely limited. I got out of there, and I have learned a ton more and I feel ready for school to start. I would advise you to check out another area if you can. At worst you will be a more well rounded ICU nurse. That's how I feel. I can take an extraventricular drain no sweat, or an intra aortic balloon pump. Experience different things and you will learn more.

There are nurses who go to anesthesia school with only Neuro experience. Maybe some of them can chime in on whether or not they have felt well prepared. But my recommendation would be to try and get as much experience with other patients as you can.

As far as stats:

2.5 years ICU (5 months of which were neuro)

3.7 GPA (BSN)

1140/4 GRE

CCRN

CVICU14 · Aug 11, 2011

Yea, I feel that way sometimes. However I just started. Signed contract & the only reason I said I would cut it short would be to start anesthesia school. So I am at a standstill

lovescoffee · Sep 7, 2011

I had 8mo ED and 11mo 54 bed ICU at a Level I doing Med/Surg/Neuro/Trauma. Unfortunately, we had a separate Heart hospital, so unless the pt had a co-morbidity worse than their heart or an acute change non-heart related we didn't get them. Sorry to say, but I agree that strictly Neuro experience probably wouldn't have gotten me as prepared as I needed to be. Are you able to pick up shifts in other units? That was what I had intended to do to get heart exp if I hadn't gotten accepted to school right away.

CVICU14 · Sep 7, 2011

I think I can pick up shifts in another unit after 6 months. I feel like I'm learning , but because my grades aren't standout grades, I feel I need to have the greatest ICU experience

lovescoffee · Sep 7, 2011

I'd definitely do it. Even just a few hours here and there to help your confidence and show you are doing all you can to increase your knowledge base. If you don't mind me asking, how's your GPA?

CVICU14 · Sep 7, 2011

3.0. Taking chemistry and statistics now. And plan to do grad level courses next semester. What school do you go to?

lovescoffee · Sep 7, 2011

Sounds like you have a great plan! I'm at Wolford. It was the first school I applied to, got accepted, and was able to start the fastest; which was my goal. I was accepted to another, but wouldn't have started until this past July (5-6mo later).

CVICU14 · Sep 7, 2011

I was going to apply there next year since they have rolling admissions. How do you like the program? Do you think I would get in if I applied in the spring for the following spring start? I want to stay in FL.