No trauma or large hospital experience, what are my chances?

Nursing Students SRNA

Published

Specializes in ICU/CCU.

Hello All,

I have been reading all of the posts in the Pre-CRNA and some make me anxious while others are supportive. I would like to know what my chances of being accepted to anesthesia school are. I am applying to 's CRNA program this March (2014) hoping to start in January 2016. I currently work in an ICU/CCU at a community hospital. It is not a trauma center but we still get some sick patients. The type of patients we have are: stroke, MI, cardiac arrest and we do hypothermia protocol, post-surgical (ortho and GI), DKA/HHNS, and lost of pneumonia with sepsis and ARDS. We have the regular ICU stuff - vents, drips, A-lines, CVP, however, no SWANs. I know that it would be better if I worked at a Level One Trauma Center or large teaching facility. I have done enough research into this to understand that it's better but I love my unit, my co-workers, and my manager and I would like to stay in my unit. However, I am determined to be a CRNA so if I will know that I have no chance to get in with this ICU experience I will, reluctantly, switch jobs.

My other stats: I graduated with a BSN from the school that I'm applying to CRNA program ( I don't know if this makes a difference) with a 3.3. My first two years I was not a nursing major and I didn't do so well. However, as a nursing major I pretty much had a 3.5-4.0 each semester. In the end, the most I could raise my GPA was a 3.3 and I'm proud of that because I worked hard for every A possible and worked two jobs at night while getting through school. I have BLS and ACLS. I'm taking the GRE in February but so far with how I have done on practice tests I can estimate to do around 320. I shadowed a CRNA twice and loved it, and I have solid recommendations from my manager, a previous professor, and a physician. And experience wise I worked a year in LTAC ICU (which doesn't count I know) and by the time I apply almost a year in this ICU as I previously described.

Please help!!!. All feedback will be appreciated! Thanks.

I work at a 175-bed non-trauma community hospital with 12 ICU beds and have been accepted into 3 CRNA programs after interviewing at 4. I've been an ICU RN for a year now and ICU is all that I have worked. I have a 3.81 gpa and got my CCRN before the interviews. I only have a 294 GRE with a 4.0 writing score. I suggest you get your CCRN and apply to at least three different programs. Each of the 4 interviews asked me which other programs I have applied to, interviewed, and if I was accepted. I have heard that I looks bad if you haven't applied to more than one program. They want to know that you are very serious about being accepted, somewhere. I was only asked once how big my ICU was. At all four I was asked what type of patients I care for and then asked questions based off of my response (sepsis, ARDS, etc.) If you apply to at least 4 programs, you should get at least 2 or 3 interviews and hopefully be accepted into 2 of them if you interview well. I was worried that the size of my ICU would hurt my chances, but it didn't seem to matter.

Specializes in ICU/CCU.

Thank you for your response, it gave me a glimmer of hope. When I called to find out if I can take the CCRN exam they told me I needed 2 years of critical care experience despite the fact that I have the required hours. Were you able to take the CCRN sooner?

I took my CCRN 9 months of being in the ICU, this past July. I'm not sure where you got your information. It's based on a certain amount of hours, which is the equivalent of one year full-time. The AACN doesn't typically verify your hours but they do random audits.

You need 1750 ICU hours (the LTAC hours might count for that, because the website does not specify.) The amount of hours comes out to about 47 weeks of experience. Like lady_stic said, they do random audits. Time spent in orientation counts towards the 1750 hours. I took my CCRN after 10 months of ICU experience.

You might also need to get PALS, depends on the programs you're applying to.

Specializes in ICU/CCU.

I wish I had posted earlier because now I won't have enough time to take the CCRN before the application deadline because I have to really study for it. I'm registered to take PALS in February so I'll have it before I apply. But I'd like a little more input on my chances, perhaps other community members worked in a community ICU? Thanks everyone for the responses!!!

Specializes in Critical Care(SICU).

I didn't go to a large teaching hospital and i didn't have my CCRN and i got in to CRNA school with 2 yrs of SICU experience.. we did get some pretty sick pts but no trauma stuff all those went down the road to university.. i would say if you write a pretty strong paper explaining how much you want it and how hard you worked to support yourself in nursing school working 2 jobs and still making 3.5 to 4.0 they will see you have the motivation and brains to do it! big thing i would say if your paper and stuff top notch you should not have a problem getting an interview.. that's what most schools base who they let into the program.. because if you get an interview on paper they think you can handle the workload then it's just about blowing them away with your desire, and drive to succeed and passion for the profession.. with your stats i think you will have pretty good chances getting an interview.. i would say apply everywhere that is feasible for you to attend and hope one of them works out! and you don't get in this round i would say yeah get your CCRN and and maybe take a grad advanced patho class to show them you can handle the work and apply again which will make you even more competitive! best of luck!

I didn't have my CCRN when I applied, but gave them a copy of it during the interviews, which they were happy to see. I agree with UABSleeperSRNA that your paper has a huge effect on getting you an interview. Let them know that you have desired to become a CRNA since before beginning nursing school (even if not true). Also, in the interview when they ask "so why do you want to become a CRNA", tell them that you want to be challenged and that you do not want to "settle" with you BSN. I would start studying for your CCRN after you finish applying to schools, then take it about 2 weeks before your first interview. The testing center gives you a print out of how you did, so you can just make copies of that to hand out in your interview (if you pass, of course).

For interview questions, know sepsis, ARDS, vent settings, hemodynamics and the MOA of your top 5 or 6 critical care gtt's (levo, vaso, dobutamine, etc.)

At 2 of my 4 interviews there was not a single clinical question. Be confident in the interview, knowing that they likely have a good idea whether they are going to accept you or not before you even interview. If the school has multiple clinical sites in different states, let them know that you will be willing to go wherever for clinical. A faculty member told me that is the best answer to have when asked where you would be willing to go for clinical, but let them know your preference.

You shouldn't have trouble getting at least two interviews if you follow the advice given by myself and UABSleeperSRNA.

Specializes in Critical Care(SICU).

I Agree completely with DFW_RN it would not hurt to take the CCRN would be and extra boost for you getting in.. also would like to add know some clinical situations where b/c of your interventions the patient had a favorable outcome.. i would have at least 5 in mind that show different attributes you have that would be good quality in a CRNA and relate to situations for ex.. if you would say that pt advocate was a quality tell a situation where you stood up to a doctor and b/c of what you thought was best for the pt and b/c of those actions you made an impact on that pt's life stuff like that i know and both of the interviews i went to they asked me what qualities i had then asked me to give examples of those qualities so it's always good to know some!.. um also i was given a patient situation and asked to look at all his lab work and X-ray and hx exct.. and what would you do next.. so be prepared for that type of questions like DFW_RN i would def know when to use what type of drugs ex levo vs dobutamine.. dopamine vs levo ect.. and you should have it handled!

Specializes in ICU/CCU.

Thanks DFW_RN - really good idea about bringing CCRN letter to interview, that will give me an extra month to study and perhaps I can get it done. Now just a quick question, what type of monitoring did you have in your ICU. Did you have Swans? Because we don't get them at all. I don't know if that will hurt me or if knowing how they work and what they measure will be enough?

Specializes in Critical Care(SICU).

We did not have many Swans probably 1 every couple of months.. even when you get out the only place you may see them are open heart.. but i would say know the rhythm and what each of the points stand for.. i had a question about one.. just have a understanding of the basics

Swans have become a thing of the past in my icu. The flotrac is used almost exclusively even on open hearts.

+ Add a Comment