Pre-CRNA Coaching needed. I graduate BSN in May!

Nursing Students SRNA

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I am graduating from nursing school in May with my BSN. There's a chance I can work for the University Hospital and get some tuition payed back, and I know I need ICU experience for CRNA school.

It looks like my gpa will be around a 3.2 or 3.3, which I know is on the lower end of the spectrum. But I honestly believe that my school made the curriculum too hard, and a 3.2 was great comparatively, in my class.

I will be doing role transition (last semester rotation) in a CVICU and am hoping to be hired on at the end, as many of my classmates find their jobs through role transition. So that would be excellent for CRNA applications; the alternative is a medical or surgical ICU at the same hospital and still get some tuition payed back.

Another option I am looking at is doing a nurse residency program at the University hospital in ICU, but you end up rotating for a while in different ICU's then get placed in one, not necessarily the one you want, for the duration of the residency.

My goal is to work for a year or two and go back to CRNA school as quickly as possible. So my questions are..

1. What option for after graduation (CVICU, ICU nurse residency, or regular medical or surgical ICU) would help me the most in applications to CRNA school?

2. Because my gpa is lower and not as competitive, what else should I do to increase my chances of being accepted?

3. When should I plan to apply to CRNA school? I will have to move out of Georgia, as we only have one school. I was thinking Florida, the Carolinas, or worst case- AL/TN. Although I'd be willing to move for school pretty much anywhere.

4. That being said, is there any advantage to looking for a job now after graduation at the hospital of a school I would want to go to CRNA school at to gain in state tuition and/or an easier acceptance into their program as an employee?

Thank you so much for any help you can provide. This site is an incredible place full of wonderful people who are so caring and supportive of each other; though, I've come to realize that that is what nursing is all about. I am so happy and excited to become a part of this amazing profession. Thank you again.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU.

In the order listed above:

1) pick the ICU that typically has the highest acuity patients that will give you lots of experience with hemodynamic monitoring, titration of critical care drugs, ventilators - while at the same time allows you the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills.

2) aim for more than the bare minimum of critical experience. Just about everyone who considers becoming a CRNA before graduating from their RN program seems to have this expectation that the 1 year critical care minimum is just a hoop to jump through that only suckers are forced to endure for any longer. Ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but far too many pre-SRNAs (myself included) assume that the shortest distance to starting an anesthetist program is the best. There is so much value to honing your critical care skills in the ICU, why not spend sometime there? Also, take on leadership/supervisor roles at work (which also are not typically available to newer nurses).

3) First, decide on what you want out of a program. Not all programs are created the same, some have so much to offer, others just barely meet the minimum requirements for operation. Do not limit yourself to schools just because of the region they are in. Once you have a short list of what schools you want to apply to, determine what admission requirements are. Many schools require (or strongly prefer) things like the GRE, additional science or stat courses, shadowing, CCRN etc. this will give you a better idea of when to apply. Not to mention varying application periods. Again, this is recommended in addition to some quality time spent in the ICU ;)

4) I wouldn't. This would encourage you to pick schools based on a location rather than much more important qualities. You also take the risk of not be accepted at the location you started working at. I would maybe make the exception for a school like the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN which supposively accepts a large number of their applicants from their own employees each application cycle.

Anyways, just my opinion. There will certainly be those who will have examples of the 3 month post NCLEX ICU nurse being accepted into a program who rocked the anesthesia world afterwards, but I think you will find that there are more CRNAs who would encourage more time in the critical care setting, not less.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU.

Also, you mentioned that your gpa is lower than you would like and that it might be related to how your school made everything too hard. First, there have been plenty of folks who went on to become CRNAs with similar (and even lower) stats. However, do not ever blame your less than stellar grades on anything but yourself! Own up to it, you earned those grades, regardless of how you feel about them. The last thing a program director wants to hear is excuses as to why an applicant would have had better grades if it weren't for [insert excuse here]. Anesthestist school will be much more difficult than any RN program. If you tell them that you think your nursing instructors were too hard on you students, he or she might assume you don't have what it takes to hack it in anesthesia. Instead, focus on how you can show PDs that you are better, stronger student than before (grad level classes anyone?)

Good luck!

Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.

I'm in a similar GPA boat, blongor. I understand that the administration of surgical anesthesia is a very delicate and potentially catastrophic specialty. I also get that a CRNA's duties in a RRT can mean the difference between life and death to the patient. That said, of course you want intelligent individuals orchestrating such important tasks. Whether academic success and intelligence are a 1:1 translation is a topic for another discussion, but I digress.

I'm a 3.3 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 science GPA. And not the fake BSN science classes, but general biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. I wanted the challenge, and I was challenged. Probably could have been a bit more mature about my first two years in college, but isn't that true for most of us? I pride myself in sticking with those tougher classes and getting the pass. Even in my practice today I see the effects of chemistry and biology class on my understanding of patient conditions. I really enjoyed orgo even though it has nothing to do with nursing school. On top of that, some stuff just "doesn't show up in the box score" as far as grades go.

I think the best way to complement my GPA will be to work in my current specialty for a year or so, become certified in it, move to ICU for 2 years, get CCRN, keep teaching my AHA BLS classes in the community, participate in hospital shared governance, research committee, and get quality references from managers. GRE would have to be phenomenal with my GPA, but I'm a much more serious student now. After that, I'd apply depending on how I feel about the time spent in ICU. I've got a ways to go.

I get that mediocre grades severely limit your chances in anesthesia programs, but I've both shadowed CRNAs in the operating room and worked with them firsthand in rapid responses and codes. I've experienced their role in assessing pre-op patients, going over anesthesia plans, sedating-paralyzing-intubating, hemodynamic and ToF monitoring, vent pauses intraoperatively, and PACU monitoring. Obviously I'm going to learn so much more once I can make the switch to ICU and I do hope to shadow some more if my schedule allows. I feel like there's more to me than what you can write down on paper, I want the challenge, I'm serious about this career path, and I'm committed to doing what it takes to get there. Good luck to you in your own journey!

TU RN: you sound a lot like me, and I was accepted to CRNA school this year. The first round of applications I sent in a few years ago was a big learning experience for me and all the rejections were very disheartening. However, I was determined not to let my 18-year-old college freshman mistakes prevent me from achieving acceptance to a program. I talked with the schools who rejected me, took their criticism of my grades in stride (science grades in particular), and followed their recommendations for me as an applicant. Surprisingly, only one school offered me a suggested course of study which was not practical as a full-time RN. The rest completely understood. I bucked up, re-took a few science classes that I achieved low grades in, got A's, got my CCRN, studied hard for the GRE and did well on it, and continued to diversify my ICU experiences and leadership opportunities. Every school I applied to this year offered me an interview, and I ended up declining a couple of interviews because I was accepted to my first choice program. There are many nurses who were not fully mature in college who like us have become professional nursing leaders. You sound like you have a great plan. If you need guidance, contact the program directors of the schools you are interested in attending. All the ones I contacted were more than happy to offer advice. Best of luck to you and others like us. If you put in the work, program directors will notice.

Specializes in Nurse Anesthesia.

ICU residency program, do undergraduate organic and/or biochemistry and graduate level statistics course to prove you can get A's in more difficult course work. While doing your ICU residency get ACLS & PALS. After 1 year ICU get CCRN and subspecialty certifications if possible like if work in CVICU get CMC and/or CSC. If in trauma ICU get TNCC and/or ATLS. Meanwhile, get involved in a unit council or committee and do some type of community involvement to show altruism. Do not tell your new coworkers of your intentions of CRNA school it always ends with negativity because people think you are using ICU as a stepping stone and this can hinder you from experiences such as IABP, CVVHD, OHS, Licox, etc. which show an advanced skill set and is marketable to have on your resume when applying.

Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.

ICUsleep your post inspires me! Thanks for sharing. I sometimes wish I could go back in time and tell a younger me to buck up and take himself more seriously, but the past is the past. To quote Gandalf the Grey: "So do all who live to see such times... All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us."

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