What Most Prepared You

gobluern · Jan 8, 2014

The best thing that I can say is get your time management down. Once you have your time managed well, you will be able to handle the high volume about to come your way. Before you start school take time off and relax!

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · Jan 15, 2014

The information while it being new, is not necessarily difficult. The hardest thing about CRNA school is the sheer volume of information you are required to know. It's just simply ridiculous.

Ultraposh · Jan 15, 2014

i think that's the first time i heard the info was not difficult 0__o

WhiffOfGas · Jan 15, 2014

i think that's the first time i heard the info was not difficult 0__o

I don't think the poster was saying CRNA school was not difficult. I think the point of the post was to say something similar to GoBlueRN in that time management is going to be one of the most important preparatory factors for being in an anesthesia program.

There's something to be said for the profound nature of these two prior comments. As with a lot of college courses, success is primarily predicated on your drive and determination -or at least this has been my experience. By its very nature, CRNA school is difficult. Without being able to effectively manage the "simply ridiculous" volume of material, it's even worse... or so I gather from the previous posters :)

Any class can be difficult if you do not effectively manage your time to learn the subject matter. That said, a difficult class can be easier if you devote time to it.

Ultraposh · Jan 15, 2014

Hi aroww333 I actually didn't think they meant "crna school is not difficult". The comment didn't cause me to think the programs are less difficult rather it made me believe this person felt the information wasn't extremely difficult in itself to comprehend or understand and that the difficulty I constantly hear about is more about juggling the info and A LOT of it that was learned and all the aspects of the program involved.

UABsleeperSRNA · Jan 20, 2014

Hey yeah i'm a second semester SRNA student and i would say the hardest think like they mentioned before is the sheer volume of information your getting! For Ex we had about 3 to 4 test every other week and on each test you may have 5 lectures with each 60 to 90 slides on each lecture.. especially during classes like gross anatomy where your test is covering every detail about the heart lungs abdomen.. and pelvis and that same week have a quiz in anesthesia principles.. and major exam in anesthesia Pharmacology.. that said their have been few topics that my previous studies and icu experience had not brushed the surface of so far.. However you will go so much more in-depth than you every went previously or ever new existed! at least for me anyway school is not easy! The material can be a little confusing just getting straight a receptor does one thing in the heart.. but something completely different in the muscles and then different in the viscera of the abdomen..

My first semester we took Gross anatomy, Anesthesia Pharmacology, pathophysiology, anesthesia principles, and Advanced EKG and i came out with All A's which is better than nursing school for me.. What has helped me succeed is i treat it like a job.. regardless what time we have class wether it's 8 or 130pm i get to school at 730 am everyday and stay until about 630 or seven studying something everyday.. even if the test is not for a couple of weeks b/c in the fast CRNA school a week can seem like only a day or 2.. Weekends i go to the library from about 1030 till six..(Catch up on a little sleep) and i don't look at anything after i get home.. that time is dedicated to my wife! Other advice is what ever study method worked for you in nursing school crna school is not the time to try something new.. unless of course it didn't work.. Also let your family and friends know the amount of time that your going to be spending studying to go ahead and prepare them for what's to come.. another is save money as much as possible until school starts you will be in debt anyway after school but regardless it helps to have something to fall back on if an emergency comes up!

If you haven't gotten into school yet and are applying i would say apply everywhere in your area that you would feel comfortable going to! i had a 3.8 overall GPA lots of honors.. and GRE around 1100 and i got rejected from the first two schools i applied to good luck any other questions just ask

Ultraposh · Jan 20, 2014

Hey yeah i'm a second semester SRNA student and i would say the hardest think like they mentioned before is the sheer volume of information your getting! For Ex we had about 3 to 4 test every other week and on each test you may have 5 lectures with each 60 to 90 slides on each lecture.. especially during classes like gross anatomy where your test is covering every detail about the heart lungs abdomen.. and pelvis and that same week have a quiz in anesthesia principles.. and major exam in anesthesia Pharmacology.. that said their have been few topics that my previous studies and icu experience had not brushed the surface of so far.. However you will go so much more in-depth than you every went previously or ever new existed! at least for me anyway school is not easy! The material can be a little confusing just getting straight a receptor does one thing in the heart.. but something completely different in the muscles and then different in the viscera of the abdomen..
My first semester we took Gross anatomy, Anesthesia Pharmacology, pathophysiology, anesthesia principles, and Advanced EKG and i came out with All A's which is better than nursing school for me.. What has helped me succeed is i treat it like a job.. regardless what time we have class wether it's 8 or 130pm i get to school at 730 am everyday and stay until about 630 or seven studying something everyday.. even if the test is not for a couple of weeks b/c in the fast CRNA school a week can seem like only a day or 2.. Weekends i go to the library from about 1030 till six..(Catch up on a little sleep) and i don't look at anything after i get home.. that time is dedicated to my wife! Other advice is what ever study method worked for you in nursing school crna school is not the time to try something new.. unless of course it didn't work.. Also let your family and friends know the amount of time that your going to be spending studying to go ahead and prepare them for what's to come.. another is save money as much as possible until school starts you will be in debt anyway after school but regardless it helps to have something to fall back on if an emergency comes up!
If you haven't gotten into school yet and are applying i would say apply everywhere in your area that you would feel comfortable going to! i had a 3.8 overall GPA lots of honors.. and GRE around 1100 and i got rejected from the first two schools i applied to good luck any other questions just ask

I cant believe you got rejected with a 3.8 gpa and SICU experience. Incomprehensible, and a little disappointing. You are so fortunate to live so close I cant believe you go home. I will have to relocate when I go. I hope I can get all A's like you. I got a 3.5 gpa in nursing school. I'm self studying sciences in advance because I feel like that will be my weakness especially pathophysio and physiology and I'm also reading up on anesthesia pharmacology just because pharm is my favorite subject. I see some programs are different. The program I want to attend has adv pathophysio, adv physiology, clinical pharm and chemistry & physics for nurse anesthesia for the first semester along with nursing research and adv health assessment. Gross anatomy isn't shown in the class description. Anyways I hope you continue to do well in the program!

UABsleeperSRNA · Jan 20, 2014

Thanks! ha Yes i don't live as close to home as i would like me and my wife had to relocate from another state but it is only about a 4 hour drive to visit family and friends!.. yes i would say the main thing is to kind of brush up on lab values and EKG interpretation.. like reading and telling axis and all that stuff.. they like that for interviews.. especially know ABG stuff X-rays.. know your vent settings and what all the numbers can indicate that would be helpful brush up on your sciences like patho but not a ton just enough to impress at the interview! because honestly they will teach you more than you ever wanna know in school! ha but it is helpful to have the basic understanding! Yeah all your physiology and pharm are going to be advanced cause their grad level.. but it would also be helpful to know all your rhythms like pa lines ect.. and you can get in with a 3.5 i would say just apply everywhere and when you do get an interview.. they like you to be a little cocky not overconfident but they want to know that you are able to stand your ground in the OR

UABsleeperSRNA · Jan 20, 2014

I cant believe you got rejected with a 3.8 gpa and SICU experience. Incomprehensible, and a little disappointing. You are so fortunate to live so close I cant believe you go home. I will have to relocate when I go. I hope I can get all A's like you. I got a 3.5 gpa in nursing school. I'm self studying sciences in advance because I feel like that will be my weakness especially pathophysio and physiology and I'm also reading up on anesthesia pharmacology just because pharm is my favorite subject. I see some programs are different. The program I want to attend has adv pathophysio, adv physiology, clinical pharm and chemistry & physics for nurse anesthesia for the first semester along with nursing research and adv health assessment. Gross anatomy isn't shown in the class description. Anyways I hope you continue to do well in the program!

And you may have gotten lucky not having to take Gross it was problaly the hardest classes just due to the sheer mass of memorization that the class required but good luck how long before you begin the application process..

Angelrina,CCRN · Jan 21, 2014

Hey yeah i'm a second semester SRNA student and i would say the hardest think like they mentioned before is the sheer volume of information your getting! For Ex we had about 3 to 4 test every other week and on each test you may have 5 lectures with each 60 to 90 slides on each lecture.. especially during classes like gross anatomy where your test is covering every detail about the heart lungs abdomen.. and pelvis and that same week have a quiz in anesthesia principles.. and major exam in anesthesia Pharmacology.. that said their have been few topics that my previous studies and icu experience had not brushed the surface of so far.. However you will go so much more in-depth than you every went previously or ever new existed! at least for me anyway school is not easy! The material can be a little confusing just getting straight a receptor does one thing in the heart.. but something completely different in the muscles and then different in the viscera of the abdomen.. My first semester we took Gross anatomy Anesthesia Pharmacology, pathophysiology, anesthesia principles, and Advanced EKG and i came out with All A's which is better than nursing school for me.. What has helped me succeed is i treat it like a job.. regardless what time we have class wether it's 8 or 130pm i get to school at 730 am everyday and stay until about 630 or seven studying something everyday.. even if the test is not for a couple of weeks b/c in the fast CRNA school a week can seem like only a day or 2.. Weekends i go to the library from about 1030 till six..(Catch up on a little sleep) and i don't look at anything after i get home.. that time is dedicated to my wife! Other advice is what ever study method worked for you in nursing school crna school is not the time to try something new.. unless of course it didn't work.. Also let your family and friends know the amount of time that your going to be spending studying to go ahead and prepare them for what's to come.. another is save money as much as possible until school starts you will be in debt anyway after school but regardless it helps to have something to fall back on if an emergency comes up! If you haven't gotten into school yet and are applying i would say apply everywhere in your area that you would feel comfortable going to! i had a 3.8 overall GPA lots of honors.. and GRE around 1100 and i got rejected from the first two schools i applied to good luck any other questions just ask[/quote']
Thank you for this great advice!

WhiffOfGas · Jan 21, 2014

Hey yeah i'm a second semester SRNA student and i would say the hardest think like they mentioned before is the sheer volume of information your getting! For Ex we had about 3 to 4 test every other week and on each test you may have 5 lectures with each 60 to 90 slides on each lecture.. especially during classes like gross anatomy where your test is covering every detail about the heart lungs abdomen.. and pelvis and that same week have a quiz in anesthesia principles.. and major exam in anesthesia Pharmacology.. that said their have been few topics that my previous studies and icu experience had not brushed the surface of so far.. However you will go so much more in-depth than you every went previously or ever new existed! at least for me anyway school is not easy! The material can be a little confusing just getting straight a receptor does one thing in the heart.. but something completely different in the muscles and then different in the viscera of the abdomen..
My first semester we took Gross anatomy, Anesthesia Pharmacology, pathophysiology, anesthesia principles, and Advanced EKG and i came out with All A's which is better than nursing school for me.. What has helped me succeed is i treat it like a job.. regardless what time we have class wether it's 8 or 130pm i get to school at 730 am everyday and stay until about 630 or seven studying something everyday.. even if the test is not for a couple of weeks b/c in the fast CRNA school a week can seem like only a day or 2.. Weekends i go to the library from about 1030 till six..(Catch up on a little sleep) and i don't look at anything after i get home.. that time is dedicated to my wife! Other advice is what ever study method worked for you in nursing school crna school is not the time to try something new.. unless of course it didn't work.. Also let your family and friends know the amount of time that your going to be spending studying to go ahead and prepare them for what's to come.. another is save money as much as possible until school starts you will be in debt anyway after school but regardless it helps to have something to fall back on if an emergency comes up!
If you haven't gotten into school yet and are applying i would say apply everywhere in your area that you would feel comfortable going to! i had a 3.8 overall GPA lots of honors.. and GRE around 1100 and i got rejected from the first two schools i applied to good luck any other questions just ask

Beautiful advice!! I really, REALLY appreciate it! It sounds like a really wild and exciting ride!

I do have to ask how you went/go about juggling all of that information in the very beginning: were you a natural or was there a slight learning curve for you -if so, how did you adjust yourself quickly enough not to get behind? When you mention how many tests you have/had on so many different subjects and the exorbitant amount of material you -and other posters- have mentioned, how do you go about effectively managing the digestion of so much information? Do you take baby steps and take one topic, master it (or as close to "mastering" as you can) and then move to the next topic or perhaps you study the meat of a subject (say, anatomy) hard for a couple hours and then when the proverbial buzzer goes off, you move to pharmacology in order to make sure you're not getting too hung up on one particular subject?

I just don't think drawing upon my own experiences juggling classes would do an anesthesia program justice considering NOTHING I've taken -or will take- will really and truly compare.

Also, if you had to go back and think about your experience with the first two schools you applied to, is there something you would've done differently to possibly create a different outcome or was it just not in the cards?

The advice about treating school like a job is nothing short of brilliant! I really appreciate that nugget of wisdom and am certainly taking it to heart!! I also want to give you kudos and tell you that it's incredibly inspiring to hear that you've risen to the challenge and are doing so successfully in CRNA school -better than nursing school, you said!! I think it's amazing what happens when you're immersed in that type of environment where everything is interesting and the dedication is right on point; great things happen then!

Thank you for taking the time to share part of your journey with us -I'm making mental notes (as well as some actual ones LOL!!!)!