The real road to becoming a CRNA?

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2014

Welcome to allnurses! The largest online nursing community!

I movd your thread for the best response. We try to keep threads on topic....someone will be along to answer your questions. Remember that many of us work shift work and it is, after all, the holidays.

I think an accelerated BSN program is what you would look for...and you are correct many programs want/require ICU experience and yes they want solid experience. Becoming a CRNA is serious business you have patients lives at your fingertips and experience is necessary to keep them alive. I am not so sure I would want someone putting me to sleep who took the fasted route to get there.

I understand you are anxious to get on with it...and the money is lucrative. But the responsibility that accompanies the cash it monumental.

Before you are accepted into an accelerated BSN there will probably be prerequisites that you will have to fulfill like anatomy and physiology...before you are accepted so it might not be just a year to your BSN. It is very difficult to get hired as a new grad to an ICU unit. Especially as a new grad. ICU's have become gun shy of new grads because of all the new grads that came and got their experience, went through an expensive orientation, and left. This is expensive for the facilities and hard on the staff.

I am not a CRNA someone will be along to help you.

TheNextCRNA · Dec 28, 2014

Thank you. That was nice of you to leave an in-depth response. I have already been accepted into the BSN program, which is 13 months, just haven't made the deposit since I'm not sure this is what I want to do. So my thread was moved from CRNA to SRNA or is it still in both locations?

NurseSN45696 · Dec 28, 2014

Not a CRNA, but I have a similar path. I'm halfway through my ABSN program and am planning to take the road of CRNA. Good luck to you starting your program. ABSN is tough, but awesome! It has really shown me that I can accomplish ANYTHING. Best of luck to you.

TheNextCRNA · Dec 28, 2014

Thanks zoubisoubisou, do you know anyone who went directly from the asbn program into ICU? How likely is that (not a chance, slim chance, or a good chance)?

NurseSN45696 · Dec 28, 2014

You know, I am wondering that myself.. A good friend of mine just graduated from nursing school in Colorado and while in school she was offered a position in the neuro ICU. I couldn't tell you what your or my chances are. I guess it really depends on where you live and what's available. I live in Florida and don't know if I'll be able to snag an ICU position as a new grad, but I SURE HOPE SO.

TheNextCRNA · Dec 28, 2014

I've got some bad news, ICUman. All of the RN-ICU positions I see in Florida require a minimum 2 years experience. And was that friend of yours hired as an ICU tech?

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

ü 2 years experience in Critical Care OR nurses with no

Critical Care experience must have 2 years of acute

care experience and successfully complete the ECCO Critical Care course

Those with less than one year of specialty area experience in a hospital / acute care setting or New Grads will NOT be considered.

mh0712, MSN, RN · Dec 28, 2014

Hello CRNAs!,
I've done extensive shadowing in the OR and want to pursue a career in anesthesia and want a relatively fast track to get there. I have a bachelors degree in Chemistry and have taken all the pre-med classes, however, it was late in my college experience that I realized medical school is not for me.
Game Plan: 1 year accelerated BSN, take NCLEX exam and become an RN. Then cold call every where to get into the ICU. Spend 1 year to 1.5 years in the ICU, then apply to CRNA programs.
Not that simple? I read hardly anyone gets right into the ICU as a new grad. Rather they spend a year in a Med/Surg rotation. Next, hardly any programs accept applicants with just a year of ICU experience, they want to see 3-5 years in there.
*Also, how hard is it to work independently (without MDAs) and what steps need to be taken to practice on your own?
Thank you all
Sincerely, Roger

The best track is accelerated BSN to icu. You can get an icu job out of school, but might be easier to do med surg 6 months then transfer. Either way get to an ICU, learn as much as you can and then apply to the schools you want to go to. With a pre med curriculum under your belt schools will see you are a hard worker and just make sure you do well on GRE and grades are better than a 3.0. I know someone who waited a year plus to get an ICU job and his friend applied quickly and got into med surg and transferred in 5 months to the ICU. Make sure to get all your certifications and try for CCRN as that is looked upon as excellent and some even require it. All in all, post questions when you have them and remember to stay positive, work hard, and you will make it!

Ozzy84 · Dec 28, 2014

Also there are new grad residency programs that you can go right into ICU. It's very competitive but still ther is chance. There is nothing 100% you can plan that you will get a ICU job after BSN. It's all about luck .. In order to get CCRN u need at least 2 year ICU experience. So don't expect to be start CCRN school like before at least 3 year, after graduate from BSN. This is my opinion.

I really pursuing become a CRNA but I know it will take time. I just got step down residency position at other state and now relocating from NYC to a small town. Sometimes we need to sacrifice a lot.

Good luck on your journey.

jamisaurus · Dec 28, 2014

I went right into ICU from an ABSN program

allnurses Guide · Dec 28, 2014

Hello CRNAs!,
I've done extensive shadowing in the OR and want to pursue a career in anesthesia and want a relatively fast track to get there. I have a bachelors degree in Chemistry and have taken all the pre-med classes, however, it was late in my college experience that I realized medical school is not for me.
Game Plan: 1 year accelerated BSN, take NCLEX exam and become an RN. Then cold call every where to get into the ICU. Spend 1 year to 1.5 years in the ICU, then apply to CRNA programs.
Not that simple? I read hardly anyone gets right into the ICU as a new grad. Rather they spend a year in a Med/Surg rotation. Next, hardly any programs accept applicants with just a year of ICU experience, they want to see 3-5 years in there.
*Also, how hard is it to work independently (without MDAs) and what steps need to be taken to practice on your own?
Thank you all
Sincerely, Roger

I think your plan is reasonable. It is long road to becoming a CRNA, but it all about putting the pieces together at the right times.

You need to go to a quality NA program that is going to teach how to work independently from the time you graduate NA school. This means picking a program that has extensive rotations with independent CRNA practices, lots of US-guided PNBs/neuraxial anesthesia/CVLs with great passing scores on boards and a school with a good reputation. I also do not suggest picking any NA school that is not regionally accredited, and stay away from the schools in states where there is an oversaturation of NA schools.

These things will give the best chance to work independently right after school, but a lot of CRNAs start in big ACTs that are not super restrictive and then move onto independent practice. The other option is to consider going into the military right after NA school. You will be given independent experience right off the bat and at the end of your initial obligation will have plenty of experience to work pretty much anywhere as an independent CRNA.

TheNextCRNA · Dec 28, 2014

Hi Ozzy84,

CCRN is just a certificate and it's not required for entrance into CRNA schools. Just wondering why you brought that up?

thanks