New to the forum, this will be my first post. I am currently in nursing school, doing well. My long term goals, however, are to work either as an NNP or as a CRNA. Both Anesthesia and neonates really interest me. I have two questions. (1) Can a CRNA specialize with procedures? That is, can a CRNA work specifically with neonates? (or any other specific case they wish). (2) When it comes to Anesthesia, what are the best works and academic articles that y'all (yes I am from Texas) have found helpful? I have heard CRNA programs are difficult. So I have begun reading through anesthesiology textbooks. I am currently reading through Miller's Basics to Anesthesiology. I plan on buying Miller's two volume next. If there are any other works, introductory or advanced, that are considered standard volumes in the industry, I would love to know about them.
Thank you for your input, I greatly appreciate it in advance.
I will study those subjects first, that makes sense. Sorry, I didn't mean to come off strong or rude, I was just trying to get information about how to learn this stuff on my own. I understand that you have to get the basics down first. Are there advanced A&P courses in CRNA programs? Or do most students get caught up on these subjects as they are studying anesthesia?
Oh you'll definitely have advanced A&P classes. I can only speak to the programs I researched, but they all had a lot of anatomy...one school I think has anatomy with the medical students in the cadaver lab.
You can read all you want and think you've taught yourself all you want. It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE for someone who has not even graduated from nursing school or worked in critical care to understand the concepts of anesthesia. I am not saying this to imply that you are dumb. Theology and economic theory are 2 very philosophy-based subjects. Both are child's play compared to advanced biochem and cellular physiology. Taking care of a human being, bringing them down as close to death as they'll ever be in their lifetime, taking control of their ventilatory efforts and rendering them comatose, and then bringing them back without them having any recollection of pain or discomfort is NOT something you learn from a book. When confronted with a difficult airway that needs intubating, that is NOT something you learn from a book. Reading a book does not make you proficient at dropping P.A. catheters or fiberoptic intubations. Reading a book will not teach you how to insert an epidural catheter. Reading books does not teach you the instincts that CRNA's have. CRNA's are the cream of the crop---none of them are "average students", just like you. The classes that anesthesia students take are generally with the medical students. Even anesthesia students need a certain number of clinical hours before they can sit for the certification exam---you can't take the exam just because you read some books. You say that if you like a subject, you can pick it up in 3 to 4 years? Well, anesthesia school is usually less than 3 years. Advanced A&P? Anatomy is anatomy---it's cut & dried. What you will have to take is cellular physiology, and that is a whole different animal.
Learn how to take care of a critically ill patient without killing them first. Don't jump the gun. There is plenty to learn for a nurse to work in critical care. Start there first and do things in some sort of order. Learn how to manage your time between patients, how to prioritize & organize yourself. Learn how to take care of a patient on a ventilator. Learn what the dosages of pressors are and why they're used. Learn how to manage invasive lines. Learn how to read 12 lead EKG rhythms. Learn what drugs you would use in a cardiac arrest. For adults, children and neonates. Working in the ICU will teach you a lot more than any book ever could. You can know all the textbook stuff inside and out----if you're no good with your hands and have no idea what to do in the OR, the textbook stuff is worthless.
fredb
9 Posts
I will study those subjects first, that makes sense. Sorry, I didn't mean to come off strong or rude, I was just trying to get information about how to learn this stuff on my own. I understand that you have to get the basics down first. Are there advanced A&P courses in CRNA programs? Or do most students get caught up on these subjects as they are studying anesthesia?