US Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing, a way to become a CRNA

berry · Nov 1, 2004

I just sent you a message with my email address, thanks in advance for any info.

mwbeah · Nov 1, 2004

Hey everyone who is interested,

I am on active duty and not a recruiter. We have a critical shortage in our career field and I am just trying to help strengthen the field.

The link for information is: http://www.dns.amedd.army.mil/crna/

Email me if you have any questions or concerns. Our training is second to none and it is a Master's producing course lasting 30 months. Additionally (because of school affiliation requirements...unfortunately), critical care experience is required but that is pretty flexible in what is considered critical care.

Take care,

Mike

skipaway · Nov 1, 2004

Additionally (because of school affiliation requirements...unfortunately), critical care experience is required but that is pretty flexible in what is considered critical care.
Take care,
Mike

This is a requirement from the AANA for all who train to be nurse anesthetists. There is NO getting around this.

mwbeah · Nov 1, 2004

no its not, aana requires one year of acute care nursing (acute care is defined as a hospital stay less than 30 days)...its on the aana website if you do not believe me, in fact here is a direct cut and paste from the aana website (http://www.aana.com/crna/ataglance.asp):

education and experience required to become a crna include:

a bachelor of science in nursing (bsn) or other appropriate baccalaureate degree.
a current license as a registered nurse.
at least one year of experience as a registered nurse in an acute care setting.
graduation with a master's degree from an accredited nurse anesthesia program. as of february 1, 2004, there are 92 nurse anesthesia programs with more than 1,000 affiliated clinical sites in the united states. they range from 24-36 months, depending upon university requirements.
all programs include clinical training in university-based or large community hospitals.
pass a national certification examination following graduation.

please try to avoid making statements to prospective candidates without knowing the facts,

mike

skipaway · Nov 2, 2004

I think this is a case of semantics. Yes, the AANA wants prospective students to have "acute care" experience(thanks for the link), but, by the definition you've provided, that could be any type of nursing. Experience could be any floor nursing postion (less than 30 days?). I know of no program that would accept a floor nurse over an ICU nurse. (no offense intended to the great floor nurses who may be reading). I've read several schools admissions requirements and some do want acute care experience, but then they also state the the student should have advance hemodynamic monitoring and assessment experience. Certainly acute care areas such as ER, cath lab, PACU nurses have this experience, but most of the schools accept this only if they have had ICU experience to go along with it. I feel that my statement that students need ICU experience is not misleading to a prospective student.

I appreciate that you are informing prospective students of a great school for anesthesia because god knows, the Armed Forces need them.

regards,

skipaway

mwbeah · Nov 2, 2004

I finished my program in 2002, I was never in an ICU unit. I was previously a L&D nurse for four years in NYC prior to entering the program. I performed well and scored 600/600 on the national certification exam and consider myself a stong practioner and had no problems when deployed to Iraq for 8 months (roughly 150 battlefield anesthetics in a very austere environment).

Mike

skipaway · Nov 2, 2004

I finished my program in 2002, I was never in an ICU unit. I was previously a L&D nurse for four years in NYC prior to entering the program. I performed well and scored 600/600 on the national certification exam and consider myself a stong practioner and had no problems when deployed to Iraq for 8 months (roughly 150 battlefield anesthetics in a very austere environment).
Mike

Thank you for serving. We appreciate it.

skipaway

heartICU · Nov 2, 2004

Congrats on your accomplishments. I don't think anyone is trying to say that you are not a competent practitioner. What I believe others on the board are trying to say is that what programs are looking for are nurses who have a high level of critical thinking, the ability to handle a stressful environment, the ability to react to a rapid change in a patient's status, and an in-depth knowledge of their patient's condition. ICU nurses must have this - while nurses in other areas may or may not have this.

I do know that some programs will accept labor & delivery experience because L&D nurses often have these skills/qualifications. (Often programs will take that into consideration....I saw several programs that specified a minimum of 1 years of experience in an ICU setting, but that also stated that acute care experience in other areas would be considered depending on documentation and type of experience).That also depends on quality of the experience...I would venture to say that hospitals with high acuity patients (for example, high risk OB) would probably provide nurses with this more critical care - type experience. But is there a way for programs to ensure that all applicants from an L&D background have this kind of background?

The ICU requirement that most programs set forth helps assure them that their minimum recommendations are being met. (critical thinking acquired from management of invasive lines, vasoactive drips, vents, etc).

I did not post this to inflame anyone...just as an opinion.

BigDave · Nov 2, 2004

OK guys,

Here is the "official" scoop on your debate.

http://www.dns.amedd.army.mil/crna/IMAGES/Res&DirectAcc_information.pdf

Page 3 states 1 year of "critical care experience"

The Air Force also sends folks to this program (but do not have a direct assession option). Unfortunately, the AF has temporarily? cut slots from 25 to 7 funded slots (for a 2005 start)....so they are not hurting for applicants. This is what the AF application states:

Obtained within five years of anticipated school start date. A minimum of one-year nursing experience with acute physiologic monitoring is required. Intensive care nursing experience with knowledge of ventilators, hemodynanic monitoring, and use of vasoactive drips is preferred. Nursing experience in the operating room, post anesthesia recovery room, Labor and Delivery, neonatal and pediatric ICUs, and emergency room are also considered.

http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/medical/Nurse_Corps/NCED/CY04Call4Canfinal.doc

Does this help?

Maggie in NC · Nov 2, 2004

Are there additional age requirements for this? I was under the impression there were. Please clarify.

Thank you.

BigDave · Nov 2, 2004

I love the NC mountains! Went on the Ocoee this July...

The 2005 Defense Appropriations Bill just was signed by Bush.

Includes a change from 35 to 42 for commissioning age limits. The AF has been taking folks up to 48 for nursing at times, but are not retirement eligible.