Value of acceptance to a nondoctorate crna program

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · Oct 21, 2014

It's not written in stone yet and since there are only a handful of schools which offer it at this point, I cannot see it being a big deal in terms of landing a job after school. Im not getting a doctorate, and i wouldn't even if i had a full scholarship. It makes not sense to me at all, i can't call myself Doctor/Nurse Anesthetist so whats the big offing deal ? Waste of time and money if you ask me.

Blueskies149 · Oct 21, 2014

yes, I like that the nondoctorate programs are shorter and that means less living expenses and hopefully landing a job sooner after graduation. From what I could tell, it just seems that only the nursing schools that have a CRNA school have converted to a doctorate program...the others seem to not be doctorate. Are you enrolled in a nondoctorate program at this time?

Go-GetterRN · Oct 21, 2014

Not a crna, but I plan on applying to doctorate programs. I shadowed pharmacists in a hospital many years ago. Some of them had a PharmD, and others had a masters (they graduated before the PharmD requirement). The hopsital they worked for had no preference for PharmD when it came to hiring in the actual pharmacy. However, it was a requirement that the director of pharmacy have a PharmD, so a lot of the pharmacists with masters degrees could not move up to that position no matter how long they had been there.

I think that the same will probably happen in a lot of places for crnas in the future. 20 years from now, I dont want to be passed up for a director opportunity for some young gun with less experience just because he/she has a doctorate and I dont.

Screen name · Oct 23, 2014

CRNAs need to get out of the OR. The best combo would be to get a doctorate and MBA. Then run that **** and call the shots. Take that desk spot away from the MDA as well as the stool in the OR.

Go-GetterRN · Oct 23, 2014

Haha..maybe 1 crna supervising 3 or 4 AAs? I love what crnas do hands on in pre-op, pacu, and OR so I dont think I would want a role like that for a while.

Some hospitals have chief crnas..what do they do? Supervise the other crnas like an anesthesiologist would?

RealNurse419 · Oct 23, 2014

I think you should have done more research on the profession before applying. If you had done so, you would know that having a doctorate vs a masters doesn't really matter when trying to find a job.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2014

I think you should have done more research on the profession before applying. If you had done so, you would know that having a doctorate vs a masters doesn't really matter when trying to find a job.

That's what the OP is doing right now - research.

I'm sure several years ago ADN vs. BSN didn't matter either, but now you can't get hired at some hospitals as a RN without a BSN. I am wondering if CRNAs are likely to head the same direction in the future. With schools being currently pushed to make all CRNA programs doctorate programs eventually, one has to wonder if five or ten years down the road, that experienced CRNA with a master's is going to be passed over for a new grad DNAP to fit some magnet-like initiative...

RealNurse419 · Oct 30, 2014

That's what the OP is doing right now - research.
I'm sure several years ago ADN vs. BSN didn't matter either, but now you can't get hired at some hospitals as a RN without a BSN. I am wondering if CRNAs are likely to head the same direction in the future. With schools being currently pushed to make all CRNA programs doctorate programs eventually, one has to wonder if five or ten years down the road, that experienced CRNA with a master's is going to be passed over for a new grad DNAP to fit some magnet-like initiative...

CRNA schools aren't even required to become doctorate programs until 2025. So again, a little research would prove that in 5-10 years, CRNAs with masters degrees will not be passed over for a new graduate with a DNP. At this present time, there aren't even enough doctorally prepared CRNAs to teach DNP programs. Hence the reason why the requirement is 2025....

RealNurse419 · Oct 30, 2014

And I said "research would have been beneficial" because if one had a true concern about this, it would have been better to figure this out before applying

maverick87 · Nov 1, 2014

I had the same question as you before. I decided on a MSN program. There's less time in school, less tuition, and the opportunity to really decide what kind of doctorate I would like to obtain and where I would like to go with a terminal degree. I think of it as ASN vs BSN. I felt my ASN program really helped me with the task of being a nurse and BSN helped me define what it means to be a nurse (if that makes sense? lol). I'm kind of viewing the MSN vs DNP the same way. To get a feel of the CRNA profession with a MSN and then pursue an area that I want to work on and get a terminal degree that would most benefit me in achieving it. Hope that makes sense.

Go-GetterRN · Nov 2, 2014

I had the same question as you before. I decided on a MSN program. There's less time in school, less tuition, and the opportunity to really decide what kind of doctorate I would like to obtain and where I would like to go with a terminal degree. I think of it as ASN vs BSN. I felt my ASN program really helped me with the task of being a nurse and BSN helped me define what it means to be a nurse (if that makes sense? lol). I'm kind of viewing the MSN vs DNP the same way. To get a feel of the CRNA profession with a MSN and then pursue an area that I want to work on and get a terminal degree that would most benefit me in achieving it. Hope that makes sense.

You make a good point, I've never thought about it like that before. There are a lot of doctorates I'd rather have over a DNP honestly lol. But to be completely honest, I dont think I even care about having a doctorate of any kind other than for the career opportunities it might open up in the future.