Hey everyone, I'm getting ready to apply this Fall for CRNA school and need information to help me study for my interview. The school requires a good working knowledge of vasoactive drugs, their actions in the body, side effects, and activity at the cellular level. Does anyone know where I can find information on these common vasoactive drugs and exactly what they do at the cellular level?
Also, I'm applying for a spot in this school to begin end of next summer. By then I will have 1 year in ICU. I'm a new grad now, working on my RN-to-BSN degree, which will be completed end of June. I've had ACLS, basic EKG, 12 Lead EKG, and my hospital is putting me through a critical care course this Spring.
My sciences aren't "all that", in fact they are probably too low for admission if that were the only criteria. My overall GPA is 3.85 and I'm making A s in the BSN program now. Also, I'm taking Organic Chemistry even though it isn't required anymore by my school. I wanted to show them how committed I am to preparing for school next year.
I'm certain my references will be positive, however, I don't know how they will answer the question, "How often is ______ assigned the MOST critical cases in your unit?" being that I'm a new grad. Also, I spoke with an anesthesiologist at a large teaching hospital here who told me that I should go for it. In calling him to ask if I could take a pharm course from him to prepare for school, he said I was the right kind of material for CRNA school and that I shouldn't wait to get another year of CCU experience before applying. Please, SRNAs, tell me what you think of my situation. BTW, I suck on standardized tests and will probably stink up the GRE, even though I get all A s in my coursework.
Please, please, share your thoughts. Is it ridiculous to try to get in with my credentials?
i will say that I was not asked one clinical question in my interview....i know that it is different elsewhere but some places aren't asking clinical questions.
I agree w/ the last few posts. Knowing basics, but not so in depth, pharmacology/pharmocokinetics I think is best. I did not study drugs before I went to interviews, and when I was asked questions, I answered what I knew (not nearly what I know now) and used clinical scenarios to explain my answer. As for taking a pharm class, I wouldn't. You will be getting plenty of it once you start school and for now I would focus on work and learning all that I could there. If you want to review drugs, I would review websites over having to buy a pharm book. Hope this helps:)
I dread being asked Swan questions. I have had endless education on Swans, both in my ICU internship and in educational programs since, and I still don't really get it. I take care of a Swan maybe once every other month. Concepts just don't make sense to me if I can't see them in action. The older nurses tell me they used to have Swans all the time, but docs are moving away from them as studies show they don't improve outcomes.
I'm going to study up, of course, but I doubt it will help much. I've noticed on the CCRN practice questions that when Swan numbers are given, I usually figure out the situation from other stuff like vitals, assessments, history. I don't need no stinkin' Swan! :rotfl: (that is a JOKE is anyone thinks they need to lecture me on the value of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure!)
Wow! Thanks so much for replying to the vasoactive drug post. I'm learning so much from your collective experiences. Please, keep the info coming. Can't tell you what your responses have meant.
I would soooo like to think that the school I'm considering thinks more about the quality and pliability of the student, but I think I've heard so much about interviews where you are expected to rattle off answers right and left to the panel's questions....panel of anywhere from 10-20 board members. Yikes! Makes me sweat just thinking about it! I could see getting caught up in how you feel you're coming across to the panel, meanwhile forgetting the question they just asked! Not really, but you get the point. I hated speech class for a reason. Ha!
We use Swanz everyday in CSICU. Swanz are indicative of filling pressures in the heart... they are a good indicator if a patient is dry and needs more blood. RA, LA, Wedge, SvO2.... all indicators of the patients hydration... also, the HCT will lie... don't believe it..... Swanz are useful... at least the way I see it in the Post Bypass Patient.
We use Swanz everyday in CSICU. Swanz are indicative of filling pressures in the heart... they are a good indicator if a patient is dry and needs more blood. RA, LA, Wedge, SvO2.... all indicators of the patients hydration... also, the HCT will lie... don't believe it..... Swanz are useful... at least the way I see it in the Post Bypass Patient.
I work in MICU, not a CTICU, but this is my understanding: although Swans give useful and interesting information that tells you more about the patient's situation, THEY DO NOT IMPROVE END OUTCOMES. This may be different in a CT surg setting. I know that we all LIKE having Swan numbers, but we need to think about the patient first.
I've deleted the last few postings because they were taking away from the discussion. Please argue your points in a professional manner and do not make your arguements as personal attacks. You can disagree, just don't make it personal. Thanks.
I've deleted the last few postings because they were taking away from the discussion. Please argue your points in a professional manner and do not make your arguements as personal attacks. You can disagree, just don't make it personal. Thanks.
I just wanted to say that I received an invitation to interview at the school the OP is referring to (I'm almost positive it is the same school) and they apparently are not referring to simply knowing receptor sites, etc...They truly want to know about the action of drugs at the cellular level! With my invitation, I also recieved an example of what we should know about a particular drug (nipride) and it was quite detailed, including the fact that nipride splits to form cyanide and NO and the NO activates the enzyme guanylate cyclase which produces cGMP, which affects calcium and so on and so forth. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that is a little advanced for a bedside nurse and I KNOW I have some studying to do. We had to include in our app which vasoactive drugs we use on a regular basis (thanks goodness I only listed five) and they said we should know each one in detail, including cellular action. They recommended Stoetling's pharm book...anyone else have a suggestion?
The same school recommended Katzung's book to help prepare for the interview...and school itself. I also got the nipride sheet.
Cortrn
I just wanted to say that I received an invitation to interview at the school the OP is referring to (I'm almost positive it is the same school) and they apparently are not referring to simply knowing receptor sites, etc...They truly want to know about the action of drugs at the cellular level! With my invitation, I also recieved an example of what we should know about a particular drug (nipride) and it was quite detailed, including the fact that nipride splits to form cyanide and NO and the NO activates the enzyme guanylate cyclase which produces cGMP, which affects calcium and so on and so forth. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think that is a little advanced for a bedside nurse and I KNOW I have some studying to do. We had to include in our app which vasoactive drugs we use on a regular basis (thanks goodness I only listed five) and they said we should know each one in detail, including cellular action. They recommended Stoetling's pharm book...anyone else have a suggestion?
athomas91
1,093 Posts
i will say that I was not asked one clinical question in my interview....i know that it is different elsewhere but some places aren't asking clinical questions.