West Coast Schools

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Nov 9, 2002

See other threads for details....

I attend CRNA school at Cal State Fullerton, Kaiser School of Anesthesia. 24 full months. Accept 30 students a year, but rumored to be adding to that number next year to 35. Difficult to get in, but where isn't? My class had 240 applicants. $ works out to be realistically $1,000 deposit, $1,000-1,100 semester for 6 semesters. (deposit pays for some books) The rest of the books are acquired ea semester at apprx $6-800 semester. Many of the Sr. students will sell their used books to incoming students tho. 15 clinical sites, mostly Kaiser locations. All over So.Cal. I live in Ventura, about 1.5 hrs from Pasadena, where classes are Tues thru Fri and about 2.5 hours from Fullerton where classes are held on Mondays. (That's the first semester).

Next semester will include clinicals. Monday: Fullerton, Tues, Pasadena and Wed-Fri at your clinical site. My first site is in Riverside Kaiser which is 2.75 hours away from my house, so I'll be staying in hotels for the first 3 months. (3 nites/wk). You will put alot of miles on your car and not get a whole lot of sleep.

Overall, I am very happy with the program. The instructors are all working on their doctorates (those who didn't have them B4), so they know how hard we have to study. We are treated very well and with respect. This school wants everyone to succeed. They do thier weeding out before admission. It moves soooo fast. You are constantly learning and being tested. Our pharmacology instructor, Dr. Nagelhout is world famous and our lectures are video taped and live transmitted to Samual Merritt College in Sacremento. He received Director of the Year this year. An amazing man. Not only very nice and easy to listen to, but he brings the concepts down to the "need to know". He wants everyone to "get it" and to be able to think this stuff thru and not just memorize.

I considered Gonzaga University, but found that I liked the reputation and clinical sites that Kaiser had. (reputation in the workplace). The grads are respected and very well qualified. Everyone wants to hire them, and that's the point isn't it?

I can only speak for my school and myself, but I do like it here and am proud to be part of this team. Good Luck

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Nov 9, 2002

Start a new thread if you want to hear more and from other people. :)

Espresso girl! · Nov 10, 2002

Hey qwiigley, thanks for the lengthy, informative post. Are there really benefits to graduating from say Fullerton as opposed to another school, like Gonzaga? I've gotten the impression licensure is good enough. What kinds of "extra" will graduating from a "well respected" program get you?

thanks,

Espresso Girl

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Nov 10, 2002

I think all the porgrams are good. From what other participants have written, that's what I have gathered. Well respected is in regards to what the workforce has determined. If an employer has had good results from hiring new grads from certain schools, they are more likely to take a chance on you. Especially if there is only one spot and 2 applicants.

Licensure is officially "good enough" but the real world is always different. We do live in a great time for CRNAs. There is an acute shortage and high demand. One of the reasons for the high need is that the law provides that we can practice on our own. Watch the AMA, some (not all) MDA would like to limit our practice. THIS IS IMPORTANT: to all of the RNs reading this... support your organization. $ and participation in political funding to support our cause. This means each of you. Did you know we just lost the ability to practice in podiatrists offices due to a technicality? (this may be just in California) Podiatrists are not allowed to do complete physicals (H&P) and CRNAs are not permitted to work without one..... (now). I'll find the web site with more accurate info and add to this site. Or if someone else finds it...

Lastly; (off my soap box) in Southern California we have a ton of MDAs that want to live and work here. It is much more competitve for the jobs here than in other places. Afterall, it is pretty great living here.

Gonzaga is a great school, but it is some $$$$. Interview with them, see what they offer. Maybe someone who goes ther will add to this discussion. If I remember correctly, you graduate with a masters in nursing education not nursing science. I don't know the details.

BRobison · Nov 13, 2002

Just FYI: Gonzaga University graduates earn a "Master of Anesthesiology Education" degree. Some of the brightest, best anesthetists I know have graduated from that program. All programs have their strengths and weaknesses, though; try to find one that best suits your needs and interests. Oh, and Spokane is a great town!

Been there, done that! :)

SunDevilRN · Jan 13, 2003

Qwiigley:

I am currently waiting to hear from Kiaser. I have an interview in Minneapolis in a week and a half. Being from AZ I would love to go to Pasadena to be closer to home. I have also always heard great things about Kiaser Permanente. The only problem is I should know if I am accepted to MSA the second week of Feb. When did you get contacted about an interview? CSUF has told me late Jan or early Feb.

BluEyz · Jan 13, 2003

Interesting seeing this thread ... I wasn't a member when it was first started. I live in Spokane, and graduated from Gonzaga with my first Bachelor's (electrical engineering). Loved the school then, though the cost meant I had loans!

I'm planning on gettign back into Gonzaga for their nursing program through ICNE. I've heard that it's not too hard (relatively of course) to get into their program, as they are the most expensive of the schools to feed into ICNE. Also keep in mind for Gonzaga that you only pay their tuition for pre reqs. For actual nursing school at ICNE you will pay WSU's tuition.

I have no idea about Kaiser, but it's probably a great school too, just wanted to add my two cents.

Kelly

P.S. Here are links to the schools I mentioned ...

http://www.gonzaga.edu - Gonzaga's main site

http://www.gonzaga.edu/Academics/Colleges+and+Schools/School+of+Professional+Studies/Nursing/default.htm - Gonzaga's nursing page

http://www.wsu.edu - Washington State University's main site

http://nursing.wsu.edu/ - ICNE via WSU

braden74 · Jan 14, 2003

BluEyz,

Getting in to Gonzaga for your BSN is no where near as hard as getting in for your NA degree. I graduated from ICN, we dropped the E by the way, in May 2002. ICN is a very good BSN program and will get you ready to be an RN. But getting in to Gonzaga's anesthesia program is very hard. They only accept 6-7 people a year and like to keep their program small. Getting to know Mary and John there will help but it is very competitive none the less.

ICN is turning people away now too. We are one of a few programs in the US that hasn't seen a drop off in applications and we continue to get very strong candidates every year. So I agree, easy is realative.

BluEyz · Jan 14, 2003

Ah!! My bad, I didn't read carefully enough to see that it was NA you were talking about. (Actually I think I read it, but was too excited about seeing my school's name to really notice! hehe)

Thanks for the correction. Getting in when they take 6-7 applicants a year would be hard!

:)

Kelly

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jan 14, 2003

Kaiser has had officially received 240 completed applications for the 35 slots. (was 30). They will begin interviewing pretty soon, you should receive a letter whether you have been granted an interview soon. The final list is out in late Feb or March.

SunDevilRN · Jan 14, 2003

Thanks Qwiilgley. I just hurry up and wait