What does it take to get in?

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Hey everybody,

I partially want to vent and also ask a question regarding getting into CRNA school. Okay, so I have almost 2 years ICU experience feel pretty confident in my abilities as an ICU nurse. However, whether my collegues would think that I am an "exceptional" nurse is another question. Sometimes I think that it is all a huge popularity contest. My nurse manager evaluates us based on what our peers think of us, which I think is not a fair assessment of my abilities.

Alright, I'm cutting to the chase, I am asking--Do good ICU nurses get consideration by CRNA admissions or just the "Great, exceptional nurses." How important is it to get "glowing" recommedations" from nurse managers and peers?

Basically, I do a lot of great things that other so called "exceptional" nurses do, but most of the time people don't even know that I've done them. Its just frustrating. Is there still hope for me to get in if my recommedations say that I am just a good ICU nurse? Thanks, any suggestions and opinions would be much appreciated.

preCRNA

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As long as you get a good reference from your manager, I would not worry about being "exceptional". If you are a competant ICU nurse, with good critical thinking skills and varied experience, then you have what it takes to get into anesthesia school.

However, even if you are a great ICU nurse, a bad recommendation will only hurt your chances. Make sure you have confidence that your manager will write a good reference. If not, pick another person capable of judging your skills and knowledge level such as a charge nurse.

Also, people getting into CRNA school come from a lot of varied backgrounds and skill levels. It's not just the "exceptional" ICU nurses getting into programs. In order to succeed in CRNA school, you must be intelligent, ambitious, a critical thinker, and have a true desire to do anesthesia. Hope this helps.

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As long as you get a good reference from your manager, I would not worry about being "exceptional". If you are a competant ICU nurse, with good critical thinking skills and varied experience, then you have what it takes to get into anesthesia school.

However, even if you are a great ICU nurse, a bad recommendation will only hurt your chances. Make sure you have confidence that your manager will write a good reference. If not, pick another person capable of judging your skills and knowledge level such as a charge nurse.

Also, people getting into CRNA school come from a lot of varied backgrounds and skill levels. It's not just the "exceptional" ICU nurses getting into programs. In order to succeed in CRNA school, you must be intelligent, ambitious, a critical thinker, and have a true desire to do anesthesia. Hope this helps.

Thank you trauma,

I is helpful to know that. I just began to get a little worried because of an evaluation review with my nurse manager. She said that I was a good nurse, but she was using evaluations from peers to decide that. I want to be one of those exceptional nurses and feel that I'm doing very well on getting there but it seems hard when people get inaccurate views of my abilities. Thanks again.

preCRNA

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Do you work for IHC? That's how we do are evaluations too, if you are not in the clique it can definitely effect your evaluations.

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Do you work for IHC? That's how we do are evaluations too, if you are not in the clique it can definitely effect your evaluations.

It seems to me that they could come up with a better evaluation process. By the way, I don't work for IHC. I work at the U.

preCRNA

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They definitely could come up with a better way to evaluate. Have you applied to any schools yet?

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They definitely could come up with a better way to evaluate. Have you applied to any schools yet?

Not yet, I am getting ready to take the GRE soon. Then I will start throwing out apps for fall of 05. Any helpful hints nitro? Schools that I'll be applying to are CAMC, Kaiser, SMSU, TWU.

preCRNA

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Specializes in SICU, CRNA.

pre,

dont worry about it. i'm glad to hear that kaiser is on your list. I started there today and am also a "U" alum, along with another guy in the class from burn, I was in SI, anyway, you'll be fine. at kaiser concentrate on the interview, be personable and then follow all of the utah guys down here, currently 6 of us that i am aware of. good luck and let us know how things turn out

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SMSU? Most of the schools I have talked with in the past say it's a whole package deal if your experience is good, grades and GRE's are decent you have a really good shot. Some schools only use GRE scores to as a way of eliminating some of the pool. Good luck. I applied to CAMC as well.

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SMSU? Most of the schools I have talked with in the past say it's a whole package deal if your experience is good, grades and GRE's are decent you have a really good shot. Some schools only use GRE scores to as a way of eliminating some of the pool. Good luck. I applied to CAMC as well.

Southwest Missouri State University. I know that a person that graduated from my school went there. Anyway, thanks for the advice. I really hope I get in on the first try to one of those schools.

preCRNA

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pre,

dont worry about it. i'm glad to hear that kaiser is on your list. I started there today and am also a "U" alum, along with another guy in the class from burn, I was in SI, anyway, you'll be fine. at kaiser concentrate on the interview, be personable and then follow all of the utah guys down here, currently 6 of us that i am aware of. good luck and let us know how things turn out

Thanks man. I really think that Kaiser would be an awesome school to attend. One of the coolest things is that they have that Utah tradition. It is especially cool that they are expanding a little bit in Utah with those payson and orem sites. Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how things go for sure.

preCRNA

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As long as you get a good reference from your manager, I would not worry about being "exceptional". If you are a competant ICU nurse, with good critical thinking skills and varied experience, then you have what it takes to get into anesthesia school.

However, even if you are a great ICU nurse, a bad recommendation will only hurt your chances. Make sure you have confidence that your manager will write a good reference. If not, pick another person capable of judging your skills and knowledge level such as a charge nurse.

Also, people getting into CRNA school come from a lot of varied backgrounds and skill levels. It's not just the "exceptional" ICU nurses getting into programs. In order to succeed in CRNA school, you must be intelligent, ambitious, a critical thinker, and have a true desire to do anesthesia. Hope this helps.

Probably helps if you "know" someone, since the schools don't generally seem to care about qualifications or obstacles overcome to achieve 2 BSN's.

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