What's going to keep you motivated????

Athlein1 · Jun 16, 2004

sometimes i think that it is respect and appreciation for the work i put in to becoming a CRNA. then i read these posts by AA's and MDA's and i think that i will never earn any respect because to them i'm still "just a Nurse". so may respect isn't a good motivation

Seems to me that most AAs and anesthesiologists respect the education, knowledge base, and work ethics of the vast majority of CRNAs. In contrast, I have only met a few (well, one, actually, but then again I don't exactly ask every anesthesiologist I work with about it) that believe that CRNAs should practice independently. Does that translate to a lack of respect? I don't know...

loisane · Jun 16, 2004

I have only met a few (well, one, actually, but then again I don't exactly ask every anesthesiologist I work with about it) that believe that CRNAs should practice independently. Does that translate to a lack of respect? I don't know...

What a great question, I find it EXTREMELY interesting.

No, it really isn't lack of respect. But at the same time, isn't that what we want from them-acknowledgment of our compentency (as we define it, of course)? So it does have alot to do with our professional relationships.

Nursing has the right to define its own professional boundaries. Just as medicine has the right to define theirs. Neither can define the other. Medicine cannot place boundaries on nursing. But to the same extent, we cannot make them accept our defintion of ourselves. Just saying we believe in us, doesn't make them believe in us to the same extent. So, we are left with ignoring their opinion, or finding ways to influence it.

I don't have the anwer, but it is something to which I give a great deal of effort, thought, research, etc. I like your question, it gives me another take on this subject. Thanks for voicing it!

loisane crna

alansmith52 · Jun 17, 2004

I just want to address some of the major points on this thread and say how I feal.

1. THE MONEY ISSUE: you know the truth is money motivates us to do most everything. the reason we go to school for anything is to earn a living. I don't see any reasone to fault anyone for trying to earn a better living. espcially if there honest about it. there is another tragic truth here. CRNA's have gotten to where they are becuse there are people that are money minded. If you don't care what your getting paid than you'll just continue to take it in the shorts and the managment will say " your reward is getting to care" I can't knock that. but I'd like to.

2. the reason I wanted to do this in the first place is due to an experince I remeber from my childhood years. I had my a T&A and was very fearful (crying) the MDA aleaved my fears like a champ and I have wanted to do the same for others since then.

3. security. I don't know what tommorw will bring but I want to be ready for it and that means making money to me. I want my childrent to have it better than I did. I want to help them through college and I never want to fight with my spouse about money like my parents did. (I understand that having money isn't the whole answer to that one but its a good start)

4. this last year whenever I wanted to go ouside in the spring rather than study I was caught up in a memory. I was on night shift and this poor old man had some kind of anal sepage going on. I was working on the floor in this memory. and I cleaned his A%# 25 times in one night. A week later I got bells palsy... (who knows). CPM off and on and off and on with the TKA. I cringed at the thought of having to go back.

5. to show my 7th grade english teacher that even though I didn't sit in her blessed "honor row" and I couldn't diagram A sentence to save my life that I have worth and she can kiss my A. to this day I can't get over the contempt for that woman. :) :chair:

SRNACHIC · Jun 24, 2004

Regarding two individuals that I know, it is somewhat bothersome to me when I hear of others wanting to go to CRNA school and in the same breath, they immediately talk about salaries. I fully understand that money is one of the primary reasons that we work...but not the only reason. I posed a similar question (as above) to two individuals who I overheard at work when they decided to persue NA (amusingly, they were surfing through salaries.com at the time). I asked them if they would continue to pursue NA school if a bill was passed tomorrow that capped CRNA salaries at 75k/yr. Of course the response was "no." It was really annoying for me, who has held CRNA school as a long-term goal for about 5 years, to watch someone draw from a "proverbial career hat" in such a manner. I guess that type of person will have to put their money where their mouth is should they get into a program.:chuckle

I am amazed at your statement. Why should a law be passed to cap CRNA salaries at 75k? Should a law be passed to cap MDA salaries at 150k? Medicare doesn't differentiate, and there is no differance in reimbursement for cases done by a CRNA or a MDA, so why should any salary be capped?

versatile_kat · Jun 25, 2004

SRNACHIC ... I think are-in was just asking these people a generic question to see where their priorities lie. It's obvious that those nurses only wanted to become a CRNA for the salary, and not the desire to become an anesthetist, whereas are-in has the opposite mind set (he/she WOULD still pursue the degree even if s/he wasn't getting paid as much).

Passin' Gas · Jun 25, 2004

Regarding two individuals that I know, it is somewhat bothersome to me when I hear of others wanting to go to CRNA school and in the same breath, they immediately talk about salaries. I fully understand that money is one of the primary reasons that we work...but not the only reason. I posed a similar question (as above) to two individuals who I overheard at work when they decided to persue NA (amusingly, they were surfing through salaries.com at the time). I asked them if they would continue to pursue NA school if a bill was passed tomorrow that capped CRNA salaries at 75k/yr. Of course the response was "no." It was really annoying for me, who has held CRNA school as a long-term goal for about 5 years, to watch someone draw from a "proverbial career hat" in such a manner. I guess that type of person will have to put their money where their mouth is should they get into a program.:chuckle

Correct me if I'm wrong are-in. I interpreted your question as an attempt to glean from the prospective SRNAs if they would consider going through all the hard work, dedication, and self-sacrifice that nurse anesthesia school demands of an individual if the pot at the end of the rainbow only held $75k?

Do they REALLY want to provide anesthesia care, gain further knowledge of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, pathophysiology that enables one to UNDERSTAND a patient's physical status and be able to CRITICALLY THINK and prepare an appropriate care plan for that patient? Or do they just focus on the prospect of making a nice income for putting people to sleep and waking them up?

I think it was an intriguing question and the I believe each prospective and current SRNA should examine their motives. Why AM I doing this? Alansmith {despite the typos and admonition of his English teacher (perhaps you should have paid a little more attention to her )} brings up some good points. Yeah, let's not deny that money motivates. But what DRIVES that motivation? Do I REALLY want to learn about anesthesia and all the above topics or am I truly in it for the money? All of these reasons are personal and derived from our own personal experiences. What's valid and noble for one person is just the opposite in another person's view.

I honestly, truly, have LOVED all of my jobs: as a nurse's aide, LVN, RN (see post from loisane re: are CRNAs ashamed of being nurses?) and finally as a CRNA. The art of anesthesia is derived from the basis of caring, nursing is about caring for others in a time of need. I may be waxing a bit nostalgically and some may believe I've been reading Florence's history...but think about what we do each and every day.....

CRNAs CARE for people: care they get a full anesthesia consent and understand the options, potential complications, care the patient gets an appropriate preoperative sedative (if needed), care that the patient gets a calm and quiet induction free from outside distractions, care that you provide the patient an optimal anesthetic to minimize physiological responses to the trauma the body is going to endure, care that your patient awakens comfortably and in stable condition.

Bottom line, despite $$, you gotta care. Nurse anesthesia school is difficult. There's a lot to learn so you CAN give the best anesthestic to your patients. BECAUSE YOU CARE.

Off my soap box (for now).

susanna · Jun 25, 2004

I sure wish we had universal healthcare here in the US. I would accept my salary being capted at any amount if we had a universalist healthcare system. Maybe I'll start a new thread on what people think needs to be done before we get it here in the United States of the Americas.

susanna · Jun 25, 2004

CRNAs CARE for people: care they get a full anesthesia consent and understand the options, potential complications, care the patient gets an appropriate preoperative sedative (if needed), care that the patient gets a calm and quiet induction free from outside distractions, care that you provide the patient an optimal anesthetic to minimize physiological responses to the trauma the body is going to endure, care that your patient awakens comfortably and in stable condition.
Bottom line, despite $$, you gotta care. Nurse anesthesia school is difficult. There's a lot to learn so you CAN give the best anesthestic to your patients. BECAUSE YOU CARE.
Off my soap box (for now).

I don;t know. None of my friends who are becoming dentists or pharmacists really care about or want to help people at all. They've all been pretty honest and straightout, from the start and to the end, that they've entered their profession to make, what they feel, is loads of money. In fact, thats all they talk about alot of the times. I've found that dental students are most blatant about being there only for the money. (I think specialised dentists make 400-500K) I had my doubts about this, but now I see that they still do their jobs good and pull through graduate school pretty sucessfully.

Isn't that proof enough for ya'll that people can go into specialised healthcare and be good at it and still be there soley for the $$$?

Passin' Gas · Jun 26, 2004

I don;t know. None of my friends who are becoming dentists or pharmacists really care about or want to help people at all. They've all been pretty honest and straightout, from the start and to the end, that they've entered their profession to make, what they feel, is loads of money. In fact, thats all they talk about alot of the times. I've found that dental students are most blatant about being there only for the money. (I think specialised dentists make 400-500K) I had my doubts about this, but now I see that they still do their jobs good and pull through graduate school pretty sucessfully.
Isn't that proof enough for ya'll that people can go into specialised healthcare and be good at it and still be there soley for the $$$?

This was a line from my prior post that was edited:

All of these reasons are personal and derived from our own personal experiences. What's valid and noble for one person is just the opposite in another person's view.

There's no doubt that one can excel in any area with money as the sole motivator. IMHO, that's sad. I find it difficult to believe that they (your dental friends) absolutely do not care at all. There's got to be some emotion when a teenager finally gets those braces off and is all excited, can't quit smiling. Or seeing how excited (and relieved) an 8 year old is after having a cavity filled...and it didn't hurt!

PG

susanna · Jun 27, 2004

I actually don't have a bone to pick with your viewpoint, PG.

I guess I have trouble excepting that it still exists though and is still held on to by others. My opinion used to be quite similiar until I realised that a lot of people go into health professions motivated soley for $$$. Its not that they don't care if someone else gets hurt by fault of their own. They really care about that and sincerely don't want to have another person suffer by their carelessness. But, they don't particular care or focus on the motivation that another person's life is improved by their hand or by that they did a good job. They get up over morning to study for the paycheck and the fact that their job is respected by others(but not by themselves, in particular).

I dont know if youre out of school yet, but personally, if I focus on the fact that most other people are motivated soley by money and that this is something to pity, I go to school feeling depressed and cannot feel respect my friends/future colleages. I am unable to think straight around them, feel scared of them because they are dangerous, and get upset when they dont want to understand the deeper areas of a problem or of a certain hw assignment.

But, if I say to myself that this is not a big deal and that this motivation is something that binds us all, to greater or lesser degrees and that this factor does not determine one's ability to be a great clinician, then I feel good about my friends and proud of them for what they can do and for their differences and that they are fulfilling their goals. If I look at this motivator as an inhibitor, i get anxious and scared of the poeple im surrounded by. If I look at it as an asset, then I feel good.

Dont you feel the same?

Passin' Gas · Jun 27, 2004

I actually don't have a bone to pick with your viewpoint, PG.
You have been professional in your comments and expressing your view. No offense taken. :)
PG

30andconfused · Nov 26, 2004

I start CRNA school this August at ODU and I know it's going to be all that everyone says and more, but what is the one thing that will keep you motivated when the going gets tougher than tough. I have a pitcure of a nice big house that I want with the mega master bedroom and bath, the big body benz...and vacations in the carribean, and college fund for my kids, shopping, shopping, and shopping....you all get the pitcure right? Oh yeah, and autonomy and no more but wiping or denture cleaning! What's the one thing for you that will make it all worth it?:roll

"Big body Benz", "mega master bedroom"? You must be from the hood or someone of color. Relax, I'm a minority too, and I recognize that type of thinking, not to mention the vernacular. You shouldn't choose a profession based on monitary rewards. Especially one in which you could cost someone their life. The life you describe is one similar to celebs, and I can't imagine the fustration you'll feel if you find out you can't live like P Diddy. I try to tell the young people in my neighborhood it's important to have aspirations based on realistic expectations. Sorry if I offended you.

Oscar NY