Why can't you go straight to CRNA School from BSN?

berry · Jan 21, 2006

nitecap you work with me dont you lol

tinderbox · Jan 21, 2006

OH man!

I respect that you already have an advanced degree in another field but that really is absolutely no subsitute for real-life experience actually working with patients, on your own, without preceptors or nursing instructors to guide you. There is absolutely no way that I would EVER want to be in hands of a CRNA who hadn't had some substantial patient care experience in the ICU, who knows EXACTLY what it feels like when a patient is crumping or what to do STAT. I am just a new grad (graduated last summer) and work in an acute care float pool, and I and other new grads are continually amazed at how much we THOUGHT we knew before having worked as a nurse and how much we actually still have to learn! ICU nurses are amazing, and I have a high degree of respect for what they do. You may think that you know what nurses do, but you really haven't a clue as to what it feels like to actually be in charge of taking care of someone who is so on the edge of crashing until you have done it yourself, several several times. And by the way, operations improvement? Is that in any way related to direct patient care? Cuz if not, that degree means not much at all to the person who is lying on the operating table, depending on you for their respiration, sedation, IV titration, etc.

I have an M.S. in Industrial Engineering and have worked in healthcare (operations improvement) for several years and now know that I want to be a CRNA. I have worked with nurses and respect them, but I just see myself more as a CRNA (with the knowledge that I have between the two). I am planning to return to an accelerated BSN program in the fall. I know that there is a requirement of at least one year of acute care nursing before even applying to CRNA programs. I am already almost 31 so I'm "late", but I am really just trying understand the reasoning behind this...is it really more for experience? Why can't I get experience from being a CRNA?
Thank you,
KVY

Pitbullgirl · Jan 21, 2006

I agree with Suzanne's post about shadowing a CRNA before deciding it is the career for you. I've been uncertain about pursuing the CRNA path, and although the financial compensation is very attractive, I'm not going to base my career solely on that factor. I need a career that I will enjoy, find fulfilling, have some autonomy, etc.

So to that end, I decided to accept a position in the OR first. More so even than shadowing, I will see on a daily basis what a CRNA does and whether that's for me. If so, I can transfer to the CCU at my hospital and get my req'd critical care at that time. It only adds a little over a year to my being able to apply for CRNA school, and I think it's well worth it.

BigDave · Jan 21, 2006

Nitecap, I can smell you from here!

Katie612 · Jan 30, 2006

You are hilarious! This accurate and vivid description is PRECISELY why I don't want to do adult ICU. Lots less poop in a NICU or PICU...

Do you think anesthesia schools really prefer adult ICU experience???? Do you think its REALLY necessary to get that time in adult care?

UGHH, I just don't want to do it. I get nasauted and gag from poop and breath smells. Blood, guts, pus, I can handle...

CS_2_RN · Jan 31, 2006

Thanks NiteCap.... This is the exact reason why I'm contemplating being an AA verses a CRNA. Not really a shiznit person :nono:

Nitecap · Feb 1, 2006

Thanks NiteCap.... This is the exact reason why I'm contemplating being an AA verses a CRNA. Not really a shiznit person

Well before you make that kind of decision I ask you to do one easy thing that will only take a second of your time and that you can do online.

Goto http://www.gaswork.com

This is one of the largest if not the largest anesthesia job site in the nation.

Then first goto jobs looking for CRNA's and then select show all jobs.

As of right this second there are 1562 CRNA postions advertised on this site.

Next from the homepage select others. Then select AA, then select show all jobs. There are 5 total AA jobs advertised here

Now I know by far that gaswork.com is not representative of the entire country but that large a difference is pretty astonishing. Even the states that liscence AA's are hiring way more CRNA's than AA's. There has to be an underlying reason dont you think. SO go ahead, take the easy way out fine, with drive as little as you show you prob wouldnt get accepted anyhow. Look how limited your options are with the AA route. First location limitations, pick a job where you can move anywhere in the country or pick a job where u are limited to a hand full. As well pick a job where someone else not even in your profession decides pretty much what you can and cant do. Its your choice, sounds like a no brainer to me.

lonestargas · Feb 1, 2006

Man! Where do you work??!?!? I never heard of a CVVHD pt being anything but a 1:1 and where I work, we don't take them to scans unless it's time to change out the set. For sure, you're getting great experience but I think also being abused!

medsurgnurse, RN · Feb 1, 2006

I have an M.S. in Industrial Engineering and have worked in healthcare (operations improvement) for several years and now know that I want to be a CRNA. I have worked with nurses and respect them, but I just see myself more as a CRNA (with the knowledge that I have between the two). I am planning to return to an accelerated BSN program in the fall. I know that there is a requirement of at least one year of acute care nursing before even applying to CRNA programs. I am already almost 31 so I'm "late", but I am really just trying understand the reasoning behind this...is it really more for experience? Why can't I get experience from being a CRNA?
Thank you,
KVY

I can't help myself I have to reply. I'm sorry but working in operations management is not "working in healthcare". And when and if you become an RN or CRNA you will be working human life not machines. A human life will be in your your hands and you must know how to handle any and every situation in a second and on instinct grown out of years of experience as an RN. You scare the shiit out of me.

Nitecap · Feb 1, 2006

Man! Where do you work??!?!? I never heard of a CVVHD pt being anything but a 1:1 and where I work, we don't take them to scans unless it's time to change out the set. For sure, you're getting great experience but I think also being abused!

Worked in a 41 bed CVICU in a large Htown hospital. CVVHD 1:1, yeah right. No offense but CVVH is not that hard to manage. A little time consuming, esp if the the machine is acting up of if you have access problems but for the most part if you can add and subtract and make judgement calls based on your BP its cake. Try managing a bleedsing fresh BIVAD on cvvh, maxed on all drips, icechest full of products at bedside, and you are running balls to the wall.

AS well if the pt isnt super unstable and a CT is pertinent to diagnoses of new problems than hey the CVVHD can always be restarted.

lonestargas · Feb 1, 2006

That sounds dangerous....I work in the DFW area. But hey, here we only use CVVHD if the pt is maxed on gtts and too unstable for hemo. That is, on other equip. i.e. balloon pump, LVAD, vent, etc. I hope our managers don't hear about what you guys are doing...it would be the end of our 1:1. And not to discount how hard it must be for you where you work, but you're right, it doesn't take more than an ability to add and subtract to do CVVHD; it's just handling the comorbidities that a pt has if they truly need CVVH that takes up time. It's great to find out how other critical care nurses work too!

Nitecap · Feb 1, 2006

The podular layout of semiprivate rooms helpd to manage more than one pt with devices. With 6 pt's per large pod you pretty much are never away from the bedside and if so another nurse hopefully has your back. CVVHD is started rather early where we work. There is now largely convincing evidence that the earlier it is started the better chance the kidneys have of recovering if they take a hit.