Why does Pennsylvania seem to have so many more CRNA schools than any other state and

Specialties CRNA

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does this create opportunities for those who want to be CRNA's. I am trying to convince my wife that we should move to Pensylvania at least a year BEFORE applying to a CRNA school because it has so many programs. My thinking is that this may qualify us for in state rates at some of the schools and give us a "leg up" on admission (if nothing else we will be a position to go to many interviews if invited without flying all over the country). Our state, Indiana doesn't have ANY programs so no matter where we would go to school (with the possible exception of UC) we would have to move. She is convinced that I am just trying to go to Philadelphia so that I can try every cheese steak in the city and that my "master plan" is probably flawed in some way that she cannot yet pinpoint (she actually starts to hum the theme song from Pinky and The Brain every time I bring the subject up).

The travel nursing sounds interesting, but how common is it to be able to stay in a general area. We have a three year old son so it is important that we be able to stay together as a family as much as is possible (hopefully my mother in law who lives with us now will also be coming, since we pay her to help with childcare and in the future possibly homeschooling). If I could find a travel position that would keep me within about two hours of where the other person went to school that would probably work.

Its doable. We've been doing the travel thing (DH is that is) and traveling within the same area. We have 2 kids, one on the way. Not ideal for everyone, but we make it work when we need to. In a place like Philly or Pittsburgh, i dont' think it would be a problem for a seasoned ICU nurse to pick up contracts left and right with great benefits.

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The travel nursing sounds interesting, but how common is it to be able to stay in a general area. We have a three year old son so it is important that we be able to stay together as a family as much as is possible (hopefully my mother in law who lives with us now will also be coming, since we pay her to help with childcare and in the future possibly homeschooling). If I could find a travel position that would keep me within about two hours of where the other person went to school that would probably work.

Well, if you live in an area of a high nursing shortage.... and there is a need then I don't think you would run into any issues... and if u are willing to commute you absolutely would be fine....

I am starting traveling at the end of May bc my SO is in full time grad school and so we are living on one income.... I can be a test run...lol... the way I see it...... 1) I can always go back to the hospital I am currently at 2) There are at least 15 hospitals in a 45 mile radius of me 3) You can extend contracts and I plan on signing the longest contracts possible.... 4) It is temporary...... it is a little scary..... bc you do have to do job hunting every so often but it will be great to see new ways of doing things, get a new perspective, break out of the routine going to the same place everyday, still care for ICU patients, still gaining good experience, show that you are flexible... I could go on....... you first need some experience under ur belt... but after that I don't see why someone wouldn't consider it...

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Hey Roland,

If by chance you both get in, who gets to go?

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one more thing........ he has two years left........ that is 8 contracts at the most ........... i am actually doing the first one out of my home state b/c I want to go somewhere for the summer ... he will be off from school......... so that is just seven contracts...... assuming they are all 13 weeks and no one wants to extend me....... so.... yeah, i think it will work out fine.....like i said the facility i work at now has a girl that works as a traveler there and has been for the last four years.......she spent 2.5 in my unit and the last 1.5 in another unit........ not bad huh....... by the way she makes over 100k a year..... down south!!!!!!!

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If we should BOTH get accepted then SHE will probably go first. That is because while my GPA is stronger (currently 3.85 verses 3.45 for her) SHE has far superior innate clinical ability (she almost never misses sticks, IV starts, or NG insertions I on the other hand had to practice making the darn bed a hundred times to get my mitreed corners down and I was in the Navy for six years as a Corpman!). It's frustrating, because she is a Mensa member, scored over 1400 on her SAT's and STILL has trouble getting A's in her Med Surg nursing classes. In addition, she doesn't miss the patho/physio stuff (she scored the only perfect in her class on 14 point ECG interpretation) what kills her are the "soft" nursing intervention type questions. For her last cardio exam we went through a whole NCLEX review book and she only missed maybe four questions out of perhaps four hundred BUT she only scored 85% on the cardio test (which she is not allowed to review except during office hours which in reality don't exist).

I digress, because it's so frustrating that my chances of getting accepted are perhaps much higher, but her odds of actually GRADUATING CRNA school are far superior to mine. If we could some how combine my "book test taking ability" with her "clinical skills, intellect, and social skills" you would have a very competitive student.

Again, the NP route (FNP, ACNP) is IF neither of us can get in after about four years of trying. In addition if SHE graduates from CRNA school then I might look at going for an FNP or possibly DO because my income would be mostly gravy.

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Roland,

I wish you the best of luck. I hope you are able to gain a little more confidence in both yourself and your wife... you both sound very capable of gaining acceptance to any CRNA school.... :)

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hi, ms wildgust

i am a rn working on a bsn at msu, goal is to achieve a masters degree, i keep debating on what field to go with. i love the heart stuff. i have considered msn with cardiac emphasis or workin for a cardiology group, crna, or an mba. please let me kno the pros and cons.

accredited nurse anesthesia education programs: by state

http://www.aana.com/coa/accreditedprograms.asp?state=pa

psssst:

bette m. wildgust, crna, ms, msn

(crna educator)

crozer chester medical center/villanova university nurse anesthesia program

is on the accreditation board.

program is just down the road from me. willing to meet with anybody attending program.

our lady of lourdes in camden nj is only 20-30 min from philadelphia too with good reputation.

pennsylvania has:

diploma 22

associate 23

bachelors:33

total: 78

very strong education focus in our state, believe we graduate third most rn's/year behind california and ny state.

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