[ndb]

How difficult is it to become a CRNA (Nurse Anesthetist)?

[Cammer]

It's going to depend a lot on the school and the area you are in. In general, it is more difficult to get into a CRNA program than other grad programs because there are more students applying than there are spaces available. Also, the programs are very demanding and the schools look at past academic records very hard as an indicator for probable success.

Check out this website for more info. It's very comprehensive.

http://www.anesthesia-nursing.com/index.html

[NavyJim58]

Originally Posted by Cammer

It's going to depend a lot on the school and the area you are in. In general, it is more difficult to get into a CRNA program than other grad programs because there are more students applying than there are spaces available. Also, the programs are very demanding and the schools look at past academic records very hard as an indicator for probable success.

Check out this website for more info. It's very comprehensive.

http://www.anesthesia-nursing.com/index.html

Good info from Cammer......If you are seriously interested in becoming a CRNA then I would recommend you look into military nursing......at least as a reservist......the Air Force and other branches can help you become a CRNA at no cost to you.......(I know....waiting for the backlash)

[teaberry]

Getting into an anesthesia program can be a highly competitive experience. What programs are generally looking for is:

• At least one year (or more) of critical care experience.
  A bachelor of science, preferably in nursing, or an appropriate science.
  The better your GPA, the better your chances of getting in. This is a highly competitive field.
  A well-motivated and well-rounded individual, someone who shows the ability to problem-solve and think clearly under pressure.
  Manual dexterity is a plus.

If you're considering becoming a CRNA, best of luck in your endeavors!

[Christopher Bettin]

It is true that there are more qualified applicants to nurse anesthesia educational programs than can be accepted each year. The good news is that the number of programs continues to increase—currently there are 106 programs in the United States graduating approximately 1900 new nurse anesthetists each year, more than twice the number of nurse anesthesia graduates than at the turn of the century.

To find out the difficulty of being accepted into a particular school in your state of choice you should contact the school directly. You can locate accredited nurse anesthesia educational programs by going to AANA - Council on Accreditation Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs Overview. Once you get there, you can click on the Accredited Programs link. In the Accredited Programs page, you can view all of the accredited programs or do a search by state.

The education and experience required to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) include a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or other appropriate baccalaureate degree, a current license as a registered nurse, at least one year’s experience as an RN in an acute care setting, graduation from an accredited graduate school of nurse anesthesia (these educational programs range from 24-36 months and offer a master’s degree), and passing a national certification examination following graduation. This information and more can be found on the website of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA - Home) in the Becoming a CRNA section.


Christopher Bettin
Senior Director, Communications
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

[pipingmad]

Originally Posted by NavyJim58

Good info from Cammer......If you are seriously interested in becoming a CRNA then I would recommend you look into military nursing......at least as a reservist......the Air Force and other branches can help you become a CRNA at no cost to you.......(I know....waiting for the backlash)

I was seriously considering the military for that reason. Considering other factors, I have accepted a civilian job. But I haven't totally dismissed the military option entirely. I'll look back into it in a few years.

And the Navy would've been my first choice. ;-)