MinorityNurse.com

 

Response to CRNA School Ranking/Lena Gould, CRNA, MSN

Hello

It is great that you are considering the nurse anesthesia profession while attending an Associate Degree Nursing Program. Kudos to you!

First, please consider that in order to be a competitive applicant for any nurse anesthesia program, your grades in undergraduate school must reflect the stringent requirements made by these individual programs. So, do exceptionally well in nursing school. Please purchase a NCLEX-RN Exam Study Guide in advance before enrolling this fall. Study and start reading the material while in school as you prepare for the Boards. For example,when you take the Fundamentals of Nursing course in school, read the NCLEX-Study Guide at the same time getting familiar with Board like questions. Remember, you want to pass the Boards on the first attempt. Enroll immediately into a Bachelor Degree in Nursing Program upon completing your current program. Second, while in the second year of nursing school, secure an ICU position (Trauma ICU, Medical ICU, Surgical ICU, Cardiac ICU or Neuro ICU) preferably at a Level I Trauma Center. You need impressive grades and critical care experience to eventually apply for a nurse anesthesia program. Also, plan to sit for the CCRN Exam after one year of critical care experience. Again, this will make you a competitive applicant in the future!

In regards to class rank for nurse anesthesia programs, consider the passing rate of the Boards for individual program. Is it 100%? Is it 90% passing? Less? What is the composition of the nurse anesthesia program? If this is a special consideration inquire how many minorities who have applied, been accepted and graduated from the program on a consistent basis? Some programs require the GRE, others do not. If you were applying to a MBA Program, then graduating from an elite school will make a huge difference in opportunities and salary. However, applying to an elite nurse anesthesia program versus a state university is not at all a consideration in securing a nurse anesthetist position. Visit elite, private, and state nurse anesthesia programs and compare the tuition as well. It is quite remarkable that tuition can range from $ 17,000 to over $100,000. And guess what... all of the graduate take the same Boards to be a Nurse Anesthetist!

Please consider attending in the future, the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Information Session at the University of Maryland School of Nursing on March 27th.
You will meet three Nurse Anesthesia Program Directors, minority CRNAs, and Nurse Anesthesia Students on the panel. The topics of discussion will be the admission process, rigors of the program, clinical expectations, didactic courses, Board preparation, and Doctoral opportunities. A video of minority nurse anesthesia students (now CRNAs) reviewing the anesthesia machine and related equipment will be distributed to attendees. The target audience is minority Registered Nurses, Nurse Anesthesia Students and nursing school students. Another Diversity Information Session will be at Duke University on October 23rd.
Very informational and inspirational event!

You can visit the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program website, www.diversitycrna.org. Registration and hotel information is on the homepage of the Diversity website. Also, frequently visit the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) website, www.aana.com as often as you can to be familiar with the profession.

So, start reading!!!

Take Care, Lena Gould, CRNA, MSN
Founder, Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program
www.diversitycrna.org