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So you want to be a Nurse Anesthetist?/Lena Gould, CRNA, MSN

Hello My Future Colleague,

So you want to be a Nurse Anesthetist? Well, if you are a Nursing Student, I strongly advise you to secure an ICU Nurse Externship position at a Level I Trauma Center, preferably. You will have to place multiple resumes at different hospitals. So, the time is ripe for this to occur at this time as Human Resources are reviewing resumes for specific areas of interest. Most definitely, inquire about a critical care unit (Trauma ICU, Medical ICU, Surgical ICU, Cardiac ICU, or Neuro ICU). You will gain a huge advantage by doing so which will increase your chances of securing a full time position upon graduation. Remember, you need this work experience for gaining entry into a Nurse Anesthesia Program. Another strong consideration is to sit for the CCRN Exam after working one year in the ICU. Most strong applicants have this credential and will further enhance your admission into a Nurse Anesthesia Program. Also, prepare for the GREs months in advance prior to actual submission of the application for the program.

Do exceptionally well in the BSN Program and or Graduate Nursing courses too. You need to demonstrate excellent academic achievement in most programs. Keep in mind, the Nurse Anesthesia pool of applicants is getting increasingly competitive. So, do your BEST and excel in all of their requirements for entry into a program. Shadow a Nurse Anesthetist in the operating room for at least a day and observe their overall duties. You need this experience too as you write your essay and articulate it during your eventual interview. Also, start visiting the professional association, AANA website, www.aana.com as often as you can to gain a further appreciation of the profession.

Please seriously consider attending the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Information Session at the University of Maryland School of Nursing on March 27, 2010.

You will meet three Nurse Anesthesia Program Directors, minority Nurse Anesthetists and Nurse Anesthesia Students. The topic of discussion will be the admission process, rigors of the program, shadowing a CRNA, clinical expectations, didactic courses, Board preparation and Doctoral Studies. A video of minority Nurse Anesthesia Students (now CRNAs) reviewing the anesthesia machine and related equipment will be disseminated to each attendee. There will be mostly minority ICU Nurses, Nurse Anesthesia Students, and Nursing Students from across the country who will attend this event. The second event will be at Duke University in October.

Please visit the Diversity website, www.diversitycrna.org and register online for this informational and inspirational event!

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