With Spring Break fast approaching, I am looking forward to attending the professional meeting of my future home state (HOPEFULLY)! My husband and I both grew up in Oklahoma City, and as our children get older we desperately long to return home to family. I am trying to educate myself as much as possible regarding the job market, practice guidelines, and legislative issues of my home state. Although, I realize is still early to begin the job hunt, I figure it is never to early to begin educating myself on the issues I will soon be facing! I also hope to gain information from the OANA and get on their mailing list!
As a doctorate level provider, we are expected to provide research and change practice. Computers and information systems have become an integral part of the health care system especially over the last 10 years. In my short nursing career, I remember the chaos when our hospital "went live" with its new electronic medical record (EMR). This system converted the nursing staff over to electronic charting, while the providers continued using paper order entry. Recently, they have opted for a newer system which streamlines the EMR, and all levels of staff will use the same system (including anesthesia)! In the past, the OR and the ER are the last to adopt these changes (which seems kind of backwards to me), So, this hospital is one of our clinical sites so I am looking forward to the opportunity to utilize computer charting in the OR (I believe there are only a couple of hospitals in West TN that have computerize charting in the OR).
I believe computers and technology have so much to offer when properly utilized. My hope is that through this course and through continuing education, as technology changes, I will be able to provide the best possible patient care!
I am interested in a pain management speciality as I have seen so many struggle with chronic back pain and the subsequent battle with opiates. It is my desire to help relieve chronic pain with minimal usage of narcotics. I believe that the use of pain blocks as well as a holistic approach may offer relief for patients suffering chronic pain. I would like to incorporate this interest into my DNP project.
Another area of interest is education. As many of you know, I served as a high school science teacher and coach before beginning my nursing career. Although, I believe bedside anesthesia is definitely my calling, I believe the God may still have plans for my passion for teaching. I am not sure where that will lead, but this was definitely a factor in choosing the DNP anesthesia program. With that said, I am exploring research literature on regional anesthesia training using cadavers.
I mean... How can coming to work to this not put a smile on your face!!
After being asked, What is a CRNA? The next question I often hear is okay, so how do you become a CRNA? The answer is not that simple as there are many pathways to becoming a CRNA and the requirements and schooling has change drastically over the years. All CRNAs share their RN roots and critical care background. As critical care nurses, we become good at managing vital signs, dealing with specialty equipment like ventilators, and critical thinking and decision making. This background serves us well as we enter the OR!
In early years of nurse anesthetists, nurses were trained on the job to provide as safe anesthetics and later evolved into diploma programs, then master's program, and now doctoral programs. Many health care organizations are embracing the push to train advanced practice nurses on the doctoral level including AANA (The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists).
So here are some steps:
1) Become a RN
2) Complete Requirements for Admission to CRNA school: Usually 1-2 years of critical care experience, ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification), PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse), & Completion of a Bachelor's Degree. These are some of the most common requirements, but anesthesia programs have become quite competitive and often require some level of leadership experience (charge nurse/preceptor/MRT/etc)
3) Complete CRNA school: many programs are now doctorate programs and require approximately 3 years of additional training (both clinical and didactic)
4) Pass Anesthesia board certification exam
Here is a look at the courses I will be taking over the next three years -- We are currently in Spring I!
Notice the hour requirements for some courses -- These are hours we will spend in the hospitals supervised by certified CRNAs and MD-Anesthesiologists learning anesthesia on real people!
Well, as many of you already know, I decided to back to school AGAIN (for the LAST time)! This fall I began studying anesthesia in Jackson, TN at Union University. The program I chose is a 36-month doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) program with an anesthesia specialty. Upon completion of the program, I will take "boards", which is an exam, that accredits nurse anesthetists or CRNAs, certified registered nurse anesthetists
So, You Ask, What is a Anesthetist, Nurse Anesthetist, or CRNA?
An anesthetist specializes in the delivery of anesthesia and management of both acute and chronic pain. There are several pathways to becoming an anesthetist including graduate anesthesia assistant programs (AA), medical school residencies (MD/DO), and graduate nurse anesthesia programs (CRNA).
Here is a funny video about what people think we do! I promise it is really a LOT more complicated!
Nurses were the first anesthesia providers and assisted surgeons with providing pain relief and anesthesia services during procedures. The scope of practice of CRNA is determined by the individual state the anesthetist is practicing, however, CRNAs offer the only anesthesia services in many rural counties across the country. Chances are if you have required anesthesia services of some type (epidural for childbirth, anesthesia for a tonsillectomy, or even a coronary bypass surgery) you have experienced the skill and expertise of a nurse anesthetist!
This blog is being created for a school project so it will contain lots of educational information, but feel free to follow my 36-month journey to becoming a nurse anesthetist!
