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Response To Seeking Advice/Lena Gould, CRNA, MSN

Hello Future Anesthesia Provider,

I am the founder of the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program and former Chief Nurse Anesthetist at a major hospital facility. First, I commend your drive in pursuing nurse anesthesia or medical education. I can inform you that medical school is a longer course of study (four years), then internship, specialty and fellowship clinical rotation. This will take at a minimum seven years and hundred of thousands of dollars in loans. You can certainly go onto their website to learn more about the admission process (MCAT Exam) and admission criteria.

So, now, I will go on further to inform you of how to be eligible for a nurse anesthesia program. It is not enough to get an Associate Degree and work in Labor & Delivery as a Registered Nurse. You must have a Bachelor Degree in Nursing and immediately secure a critical care nursing position. The critical care position comprise working on either the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) such as CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit), MICU (Medical Intensive Care Unit), SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit), TICU (Trauma Intensive Care Unit), and NICU (Neuro Surgical Intensive Care Unit). Most applicants for the nurse anesthesia program, sit for and pass the CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse) Exam. You will also need to shadow a CRNA in the operating room as well. You can work up to two years, then apply to a nurse anesthesia program.

The nurse anesthesia programs duration consist of 24 months to 30 months of full time education. Most nurses work and save considerable about of money and pay off significant debt prior to actual enrollment. Loans are available for tuition as well. Please go onto the anesthesia profession website, www.aana.com to learn more about profession.

I would like for you to seriously consider attending the Diversity CRNA Information Session and Airway Workshop hosted at one of three locations: Drexel University ~ Philadelphia (March 31st), Samuel Merritt University ~ Oakland, CA (June 9th & 10th), and Duke University ~ Durham, NC (October 13th & 14th). You will meet four Nurse Anesthesia Program Directors, minority CRNAs, and SRNAs. Learn comprehensive information about the admission process, application and interviewing process, rigors of the program, clinical rotations, didactic courses and more! You will receive a full copy of the new anesthesia video of minority CRNAs and SRNAs reviewing the anesthesia machine and related equipment. You can register online and book your hotel at www.diversitycrna.org. On the homepage of the website, read my article, Guide to CRNA Admission published in Minority Nurse Magazine.

I hope this has helped you!!!

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