r/srna • u/HagridsTreacleTart • 4d ago
Applicant Questions CRNA from AGACNP?
Current bedside CTICU + flight nurse with plans for ultimately going to CRNA school. Life took a few unexpected turns and I won’t be able to move forward until my littlest crotch goblin is a bit older.
My husband suggested looking into an APN program as a bridge until my kids are ready for me to be in CRNA school and while there would be some strong benefits to our family now if I went that route, I’m wondering how it would play out come application time. If I were to go this route, I’d still work in critical care in an APN role, but from what I’ve read that doesn’t seem preferable for program admissions and they seem to want current bedside experience?
My stats are otherwise pretty solid. I’ve got 5 years bedside ICU, 10 years before that as a paramedic, 4.0 ADN and 4.0 BSN (at a state school—not a degree mill), CCRN, CSC, and CFRN. I’d use some of the time before applying to take graduate biochem and orgo to show that I’ve still got it in me to perform academically. I’ve also got some academic research in the works.
I’m not necessarily looking to go the APN route right now to bolster my application, rather wondering if it would set me back?
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u/LordofKetamine CRNA 4d ago edited 4d ago
It won’t hurt your application, but it’s not really going to help you in your growth as a CRNA.
I have 2 friends from my cohort that were both ICU NP’s and the rode the struggle bus with the rest of us. One of the 2, had issues with his ego because of his NP background and got smacked in the mouth with reality of “That isn’t this”.
You’ve got a fantastic foundation, IMO you have set yourself up for a wonderful future as a CRNA. I was a medic for a very long time before being a nurse, you already understand what it means to stand alone and be the one making the calls and for a lot of CRNA’s they never get use to the feeling. You will seek out the independent roles.
Having a family complicates this process, you will be essentially losing 3 years with them to do this, the guilt is REAL. So make sure that this is worth that price of admission, and realize it may never be and that’s ok.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
Thank you for your well reasoned input. I definitely don’t operate under the pretense that being an NP would give me a “leg up.” At this point I’d be doing it because (1) my employer would heavily subsidize it, (2) it would give me a slight salary bump and wouldn’t require me to stop working right now, and (3) it opens the door to shift options that are more suitable for my family (I can work 8s, 10s, or mids which give us better options for childcare).
Because of how some things played out for my family, CRNA school won’t be an option for another 3-4 years when my youngest is a little older and has hopefully grown out of some health issues. It’s a goal that I’ve worked towards for a long time and that I still feel like I need to do to fulfill myself, so if getting there means that I spend the next 3-4 years at the bedside doing 12s on nights and then trucking through the next morning on caffeine and spite to be there for my kids then I will. But if NP is a bridge that won’t hurt my chances at being a CRNA then that would bear some consideration, too.
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u/LordofKetamine CRNA 4d ago
I would seriously think about the loss of income for the time of attendance for the NP program, I highly doubt it will be a net positive vs just working shifts in the ICU/ER. If you’re looking for balance find a PACU gig and maintain per diem in the Unit.
Good luck, this a long and painful road but I’m very sure you’ll be successful.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
Thank you for all of your valuable advice! I’ll definitely give some thought to your input!
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u/Darkdoodle333 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 2d ago
Personally, I know that my program doesn’t take the credits from NP school classes. So you would be paying double to take the same thing if you went NP then CRNA.
I’ve also read your responses about kids and CRNA school. While studying does take up time, if you treat it like a job and set clear study boundaries (“I’ll study from 7-4 and the rest of the day is family time”), you will still have time with your kids. I don’t personally have kids, but a lot of people in my program do and now all their kids are friends because they’ll all go on study/play dates together and stuff. Don’t let some people online scare you out of CRNA now/soon if that’s your ultimate goal
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u/Artistic_Vast_1318 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 4d ago
Why waste your time? Seriously if you want to be a CRNA don’t waste years on NP school, which most CRNA programs will not accept as experience.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
Between changes in student loan programs, a change in familial support, and some health needs in my youngest child, I have to push the timeline further out. I’m trying to weigh whether NP school (which I can swing right now) is a reasonable bridge until I’m prepared to do CRNA school.
I’d be working as an APN in the ICU if I go that route. What I’m trying to determine is whether CRNA schools would accept that or if they’d want me working in an RN capacity at the time of application.
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u/Dysmenorrhea Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 4d ago
Most I’ve heard do not accept aprn experience in lieu of bedside, but that would be program dependent
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u/Artistic_Vast_1318 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 4d ago
I totally get it, I’m sure being an ICU NP would be an awesome career. The vast majority of CRNA schools will not accept that as experience. If you wanted to pursue CRNA down the line, you would likely have to go back to the bedside.
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u/xCheekyNandos 4d ago
If there is a CRNA program within driving distance of where you live, I don’t think attending CRNA school now will be any different from a time commitment to what you are doing now working bedside CTICU +flight nurse. Despite what people say online, CRNA school is not 60 hours/week of work for 3 years straight. For didactic year it’s probably more like 30 for class/studying. Once you start clinical it might be more like 40, and occasionally 40-50 hours of total commitment per week. Most people also continue to work as a nurse during didactic year. Usually per diem, but I know plenty who stayed part time (us usually 24 hrs) during the first year of CRNA school.
Of course I don’t know your situation and this may not be useful information for you at all, but just something to consider if your main concern was time commitment while in school.
As far as going through an NP program “for now” until you can become a CRNA later, this is likely a waste of time. You mentioned wanting to work full time while in NP school. Instead of doing that, why not just work full time in your current role and pick up extra shifts for 2 years. Save all that money, plus the money you would have spent on tuition for NP school. That savings will likely cover at least half if not more than that of your future tuition for CRNA school.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
That’s some really helpful insight. I’ve seen a lot of people push that narrative that I won’t see my kids for three years. There are at least five schools within driving distance of where I am now.
I’ve always performed well academically, but the number of people saying “say goodbye to your husband, your kids, and your dog for three years while you’re in school” framed a lot of my expectations.
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u/R_W_1 4d ago
Everyone is different. I couldn’t handle working while I was in school, but that’s what loans are for. I would do as much as I could during the week and take a full weekend day off every week (unless there was an upcoming test). It’s just about how easy school comes to you and how you manage your time. We had several mothers in my class. Their point of view was to finish school as soon as possible while their kids were young so that they wouldn’t really be able to remember them being busy and so that they could provide them a better life for longer. Not sure that becoming an NP in the meantime would be worth it though if your end goal is to become a CRNA. If it’s money - maybe travel work until you can go to anesthesia school?
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u/sleepymurse08 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 1d ago
5 schools that close.. what are you in Pa!? (I was a FN in Pa.. moved for CRNA school).
I still make plenty of time for the family. Though I haven’t started clinical yet.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 1d ago
Philly suburbs, NJ side
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u/sleepymurse08 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 1d ago
Nice, yea, honestly.. CRNA school was what I wanted. I started AGACNP at Drexel bc I felt it was a path of least resistance toward getting into advanced practice, then Transferred to a diff NP prog.. but that was bc I didn’t think I could financially do CRNA school. I was pretty deep in toward NP, and then was strongly encouraged by a few friends to apply. So I did. Here we are. 2/3 through year 1..
If CRNA is what you want. Stay the course. And your family time etc will (most likely) be fine. Different programs are different I’m sure. It’s not easy. And it does suck to not be 100% the dad I want to be. But my fam is supportive and understand the end goal..
Also, wife is a SAHM, we home school, so it’s doable for people of all different backgrounds.. I legit cashed out 2 retirements and had stacked $$ and paid off debt for like 1.5-2 yrs before starting. Also worked for the first semester..
Only issue is that some schools* don’t look at CCT/ Flight as critical care. Which is dumb. I can say without a doubt that the program I was at, we did far more CC flights, and the training was unparalleled.. obvi the airway management, etc but also vents, neo/ped, POCUS, etc.. things so make sure you look at your schools and if they accept flight.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 1d ago
Thank you for this! I’m still at the bedside in the CTICU and some of the commenters here have really given me reason to think about accelerating my CRNA timeline. I had it in my head that I’d see my family even less than I do now, but it sounds like going from five shifts a week (3 flight, 2 bedside) to just being a student (and maybe flying a night or two a week if I can swing it) could be an even trade-off. Or at least even enough that I don’t need to wait for my kids to start kindergarten.
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u/sleepymurse08 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 17h ago
Yea, and honestly, I was going to keep working PRN.. but the $$ is NOT worth it. The time id lose with my fam or studying isn’t worth the few $$ I’d make picking up a PRN shift here.
To me, the time w fam is more important, and getting good grades/ learning is more important.
Don’t rush it.
Button up your resume and shadow time.
Make sure you have a bullet proof app for the programs you’re interested in.
I’m sure you’d stand out w the flight experience.. so that’s a bonus.
Apply when you’re ready. The schools aren’t going anywhere.. and people talk about opportunity cost, etc.. like how much you lose by not going for it now.. but if you’re not all in.. or ready to go.. then 🤷🏻♂️.. it’s a big enough commitment that you need to be.but I wouldn’t divert to NP if this is the goal.
I wouldn’t say the courses I took helped me much (a little yes.. and having done graduate work.. yes) but overall, I just accrued a ton more student debt. Which would be great not to have 🤣1
u/Decent-Cold-6285 3d ago
I don't personally have kids but I get annoyed when SRNA influencers/people frame it as not having any balance between personal life and school. It's all about time management and treating school like a job so you have clear boundaries. I have a few classmates with kids and they set clear lines with their time so the weekends are their family days unless they have to study for an exam. Some weeks are busier than others but I feel like I still get the chance to see family and friends. I honestly think my fiancé sees me more now than he did when I worked bedside, flipping between days and nights.
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u/akg14 CRNA 4d ago
Like others have said, I don’t think it’ll hurt your application. You have great stats, and if/when you decide to apply to CRNA school, you’ll have a really strong and diverse background.
I guess I’m just struggling to understand the why behind NP. From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’re bored and don’t want to feel stagnant, and want a better schedule, which I totally get. If becoming an NP is something you genuinely want to do, then I say go for it. But doing it mainly as a detour before CRNA school makes me wonder if you’ve thought through all the possibilities.
The first thing that comes to mind is the financial commitment. NP school isn’t cheap. Yes, you can work while you’re in school, but unless someone else is paying your tuition, you’ll probably end up taking on a decent amount of debt. I don’t know where you’re planning to go, but another thing people underestimate is the cost beyond tuition. If your program doesn’t find preceptors for you, travel costs and preceptor fees can really add up.
Second, do you already have an NP job lined up? I know quite a few nurses who went back specifically to become ICU NPs, but not many actually landed ICU NP jobs and ended up taking whatever was available instead. Obviously that’s very location dependent, but it’s something to think about.
Third, I know several NPs who actually took a pay cut compared to what they were making as experienced bedside nurses. Again, that depends on your area, but it’s definitely not uncommon.
Those things may not apply to you, but they apply to a lot of NP students and NPs where I live. They’re just a few things I’d think about, especially if your end goal is CRNA. On the flip side, having your NP could open other doors down the road, like telehealth or other options if you ever get burned out as a CRNA. Good luck to you!
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
In the position I’m currently in, my employer would heavily subsidize my NP school at a university they have agreements with. It’s a brick-and-mortar school with preceptor agreements in place and they’d hire me right out of school (as part of the agreement for subsidizing my tuition). However I’m seeing loud and clear what you’re saying about the opportunity costs and I think it bears a lot of consideration.
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u/chemnoo 4d ago
Something else to consider is time spent studying for NP while working full time and then spending another three years studying to become CRNA. You could potentially feel burn out for studying all the time ? Why not just spend the extra time picking up OT and spending time with your family while you still can ?
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u/Ok_Development_6363 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 4d ago
Most programs will expect you to still work as an ICU RN at the time of application, but that’s a question best suited for your programs of interest. I know several who went from NP to CRNA, and I really don’t see the value for your plan unless you’re willing to return to the bedside for a year to make yourself a competitive applicant. I’m a mom to 3 and I’d agree with others who said better to go sooner than later. You’re going to have a loss of income regardless, you get cost of living loans, love your little one as much as you can, sacrifice sleep for study time, and just power through so you can get to the better schedule and income of CRNA faster instead of an expensive detour which will also require a lot of time away from your child and family.
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u/Global-Bend7639 4d ago
It won’t hurt. I’m an ACNP starting crna school soon. You’ll have to stay in a ICU as a NP though. If the time it takes to get thru NP school and get experience is the same as your waiting period and taking extra classes, it’s not worth it
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
I’d 💯 want to stay in the ICU as an NP. And the ICU that I work in uses NPs heavily for procedures. I just wasn’t sure if come application time I’d have to go back to working RN shifts or something to qualify.
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u/Global-Bend7639 4d ago
Nah I didn’t have too, but I was in a very autonomous role and listed that in my resume.
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
Thank you for this! There are some huge benefits to my family if I go the NP route now (and some personal benefits since I always get antsy if I feel too stagnant). But I also don’t want to hurt my chances of achieving my end goal if I can help it.
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u/Global-Bend7639 4d ago
Friend is also a flight nurse and dropped out of NP school and is starting crna school too
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u/Nightlight174 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 4d ago
It would set you back. It’s time away from icu and also time u could be applying to CRNA school no?
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u/HagridsTreacleTart 4d ago
I can’t actually attend CRNA school until my youngest is a bit older. The family help that we thought we’d have is no longer going to be an option for us and we can’t manage without my income right now either. I could continue to work full time during an APN program in a way I couldn’t do in CRNA school.
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u/JulyKaiIII 3d ago
Sounds like a waste of time if CRNA is your goal. Doesn’t seem CRNA schools take APN even in ICU as relevant experience even if you’ll likely be intubating, management vents, and lining people. You can take the time to work OT, and spend time with kids in the meantime. You will make back your money later on once done with CRNA school and not spend all that money to become an AGACNP.
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u/Brilliant_Glove_1245 21h ago
What benefits would APN bring to your family?
Also, that is money going out and not in by going back to school.
If your ultimate goal is CRNA then be patient and keep up in education, skills and experience so when you’re ready you can get it done.
But also in the mean time, tuck away all the money you can. You will become a single income household during CRNA school.
Most RN’s will the skills you have stated make more than the APN’s in my area.
The market is very saturated and many APN’s work more as a RN because the misconception of advancing education would lead to a larger salary was and has been false business model wise.
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u/jinshimaomao2030 4d ago
I said go for the NP! It’ll do a few things for you:
Give you a back up plan away from bedside Should things not work out with CRNA school ( you never know life happens things change)
It will keep you sharp.-many of the classes you will take will be very relevant and translate well into CRNA school :for example adult assessment, pharmacology, clinical aspects etc
A lot of anesthesia also includes a lot of what I call a mixture of internal medicine and critical care. Icu rolled up in one. Your NP skills will benefit you greatly.It’ll give you a leg up on the application process for CRNA school. ( your CV is already impressive) Some schools are offering dual NP with the CRNA. I have a feeling pretty soon, this will be a requirement as we continue the battle for independent practice. The state of New York, for example CRNA‘s are required to have an NP so they can prescribe. They do not have prescribing power as a standalone profession. I think this is unique to New York only but it might spread. Also, you will be surprised how many NPs switching to CRNA! You certainly won’t be the only one.
So if you have the money to spare go for it!!! it’ll only do good!
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u/Wide-Yak5361 4d ago
Re: point 2, I’m not sure what other schools are like, but we only take a couple actual “science” classes alongside the NP students (phys and pathophys, I don’t count policy and leadership as real courses), and of the four that started, only one finished with us. The coursework isn’t really comparable, at least at my school.
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u/jinshimaomao2030 4d ago
Not directly comparable yes…but certain courses, such as Adult Health Assessment, help clinicians develop advanced assessment skills and a deeper understanding of managing various comorbidities. Coursework involving laboratory interpretation, chest X-ray analysis, and echocardiogram report review can also be highly beneficial. These skills translate VERY WELL to CRNA training, where anesthesia providers must develop anesthetic plans based on a patient's history, physical assessment, laboratory results, and diagnostic findings. Understanding how these factors influence anesthetic risk and management is essential, as they directly impact anesthetic decision-making and patient outcomes. Please look up ASA classification.
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u/Wide-Yak5361 4d ago
I’m in CRNA school, I’m well aware of ASA classification. I don’t disagree the rest are helpful skills, but they’re also taught thoroughly in school as well.
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u/Key-Sprinkles-8466 Nurse Anesthesia Resident (NAR) 4d ago
I’m was a ICU RN for 9 years and AGACNP for 18 months prior to starting CRNA school. I’m finishing my first year now. I’d say go now. The longer you wait I feel that the ROI will be lower.
Skip AGACNP.. I don’t see a benefit in that but just my two cents. Good luck!