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Some CRNA schools require much more out of their applicants than others. See how the requirements at FHCHS compare to most CRNA school’s requirements.
CRNA Program Requirements
Required Bachelor Degree Or a baccalaureate in a related field (Related fields may include biology, chemistry, exercise physiology or respiratory therapy). An RN who is completing their BSN may apply to the program, but the degree must be conferred prior to enrollment.
RN: You either need an unrestricted Florida RN license or be eligible for Florida RN licensure.
Critical Care: One year intensive critical care nursing experience is required. Most applicants have at least 2-3 years of critical care experience. FHCHS prefers applicants that have experience in hemodynamic monitoring (CVP, arterial lines, PAP, continuous ECG), management of patients with ventilators, and vasopressors.
The above experiences can be gained from the following:
Cardiothoracic ICU
Surgical ICU
Trauma ICU
Medical ICU
Emergency Department experience is accepted but it must be from a Level 1 Trauma facility. Students with pediatric or neonatal ICU experience have been accepted to the program and have easily adjusted to providing care to adult patients.
GPA: 3.0 and above.
Minimum GRE scores: A competitive Graduate Record Examination score is 500 verbal, 500 quantitative, and 3.5 analytical writing. A minimum of 900 on the GRE is acceptable. The GRE is waived for students who have a cumulative 3.75 GPA in all undergraduate coursework. (MAT may be taken instead of the GRE. MAT scores should be at or above the 50th percentile rank).
Certifications:
BLS (Basic Life Support)
ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
TOEFL: An applicant, whose first language is not English, must attain a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Shadow a CRNA for a day
Course Prerequisites There are no specific class prerequisites; however the following are suggested to enhance the competitiveness of your application.
Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly. FHCHS Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed in October, 2007. It was given six years accreditation and will be reviewed again in May, 2013.
An average nurse anesthetist salary in Florida Florida CRNA salaries hover right around the national average and fluctuate between $150k-175k. Starting salaries for nurse anesthetists in Florida tend to be lower than that range.
An average annual nurse anesthetist salary in the US is $163,467 (according to a 2008 study)
Rural average: $174,214
Metropolitan average: $164,148
Suburban average: $156,630
Average starting CRNA salaries range from: $110,000-$130,000.
What are my “on call” obligations? Call experience involves all “off” shifts and these include 3p-11p, 11p-7a, and weekends. A qualified anesthesia provider is always available to supervise students when they are “on call”.
Can I work as an RN while I’m in the program? Working during the program is highly discouraged due to the intense nature of the coursework.
Do they require a capstone project? The capstone project is required for graduation from the anesthesia program. This project will contribute to you professionally as well as the anesthesia profession. Examples of capstone projects include scholarly papers submitted for publication, teaching projects, original research, participation on research teams, etc. The project can be done alone or students may work with other students, faculty, or clinical preceptors.
How many vacation days am I given? To provide students with necessary clinical hours to accomplish course and clinical objectives and comply with the required number and types of anesthesia cases by the COA, each session is continuous with the next session (block format) with vacation and holidays appropriately dispersed to individual students. There will be no classes held on national holidays.
What makes this school unique? FHCHS is a private Christian school founded by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. In addition to the required nurse anesthesia curriculum, it offers classes that are more spiritually focused.
