The community college by me has a Paramedic/RRT to RN accelerated program, along with a second degree (BS/BA to RN) program that is accelerated. I qualify for both (B.S. Bio, RRT). So if I entered one of these programs after I got in and started it would take one year and a semester. So lets say I start fall 2011 (the next start date).
2013 may RN degree completed
Begin working as an ICU RN May 2013
Take GRE and apply for CRNA program fall 2013
Most likely I wouldn’t be able to start until 2014
Start CRNA program fall 2014
Finish 2016
So I could take 6 years to become a CRNA
Or finish the applications to AA school and start next summer.
So it would take 6 years b4 I was a practicing anesthetist and that’s only bc I wouldn’t have to get a BSN. (Realistically I could probably squeeze in a few “nursing theory” courses to get one during that time so it wouldn’t really take any longer)
I would lose about 3.5-4 years of income by already being an anesthetist. So let’s say I start at 120 and stay there for 4 years.
AA income vs. debt
120*4=480
50k/year in loans tuition+expenses (I have some savings)=100k debt
480-100=380
RN/CRNA debt vs. income
Community College RN degree 5 grand (I would work as an RRT during this program. I have friends who have done it, so no extra living expenses loans (but id certanlly not be putting money in the bank) So 1.5 years as a RN student.
Id probably make 24$/hr as a starting nurse (that’s what my sister made as a new BSN). So I’d work for about 18 months as a nurse before I started school again. I might be able to pick up shifts to cover living expenses, or I could maybe mooch off my fiancée for a few years if she doesn’t dump me for being a life long student: so hopefully no loans for living expenses.
76 weeks* 36 hr/work weeks*24 $/hr=65,664k income
Then about 35-50k to get the MSN CRNA degree, lets go with 45k to be fair
So 66k-5=61k-45k=16k
Pretty much breaking even bc Id be scraping by during school so the 16 would probably pay for all the stuff that goes wrong when you own a home/car
That’s about 380k less in net income. Add to that 4 more years of my life. Why would I want to enroll in a program that basically ignores the two BS degrees I have and the clinical degree I already possess along with my clinical experience?
Getting a medical education vs. a nursing education…....... priceless