I am a 16 year career operating room nurse with my BSN. I am considering returning to school to be an Anesthesia Assistant. I currently work in a facility that has a CRNA program but I am 49 years old and am concerned about paying back student loans of that magnatude at my age...I don't want to work until I'm 75! I think AA may be a better alternative for me perhaps. Also, the program here requires a year of critical care nursing and the OR doesn't count, so I would have to transfer to an ICU for a year before I could be considered for the CRNA program here.