CRNA School Prep Academy Podcast

What should you do before CRNA? In today’s episode, Colby W., a CSBA Community Member, sits with Jenny Finnell to gather insights on the steps before nursing school for CRNA. Jenny shares that you need to get practical hands-on experience as a nurse’s aide, especially in ICU, to avoid having problems after graduation. Colby and Jenny also get to touch on extracurriculars, and as Jenny su...

In today’s episode, Jenny walks you through assessing whether or not a patient has recovered from the paralyzing effects of anesthesia. Jenny talks specific drugs used as anesthetics and what to look out for when finding out if a patient has already regained muscle control. Tune in to learn more about twitches, train-of-four, tetany, and more things to look out for when putting a patient out of anesthesia.

Get access to planning...

Being a CRNA sure sounds like the dream, but how can you actually get there? In this episode, our host Jenny Finnell walks you through the process of mapping out your CRNA journey in five steps! Jenny shares the five key areas she has identified to be critical in your time spent planning for CRNA, with about 10 to 11 categories to deep dive into. Jenny also touches on the character and behavior development needed for this journey. ...

Will your marriage survive CRNA school? This question brings about a lot of anxiety for newly accepted students. Their mind starts racing and they start listening to naysayers or people on social media saying, “You're going get divorced if you go to CRNA school.” Is it really that bad? Or is there something that a lot of struggling couples are missing? In this episode, Jenny Finnell gives us her take on the issue based on her own e...

CRNA school is a lot of work. It's not just about learning how to do everything, it's about learning how to do everything well. And after you graduate, you have to keep learning. That's why we're here: to help you make sure your CRNA career is a success! In this video, Marissa Mulder a.k.a. Sassy Anesthesia talks about how to make your dreams come true after you graduate from nursing school. Marissa discusses how life after CR...

Dismissal from a CRNA program?! We sure don’t want that to happen to you! But as promised, our podcast strives to provide all information that can possibly be needed. And difficult situations that no one wants, such as needing remission into a CRNA school, are something that does happen and something that needs guidance and support from the right people. That’s why, for today’s episode, we’ll be talking about the things you can sti...

Did you know that you only have three changes to interview for a CRNA school before you can no longer apply there? This interview limit was news to Ivan, but that didn't stop him from giving up. He applied for a CRNA school in 2019, but his application went missing. He later tried again in 2020, but the interview went horribly. He gave it another chance in 2021 and made it to the waitlist, but nothing fu...

Who better to give you advice on your CRNA journey than a CRNA program faculty? In this episode, Jenny Finnell welcomes Richard Wilson to guide us in getting into the CRNA School. Prepare your pen and paper as we dive through the caveats students should take seriously. Richard provides CRNA school advice and dives into what it’s like being in school, the academic standards, training standards, and the na...

If you go online for tips about getting into a CRNA school, you will find a lot of misconceptions that scare people from submitting their applications. Jenny Finnell attempts to disprove the most common CRNA myths and present the real deal about securing a successful admission. She explains why getting married is not a hindrance to your application, why a strong support system must never be set aside, ho...

The path to becoming a CRNA is definitely not easy. It takes time and money. So why all the fuss to become one? Is it really worth all of the things you need to sacrifice? In this enlightening episode, Jenny Finnell answers this elephant of a question. Informed by her own wisdom and experience, she paints an honest portrait of what it takes to be a CRNA. She discusses the different things you need to thi...

Do you want to go back to nursing school as a second-career nurse but need help figuring out where to start? Is it even possible in the first place? How do you make that happen? Here to share her experience and success story is one of our CSBA students and an actual second career nurse, Kelly . Join host Jenny Finnell in her chat with Kelly to find out how she made the choice to go back to school. Get valuable tips and advice on ev...

If you want to get into CRNA school but think you're not good enough, just try. If you don't make it, you can always try again. Nothing will ever happen if you don't take a leap of faith. This is what Monica did. She worked in a cath lab for a while, but she knew her heart was in CRNA. So she took action and is now enrolled in CRNA school. Join Jenny Finnell as she talks to CRNA student Monica. Find out how she got into CRNA school...

We all take tests intending to pass them the first time, especially in the CRNA space, where certifications are tough to earn but worth it for our career journey. If you are looking to ace your CCRN examination, this episode is perfect for you! The guru of CCRN, CMC, and CSC, Nicole Kupchik, is with Jenny Finnell to share with us all we need to know about CCRN. How do you qualify to take it? When can you take it? How can we improve...

Does guaranteed CRNA school acceptance sound too good to be true? Or is it something exciting that’s just right around the corner? In this episode, Jenny Finnell shares a framework that she has built that will guarantee your acceptance into CRNA school. Jenny has a CRNA guarantee program that has 26 seats available. And if you’re already a CSPA student, you’ll get first dibs. If you're interested, be sure to click link below to lea...

Advocacy is at the heart of being a CRNA. It’s something that everyone should understand before they embark on the journey. There is no better person to talk about this than Dr. Angela Mund DNP, CRNA. Dr. Angela is the President of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology or AANA. She has had over 20 years of advocacy for this profession. In this episode, she talks about the importance of mentorship as a way of paying it fo...

Applying to CRNA school can be a pretty hectic experience. You need to know what to study, prep for your interview, go on campus tours, and much more. You can lose track of what you really need to be focused on.

Listen to this episode to know the facts from the fiction when applying for CRNA school. Do schools really just recycle ...

Getting accepted into a CRNA school on your first attempt is quite a huge achievement. It saves you a lot of time and gives you a powerful boost in self-confidence. To help you pull this off, Jenny Finnell presents eight simple steps that you can easily follow. She breaks down tips on keeping a good GPA, the importance of job shadowing in critical care, how to determine if you need gradu...

Opioid treatment, especially in the intraoperative phase of surgery, can cause a lot of unnecessary side effects. Patients have come back with postoperative pain because of opioids like fentanyl. But is it even possible to have opioid-free anesthesia? Yes, and it does exist. Opioid-free anesthesia offers better outcomes without the side effects of respiratory depression or postoperative nausea.

Join Jenny Finnell as she talks...

Preparation is key to success. And what better way to prepare for CRNA school than to be financially ready. And to make sure you know what you are getting into, Thrivent’s Financial Advisor, Natalie Kratzer, sits with Jenny Finnell as she gets into detail with everything you need to know about CRNA school and living expenses. Natalie goes through different financial assistance options you can take advantage ...