CRNA: 1st Year

Your first year as a CRNA is so important. You will learn your strengths, weaknesses and everything in between. You will be put in situations that test your skills and nerves on a daily basis. This first year can be really tough, both physically and mentally. Keep your wits about you and stay calm, confident and focused. You are going to learn so much, and you will become so much better at your job. Enjoy the process, don’t get frustrated and keep your head up. No one tells you that after suffering through school, your first year can sometimes feel as though you are still an SRNA in many ways. You are still going to be exhausted all the time (but it does get better, I promise), you are still going to be questioned by your attending sometimes and have to defend your interventions, and you are definitely going to second guess everything you do. It’s human nature. Until you get comfortable in your new CRNA skin, when your decisions almost become second nature, take your time and think about what you are doing. I always tell my students that it’s ok to be nervous, but it’s got to be the right amount of nervous. You can’t be too nervous that you don’t function and end up making a mistake, and you should never be too confident. That’s the day you’ll kill someone for not being nervous enough. Find the right amount of confidence and humility to do your job correctly and safely, while leaving room to continue learning something new everyday.