FATHERHOOD & CRNA SCHOOL

Dr. Tedrick Vernon, III, DNP, CRNA

I left the ICU with dreams of pursuing a career in nurse anesthesia to better the life of my family. Like many of us I was motivated by the earning potential and flexible schedule that accompanies the profession. Among the many things I had to navigate in nurse anesthesia, finding a way to spend time with my kids was one of the most difficult. My children were 10 months old and 3 years old upon me entering school. I vividly remember waking up at 5:00 am to begin studying on the Saturday morning of my son’s 1st birthday party. At 1:00 pm an alarm went off and I put the books down and promptly got dressed and prepared for the 3:00 pm event. Extreme to some, it was tactics like these that allowed me to not to miss those pivotal moments while also staying current on my studies. Many of these adjustments I learned while in anesthesia, but it would have been helpful to know some of them before I started. Listed below are a few tips to help future and current SRNAs with children get through anesthesia school.

1. MOTHER’S/FATHER’S GUILT IS REAL – Despite the fact we are doing this for our family, at times they won’t be able to understand why we can’t make it to every single soccer game or school event. It will be difficult at times but you must find a healthy way to cope. Success is the best medicine for these times. Performing well on exams and in clinical are reminders that school is temporary, and ultimately everyone’s sacrifices will pay off.

2. MAKE SMALL MOMENTS A BIG DEAL – When time allots turn any good grade (from you or the kids), athletic milestone, or achievement into something BIG. Small kids don’t need much. My favorite outing was Chic.Fil.A for breakfast with a hour or so of playtime. That way you can spend quality time and also have the remainder of the day for school work.

3. MAKE THEM FEEL APART OF THE JOURNEY – Disseminate any t-shirts, pens, buttons etc. representing your program or the profession. Invite them to events or (kid appropriate) functions that are associated with the school. Give them a tour or invite them out to the school to eat lunch during a study break. At the end of every semester my kids enjoyed being able to mark through another semester on the matriculation plan I kept on the refrigerator. It quickly became one their favorite rituals while I was in school.

4. TREAT STUDYING LIKE A JOB – My kids were used to me working as a nurse. That being said, I left the house around 6:00 am to study before starting class at 8:00 am. Class was over by 12:00 pm so I would eat lunch and study until 6:00 pm. I would get home around 7:00 pm, the same time I would working as a nurse. Since I had already studied, when I came in the house it was “daddy time”. No books or work while they were still awake.

5. BE EFFICIENT! – You have to take advantage of every extra moment you have available. Unlike our classmates without children, our windows of alone time are very few. Because of that you must be creative to find time to study and make the most of it. Using agendas or outlines to detail what you will study down to the minute can be helpful in ensuring that you cover all the material. Social media and phone can be a big deterrent, so TURN THOSE PHONES OFF until you take a study break.

My kids are now 4 and 7 years old. Though it was difficult at times we all found a way to get through it. I did miss some moments but we have done some catching up with plenty more ahead. Succeeding in anesthesia school with children is 100% doable. You CAN do it and do it well. Stay FOCUSED…Stay MOTIVATED…Stay POSITIVE!!!

(From the Diversity CRNA Members Only Content, 2019)