19: Thinking Like a Provider Before CRNA School

Many nurses aspire to become CRNAs, but the transition from nurse to provider begins long before the first day of anesthesia school. In this episode, I sit down with Brandon Brueckner, a new SRNA and Critical Response Nurse, to explore how responding to rapid responses, deteriorating patients, and high-acuity emergencies helped develop his clinical judgment, leadership skills, and provider mindset. We discuss why experiences like these can give aspiring CRNAs an advantage and how intentional professional growth starts well before applying to CRNA school.