Welcome to the CRNA Mentor Community: How to Accelerate Your CRNA Journey

Most aspiring CRNAs join online communities the same way they scroll social media. They consume, they compare, they ask surface-level questions, then wait for someone else to clarify. And then they wonder, why do they feel stuck? But here's the truth. A mentorship community can either be noise or it can become leverage. And leverage only works if you know how to use it. Today I wanna talk about how to actually use the CRNA Mentor community and really— any professional community for that matter— in a way that accelerates your growth instead of distracting you from it. Welcome back to the CRNA Mentor Podcast. In today's episode, we're going to talk about the importance of community and how to intentionally leverage an online community for growth. This episode is a little different. It's more of a how-to for navigating and utilizing an online community. Now, if you're new to the CRNA Mentor community, this is your orientation. If you've been in the community for a little while, this is your reset because community without structure turns into noise, but community with intention leads to transformation. And that is the underlying goal of this community. Now, why does this community exist? I didn't build the CRNA Mentor Community to be another message board. It's not here for crowdsourcing interview questions, for comparing GPAs and stats, or for asking the same question over and over again. The CRNA Mentor Community is not another AllNurses.com message board. You know, our community is comprised of not just aspiring CRNAs, but nurse anesthesia residents, CRNA school faculty, and CRNAs across the nation. It is most certainly not an extension of Reddit. This community is built on kindness, thoughtful dialogue, and professionalism. Thank you. This community is here to challenge your thinking, elevate your professionalism, understand this profession at a deeper level, and navigate your journey with intention and clarity. The problem is that most online communities become reactive. It starts with vague questions. Somebody shares their GPA and maybe their years of experience and states, "What are my chances?" And 10 strangers give advice. They have different answers, they come from different backgrounds, they have different biases, and oftentimes, they're in the same stage of the journey that you are. And oftentimes this advice might not even apply to you. So instead of clarity, you leave with more confusion. And here's what happens psychologically. You start measuring yourself against everyone else. You start spiraling, start doubting yourself. And instead of strategic growth, it leads to comparison. And comparison rarely builds confidence. Instead— you need to be intentional about your engagement and your mentorship. Now, I want to talk to you about the culture of the CRNA Mentor community. And in order to discuss our culture, I want you to first understand what the mission is of the CRNA Mentor platform. And that is to inspire, to motivate, and to mentor aspiring nurse anesthetists in their journey. Now, we'll revisit this here shortly, but that inspirational piece is very important. Now, when I set out to build the CRNA Mentor Community, my number one priority was to build a warm and welcoming space, a space that leads with kindness, respectful dialogue, and a willingness to help others. This was my number one priority because I really believe you need a safe space to learn and to grow in this journey. My second priority was focused on inclusivity. I wanted a place where anyone could learn about this profession regardless of their background or the stage of the journey that they're in. Now, our community is very unique. It spans the entire CRNA journey from just an idea in maybe high school or nursing school to anesthesia residents who are in school to CRNAs who are at the pinnacle of their career. Inclusivity leads to inspiration. It directly supports the mission of the whole CRNA Mentor platform, but it also poses some challenges. We have members who just recently discovered what a CRNA is and suddenly they are in the same virtual space as CRNA program faculty and program directors. This is incredibly powerful, but in the same breath, it's challenging as well. And quite honestly, it's the reason that I'm filming this episode today as an onboarding for our members to help set the tone for the community and evaluate how we engage with each other. We'll discuss exactly how to engage later in this episode, but I wanna stick with this topic of inclusivity. Now, the community has become one of the most inclusive and diverse spaces online. Not only do we have aspiring CRNAs who are in various stages of this journey, but we have aspiring CRNAs who are all over the globe, from Kenya to Singapore, from Azerbaijan to Sweden. And we also have members who are grandparents, parents helping their kids. We have high school teachers, guidance counselors who are helping their students. We have some of the brightest and most impactful CRNA leaders in our field, from program directors with over 30 years experience to the president of our national association, the ANA, Jeff Molter. And this is very important to point out as you navigate this space, that not everyone has a full and complete understanding of what nurse anesthesia is all about. And that's why this group was formed in the first place. My third priority was to ingrain into this community that anyone can offer insight and guidance. You don't have to be a CRNA or even a nurse anesthesia resident to offer immense value into somebody else's journey. You could be an ICU nurse sharing your own journey and experience as to what worked for you. Just make sure you share your own personal experiences that are factual and, and not hearsay from others. This group is about collective mentorship from CRNAs wanting to give back to nurse anesthesia residents who are in the thick of it. To ICU nurses who are navigating their own acceptance to CRNA school, but they're lifting up others along the way throughout this process. I often say that I'm the face of the CRNA Mentor platform, but the mentorship is really a collective effort. I also like to point out that while I've strategically positioned myself to best serve you with all my roles and perspectives as a CRNA, my advice is not the be-all end-all. As I continue to learn each day how to best serve you as a mentor. And quite honestly, that's what this community is all about, growth and mentorship for everyone involved. So if you value helping others and genuinely enjoy mentorship, this is your opportunity to lift others up as you navigate this journey yourself. And when you get there, reach back and pull forward the next generation of aspiring CRNAs. Now let's talk about how to use this community correctly. And, and I'm gonna teach you 4 different how-tos in order to elevate yourself strategically ethically and intentionally in this community. Number 1, I want you to first observe and use the search feature within the group. Before you post a question, study the culture, read our older threads, notice the tone, see what high-level questions look like, and notice the degree of engagement that these posts receive. One of the best ways to do this is to utilize the search feature. This is an underutilized tool, and if you go to the homepage and make your way up to the magnifying glass in the right upper-hand corner, Start there. You can type in questions, you can type in keywords, you could even search your target school. You may find your program director within this group. Number 2, ask better questions and structure questions for more engagement. Instead of someone sharing their GPA and their years of experience and saying, what are my chances? Ask, what is the most strategic next step to strengthen X on my application? Specific questions get specific answers. Vague questions get vague reassurance, right? So, be thoughtful with your questions and the questions that you're going to ask. Also, from an admin perspective, I can tell you that if you're looking for more engagement, use colorful text, use pictures, and use succinct yet thought-provoking questions, and you'll get substantially more engagement and more comments for the questions that you're trying to find answers to. Number 3, I want you to introduce yourself intentionally. One of the best ways to get engagement is by introducing yourself, especially with a picture. Not just, "Hey, I'm excited to be here," but share your background. You know, share your reason why you joined this community in the first place. Maybe what your current goals are for where you're at in your journey, and even share your why. Why do you want to be a CRNA? I can tell you that this will evolve over time. And if you haven't checked out my episode, "What is Your Why?" go back to that episode on this podcast, and it'll help you refine and dial in your why as you navigate this process. But the more that you can share, this is going to build ownership and kind of build credibility in your goal to be a CRNA. You know, there's something powerful that happens when you state your goals out loud. It makes you accountable. This is something that I do often. Most recently is when I started this podcast. I started telling the CRNA Mentor community that I'm starting the podcast. I started telling my colleagues, and then I committed added to it. And now we're in our 8th episode and going strong. So use your words, state it out loud, and powerful things will happen. Now, regarding sharing specific details about your journey or yourself, I want to reiterate that this is a safe space. I go through great detail and great lengths to personally vet all of our members, especially that are CRNAs. I want to ensure that if they claim to be a CRNA, that they are actually a CRNA, and I really want to protect the integrity of this group. Uh, Nurse anesthesia residents, RNs, they're slightly more challenging to vet, but I personally approve or decline every single member that is in this group. And if members do not agree to the community rules, even if they're a program director, they are not admitted to the group, all right? So I take the rules of this group very, very seriously. If a member promotes something that is not approved or in the best interest of the group, the post is removed and they are given a warning or at times immediately banned from the group depending on what they're promoting, all right? If you see posts or comments that are not kind, that lack respect or oppose inclusivity and diversity, please report them. You know, I appreciate everyone's effort to help keep this a safe and welcoming place for all of our members to learn. One thing I do want to touch on is anonymous posting. And this is something that has been of discussion from some of the CRNAs and the mentors that are within this group. And this is something that I have enabled in this group and for good reason. You know, there are times when members share sensitive pieces and specific details about their journey. And I've even seen posts where members stated that their manager was part of this group and they didn't tell them yet. So they didn't want it to come out in the CRNA Mentor Community that they were leaving the unit. There's also been, you know, details about certain failures or troubles that came up in your journey, and you may be embarrassed to share them. That is fine. And I'd much rather you share them them, you know, anonymously and offer this dialogue that we can all grow from. You know, I do feel that there's good reasons to post anonymously, especially if it's sensitive information, because there are many times that these members might not ask these questions otherwise. So if you're on the fence as to whether or not you should post it, you know, look to that anonymous posting just to get some feedback. I will say though that you need to be strategic and intentional if you're using the anonymous feature. If you're asking for mentorship or trying network, you are hurting your chances. You will see, you know, depending on the questions, you will get significantly less engagement if the posts don't have names or photos or faces attached to them. And the fourth how-to of this group is don't just consume the community, contribute to it. If you've learned something, share it. If you've grown, reflect on it. If you failed, be honest about it. You know, this is the space for all of that. Oftentimes the most engaging and meaningful posts come from a place of vulnerability. Like this post: Last night I couldn't sleep thinking about starting CRNA school. All I hear everyone say is how hard the school is going to be and how you won't have a moment to breathe. Can I get some words of encouragement as well? What helped you survive and thrive during CRNA school? The wait to start school, the unknown itself, is killing me. Now, at the time of filming this episode, this post had about 35 comments of support and engagement. And here are some of the responses from some of our CRNAs and nurse anesthesia residents. One CRNA said, "There will be days in school where you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering if the struggle is worth it. Keep going. One day you'll stand in the operating room calm and confident, caring for patients who trust you with their lives. This career, this purpose, and the life that comes with it will exist because of that struggle. And you'll look back on this version of yourself sitting with textbooks, the early mornings, the doubts, and you'll say, thank you for not giving up. Here's another post from another CRNA. Find a mentor. If you don't have one, send me a message. I absolutely love that. You know, when people throughout the community extend an olive branch, that's what this is all about. You know, this CRNA went on to offer 6 other tips. Such as anesthesia is a deeply humbling career. Real professionals stay students. The moment you think you know everything is the moment you start falling behind. She also said, don't forget your why. And how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. That was my program's mantra. Lots of these tips and these pieces of advice and words of encouragement. Community is not about the inspirational side, you know, back to the mission. It's also about the motivation. That is so much needed throughout various parts of this. And you need to be around people who are going through the same process as you, around like-minded individuals, as well as people who have successfully navigated this. Another program director responded and said, There are over 65,000 CRNAs in the US practicing. And we all went through this process and we were all successful. It's now your turn. Nothing good comes easy and nothing good comes without hard work. The author of this original post said, "Thank you so much. I'm reading and rereading all of these positive perspectives. I'm actually writing them all down. You guys are the amazing strangers. Thank you again." And this is, you know, the really in essence what this community is all about. And, you know, that all came from that post that was vulnerable. And it was an anonymous post as well. As well, which is completely fine. It had lots of great dialogue associated with it. Another point that I wanted to make about this community is that it is all about networking, about this proximity, and developing your identity throughout this journey. You know, when you put yourself in a space with other aspiring CRNAs, with nurse anesthesia residents who are right in the middle of the grind, with CRNA school faculty, and with leaders who are shaping this profession, something changes, and not because someone tells you to change, but because your environment raises to the standard. You start hearing different conversations. You see how professionals think, how they communicate, and how they carry themselves. And whether you realize it or not, it changes how you think and what you believe. Identity isn't built in isolation. It's built through proximity. If you surround yourself with aspiring CRNAs who are racing towards the perceived finish line of getting accepted to school, you'll begin to focus on admissions instead of transformation. Now, on the other hand, if you surround yourself with people who treat this career with the depth and discipline and respect that it deserves, you rise. And, and when your identity shifts, your behavior follows. You engage differently, you study differently, you ask better questions, and you show up with professionalism because you're no longer trying to get in, you're learning how to belong. To be honest, community is one of the fastest ways to shape your identity, but only if you lean into it intentionally. If you just scroll, nothing changes. But if you sit down, if you ask thoughtful questions, things start to change. Now, as you start to navigate the CRNA Mentor community and dialogue with CRNAs, with nurse anesthesia residents, and ask thoughtful questions, I want to outline some expectations for utilizing this community. And the number one thing that I really want to focus on here is professionalism. Professionalism is key. You should really practice it now and throughout your journey. There's a reason why I require my nurse anesthesia students to dress up when they come to class. You know, I give them this professionalism talk from my very first interaction with them because I feel it's so important in this profession. You know, not only to be successful,, but to impact this profession in a meaningful way. And also to honor the CRNAs who advocate for this profession every single day. Another important point regarding professionalism, which I alluded to earlier, is that this group is not for sharing interview questions for your target schools. Any post attempting to elicit specific interview questions from programs will be deleted and you may get booted from the group. All right, so take this seriously. It's, it's very important that we maintain the integrity of the interview process and really respect the CRNA program's commitment to selecting the most qualified applicants. So, you know, please remain professional when asking questions and responding to posts. You know, that's really the main takeaway here as you get acquainted with the CRNA Mentor community. You know, how you communicate really reflects how you will communicate in your interviews. How you respond to the feedback here, you know, from maybe some of the CRNAs that are interacting with you or the nurse anesthesia residents, this is gonna mirror how you respond to some of your preceptors. And finally, how you engage. Signals your maturity. And maturity is really a big part of this profession. You know, your ability to command your presence at the head of the bed, to speak calmly, directly, with confidence, it is all rooted in maturity. Now, my challenge for you is, if you're new here, don't just scroll. Introduce yourself intentionally and engage with the community. If you've been here for a while and you haven't engaged, I encourage you to get engaged in the community. You know, contribute, have thoughtful discussions, share your wins, share your losses. You know, this community is a multiplier, but only if you use it strategically. And this is about you and your growth. I want to thank you for joining the CRNA Mentor Community. I really hope to help you achieve your goals as you navigate this process. Whether you are a nurse anesthesia resident that's trying to give back or a CRNA, I can't thank you enough for all the insights and, and mentorship that people are providing within this community. And to all of our aspiring CRNAs, Becoming a CRNA isn't about collecting random advice. It's about intentional development. And all that starts with how you engage. Engage thoughtfully, ask intentional questions. It will help you navigate your journey with confidence. See you in the next episode.