The CRNA Club Podcast

Hosted by Sachi Lord

Education Science

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Wish you knew exactly what you needed to do to get into CRNA school? Need help coming up with a strategy to be a competitive applicant? You're in the right place! You'll get all of that and more when you tune into The CRNA Club Podcast with your host (and practicing CRNA) Sachi Lord. Her specialty? Breaking things down and turning them into bite-sized actionable steps and dishing the strategy you need to be a competitive applicant. Tune in, get inspired, and learn exactly what you need to do to check all the right boxes so you can get into CRNA school and join #thecrnaclub. Here are a few topics we cover: - Choosing the right CRNA program for YOU - Figuring out what prerequisites you need - What a typical day of a CRNA looks like - How to pay for CRNA school - Learning how to compare and contrast programs - What makes a prepared applicant? - Should you take the GRE? - What certifications you NEED to get - What not to do when submitting your application - How to write a stand out resume -How to calculate your GPA for CRNA school - Personal essay Do's and Don'ts - Shadowing a CRNA, how to find one - Questions to ask the admissions committee - Preparing for your CRNA school interview - and more!

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60 recent

October 22, 202617 min

CRNA Personal Statement Examples: Top 5 Essay Questions

CRNA personal statement examples help when you understand the question each essay needs to answer. Sachi walks through five essay questions and explains how to keep your response specific, personal, and aligned with the prompt. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: Essay Critique FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: Answering the full essay prompt Choosing specific experiences Connecting your experience to your goals Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

October 20, 202611 min

Best CRNA Programs: Compare Cost, Pass Rates, Clinical Sites & Fit

Best CRNA programs depend on your application, budget, and clinical goals. Sachi explains how to compare costs, pass rates, clinical sites, and program fit when building your school list. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: CRNA School Database FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: Tuition and total cost Pass rates and clinical experiences Program fit and school comparison Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

October 17, 202614 min

CRNA Requirements: GPA, ICU Experience, CCRN, GRE & Prerequisites

CRNA requirements vary by program. Sachi walks through GPA, ICU experience, CCRN, GRE policies, and prerequisites so you can compare your background with your target schools and plan your next steps. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: CRNA School Database FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: GPA and transcript preparation ICU experience and certifications GRE policies and prerequisite planning Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

October 16, 202615 min

ICU Experience for CRNA School: What Counts and How Much You Need

ICU experience for CRNA school raises practical questions about unit type, patient acuity, and how long to work before applying. Sachi explains how to assess your experience against published program requirements and decide what to build next. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: CRNA School Database FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: ICU duration and patient acuity Adult and specialty ICU experience Planning your next application steps Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

October 12, 202618 min

G Protein-Coupled Receptors: Gq, Gs, and Gi Pathways Explained

Phenylephrine tightens blood vessels, albuterol opens the airway, and Precedex turns down the sympathetic nervous system. All three drugs send their message through G protein-coupled receptors. Sachi, a practicing CRNA and founder of The CRNA Club, starts with what a receptor is, compares the four major receptor families, and follows the Gq, Gs, and Gi pathways step by step, from the receptor to the second messenger to the effect you see at the bedside. FREE GPCR SIGNALING CHEAT SHEET: Download the GPCR Signaling Cheat Sheet - Gq, Gs, and Gi routes, second messengers, and the hook-drug chains on one page FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: What a receptor is and how the four major receptor families compare How the G protein relay works, and what Gq-coupled, Gs-coupled, and Gi-coupled mean How the Gq pathway releases stored calcium, and why calcium doesn't always mean contraction Why beta-1 and beta-2 both use Gs and still act differently in heart muscle and airway smooth muscle How milrinone raises cyclic AMP by blocking phosphodiesterase 3 instead of activating a receptor How the Gi pathway lowers cyclic AMP and opens potassium channels, with a Precedex bedside case How to walk through a drug's mechanism in a CRNA school interview Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

October 4, 202612 min

How CRNA Schools Read Your Transcript: GPA, Grades, and What to Retake

Your transcript tells a bigger story than one GPA. Sachi explains how to read your cumulative, science, and last 60 credits GPAs, why individual science grades matter, and how to decide whether your next course should be a retake or a step forward in the same subject. She also covers repeat courses in NursingCAS, older science grades, pass or fail coursework, and what a strong upward trend can show. START WITH YOUR TRANSCRIPT: Free Transcript Analyzer - Review your coursework and plan your next step. IN THIS EPISODE: What cumulative, science, and last 60 credits GPAs each show Why two applicants with the same science GPA may have different grade patterns How NursingCAS treats repeated courses and course categories When to retake a required class and when a higher level course may show recovery How to give each planned course a clear purpose FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last 60 credits GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a CRNA application timeline Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

September 25, 202616 min

Ventilator Modes Explained: AC, SIMV, and Pressure Support

Ventilator mode names vary, but the reasoning starts with the targeted variable, breath sequence, and the patient's work of breathing. This episode breaks down volume-targeted and pressure-targeted breaths, assist-control, SIMV, pressure support, peak versus plateau pressure, and the hemodynamic effects of positive-pressure ventilation. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: Mechanical Ventilation Modes Cheat Sheet CRNA Application Checklist FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: Volume-targeted versus pressure-targeted breaths Assist-control, SIMV, and pressure support Peak pressure versus plateau pressure How PEEP and positive pressure affect hemodynamics Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

September 23, 202616 min

Hemodynamics Explained for ICU Nurses

Hemodynamics makes more sense when pressure, flow, resistance, and oxygen delivery are interpreted together. Sachi connects preload, afterload, contractility, compliance, stroke volume, cardiac output, cardiac index, SVR, CVP, PAOP, and fluid responsiveness, then applies the full profile to a CRNA school interview case. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: Hemodynamics Preload & Afterload Quick Reference CRNA Mock Interview Practice FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: Pressure versus flow and why blood pressure can mislead Preload, afterload, contractility, and compliance Fluid responsiveness and pressure surrogates A six-pass approach to hemodynamic profiles Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

September 21, 202614 min

Precedex vs Propofol: ICU Sedation and CRNA Interview Decisions

Precedex versus propofol is not a one-drug-wins comparison. The safer choice depends on the sedation target, airway and ventilation risk, hemodynamics, onset, recovery, pain plan, and patient context. This episode moves from GABA-A and alpha-two signaling to the bedside effects ICU nurses should anticipate and explain in a CRNA school interview. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: Precedex vs Propofol Sedation Cheat Sheet CRNA Mock Interview Practice FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: How propofol changes GABA-A receptor signaling How dexmedetomidine reduces central sympathetic output Airway, ventilation, heart rate, and blood-pressure tradeoffs How to compare the drugs in an interview answer Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

September 18, 202615 min

Vasopressor Pharmacology for ICU Nurses and CRNA Interviews

Vasopressor pharmacology is easier to remember when you start with the hemodynamic problem: does the patient need more vascular tone, more contractility, or both? Sachi reviews alpha-one, beta-one, beta-two, and alpha-two signaling, then compares norepinephrine, epinephrine, phenylephrine, vasopressin, dobutamine, and milrinone by mechanism and clinical job. RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: Vasopressor Pharmacology Cheat Sheet CRNA Mock Interview Practice FREE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON YOUR CRNA JOURNEY: Transcript Analyzer - See your cumulative, science, and last-60-credit GPAs 9-Step Application Checklist - Work through the CRNA school application process in order CRNA School Database - Search and compare CRNA programs Certification Planner - Build a CCRN, CSC, or CMC study schedule around your shifts Timeline Generator - Build a personalized CRNA application timeline IN THIS EPISODE: Alpha and beta receptor signaling Tone, contractility, and mixed hemodynamic jobs How the major vasoactive medications differ A safer structure for CRNA interview answers Try The CRNA Club free for seven days - Explore the all-in-one CRNA school application platform. Follow The CRNA Club: Instagram: @thecrnaclub YouTube: The CRNA Club Website: thecrnaclub.com Share this episode with an ICU nurse preparing for CRNA school.

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