If you want to get into CRNA school, you need to shadow a CRNA. It’s how you confirm this is the job you actually want, and it gives you real material for your essay and interview.
It’s also something many programs ask about directly. The Minneapolis School of Anesthesia, for example, asks applicants to document anesthesia provider shadowing, preferably 24 hours or more (Minneapolis School of Anesthesia). Others, like the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, encourage shadowing without requiring it (UTC Nurse Anesthesia FAQ). Here’s how to set it up and get the most out of every hour.
Why Shadowing Matters
ICU nurses see anesthesia from the outside: a patient arrives intubated, or leaves for the OR and comes back. Shadowing shows you the parts you never see.
- Role fit. You’ll find out whether you like the pace, the OR environment, and the long stretches of vigilance.
- Essay material. Specific observations make your personal statement believable.
- Interview answers. “Tell me about your shadowing” is one of the most common interview questions.
- Program requirements. Some programs require it, some want a signed form, and some list a minimum number of hours.
- Connections. A CRNA who sees you engaged and prepared may become a mentor, or a reference.
How Much Shadowing Do You Need?
There’s no single answer. Requirements vary by program, so check each one in the Program Finder and on the program’s own admissions page.
| Program Policy | What It Usually Means | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Required with minimum hours | A set number of hours, often with a signed form | Bring the form and get it signed the same day |
| Strongly encouraged | Not mandatory, but expected by many reviewers | Shadow anyway and plan to talk about it |
| Not mentioned | No formal requirement | Shadow anyway, because interviewers will still ask |
My advice: aim for more than one day, and more than one setting if you can. A day in a busy hospital main OR and a day in an outpatient surgery center show you two very different versions of the job.
Who to Ask
Start close to home and work outward.
- CRNAs at your own hospital. This is the easiest route. You already have a badge, HIPAA training, and a health record on file.
- The chief CRNA or anesthesia department manager. They often control who can shadow and can match you with a willing CRNA.
- Your education or volunteer services office. Many hospitals route all observers through one office with its own paperwork.
- Your state nurse anesthesia association. Some associations keep a list of CRNAs who host shadowing applicants.
- Surgery centers and independent practices. These are great for seeing different practice models.
- Your network. Former classmates, coworkers, and charge nurses often know a CRNA personally.
How to Ask: A Sample Email
Keep it short, specific, and easy to say yes to. Here’s a template you can adapt:
Subject: ICU RN interested in shadowing a CRNA
Hi [Name], I’m a medical ICU nurse at [Hospital] with [X] years of experience, and I’m preparing to apply to nurse anesthesia programs. Would you be open to letting me shadow you for a day in the next month or two? I’m flexible on dates, I’ll complete any paperwork your facility requires, and I’ll stay out of the way. Thank you for considering it. [Your name, phone number]
If you don’t hear back in a week, send one polite follow-up. CRNAs are busy, not uninterested.
Handle the Paperwork First
Every facility has its own rules for observers. Ask early, because approvals can take weeks.
- Confidentiality or HIPAA agreement
- Immunization and TB records
- Background check or ID verification
- Observer or liability waiver
- Dress code and where to get scrubs
- Where and when to meet (often early, before the first case)
Bring a small notebook, comfortable shoes, a snack, and water. Keep your phone away in the OR.
What to Observe
Don’t just watch the monitor. Watch the whole workflow, from the preop bay to the PACU.
The Preop Assessment
Notice how the CRNA reviews the chart, examines the airway, asks about prior anesthesia, and explains the plan. Pay attention to how quickly they build trust with an anxious patient.
Induction
This is the busiest few minutes of the case. Watch the sequence of drugs, mask ventilation, intubation or airway placement, and how the CRNA communicates with the surgical team. Stay quiet and out of the way.
Maintenance
This is where most of the day happens. Watch how they titrate anesthetic depth, manage blood pressure, track fluids and blood loss, and anticipate surgical stimulation. This is also your best window for questions.
Emergence and Handoff
Notice how they time wake-up, decide when to extubate, and give report in PACU. A clean handoff is a skill you already use in the ICU.
The Practice Model and the Day
Look past the clinical work too.
- Is the CRNA working independently, or in a care team with an anesthesiologist?
- How much downtime is there, and how is it used?
- How fast are turnovers?
- What does charting look like?
- What do call, breaks, and schedules look like?
Questions Worth Asking
Ask during stable maintenance, never during induction or emergence. Read the room: if the CRNA is busy, wait.
- What surprised you most when you started anesthesia school?
- What made the transition from ICU nurse to anesthesia resident hardest?
- Which ICU skills carried over best?
- What do you wish you’d done before applying?
- How do you prepare for a case like this one?
- What practice settings have you worked in, and how do they compare?
- What do strong residents do differently in clinical?
- What would make you hesitate about an applicant?
Etiquette That Gets You Invited Back
- Ask where to stand, and stay clear of the sterile field.
- Don’t touch equipment, drugs, or the patient unless invited.
- Introduce yourself to the circulating nurse and surgical team.
- If you feel lightheaded, sit down right away. It happens to experienced nurses too.
- Send a thank-you note or email within a day or two.
How to Log It
Write everything down the same day while it’s fresh. A good log entry includes:
- Date, facility, and setting (main OR, outpatient, OB, etc.)
- The CRNA’s name and credentials, plus contact info if they offer it
- Total hours
- Types of cases and anesthetic techniques you saw
- The practice model (independent or care team)
- Three specific observations
- One thing that surprised you
- Questions you still have
- Signature or verification, if a program requires it
The Shadow Log keeps all of this in one place and totals your hours automatically, so you’re never digging through notes at application time. Add each shadow day to your Tracker too, so your application checklist stays current.
How Shadowing Shows Up in Your Essay and Interview
In your personal statement, shadowing usually belongs in the bridge between your ICU story and why you want this role. One specific observation beats a list of hours. “I watched the CRNA treat a pressure drop before the incision even started” says more than “I shadowed for 24 hours.” The Statement Workshop helps you place it.
In interviews, expect questions like these:
- Tell us about your shadowing experience.
- What does a CRNA do on a typical day?
- What surprised you?
- What part of the role do you think will be hardest for you?
Prepare a 60-second answer for each, built from your log. Then rehearse it out loud with Interview Prep until it sounds natural rather than memorized.
Log Every Shadow Day
Track your hours, cases, and observations in one place so your essay and interview answers are ready when you need them.
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Everything from 18 months out to interview day on 6 printable pages: timeline, requirements, documents, interview prep and the 10 mistakes that sink applications.
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