CRNA SHADOW DAY PREP
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1. Know the workflow
Watch for pre-op assessment, induction, maintenance, emergence, transfer, and PACU handoff. You do not need to understand every drug dose to follow the arc of the case.
2. Review 10 common medications
Be familiar with propofol, fentanyl, midazolam, lidocaine, rocuronium, succinylcholine, phenylephrine, ephedrine, sevoflurane, and ondansetron.
3. Know the airway setup
Recognize the mask, oral airway, laryngoscope, endotracheal tube, supraglottic airway, suction, and backup airway plan.
4. Bring questions worth asking
Ask how ICU experience translates, what made school difficult, how they think through risk, and what they wish applicants understood earlier.
5. Notice clinical judgment
Pay attention to communication, anticipation, hemodynamic decision-making, positioning, patient safety, and how the CRNA adapts when plans change.
6. Document it the same day
Record date, facility, approximate hours, case types observed, what you learned, and how it changed your understanding of CRNA practice.
Download the CRNA Shadow Day Checklist
Use it before, during, and after shadowing so your notes are useful for applications and interviews.
Get the Checklist
Get the Checklist