To become a nurse anesthetist, you must first complete a four year on-campus, online, or combination thereof, degree toward nursing or a science related subject.
A nurse anesthetist is officially called a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA. Their education is overseen by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
A nurse anesthetist is officially called a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA. Their education is overseen by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
Related Nurse Anesthetist Programs
What does a nurse anesthetist do?
A nurse anesthetist works with an anesthesia care team. Working alongside an anesthesiologist, the nurse anesthetist is authorized to deliver comprehensive anesthesia care, however that’s defined for the state. The nurse anesthetist may use all accepted techniques including general, epidural, spinal, sedation, local or nerve block anesthesia. The scope of services is defined not only by the state but by the health care facility, practitioner agreements or department policies.
What kind of education does a nurse anesthetist need?
Prior to practicing as a nurse anesthetist, the candidate must:
• Complete a bachelor of science in nursing or other appropriate degree
• Be currently licensed as a registered nurse
• Have at least one year of experience in an acute care setting as a registered nurse
• Graduate with a master’s degree from an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program
• Pass a national certification exam
The programs include clinical training in university-based or large community hospitals.
They last 24 to 36 months and there are over 100 of them in the United States.
Plus, every two years a CRNA must be recertified by obtaining a minimum of 40 hours of approved continuing education.
How much does a nurse anesthetist earn?
Median annual salaries for nurse anesthetists are at around $85,430.
Where can a nurse anesthetist work?
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists can practice in a wide variety of public and private facilities. These include:
• Academic medical centers
• Community hospitals
• Outpatient surgery centers
• Pain clinics
• Physician's offices
Historically, CRNAs have had a large role in the military including the Veterans Administration and in public health. They work closely with dentists, anesthesiologists, surgeons, obstetricians, podiatrists and other healthcare professionals who need their service to manage the operative and post operative pain of their patients.