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CRNA, also known as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, is a nursing specialty. To become one, you will have to specialize in anesthesia. As a CRNA you administer anesthesia and work closely with patients receiving or recovering from anesthesia for surgeries or procedures.
To become a CRNA you need a lot of hard work, dedication, and years of studying and then clinical experience. It will take seven to ten years to become a CRNA, including a BSN.
The pathway to becoming a CRNA might differ from one to another. But the following steps are required to become one. Here we will elaborate on those for you.
To become a nurse, the very first step is to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing. For that, you will have to spend four years in nursing school. However, you can also join the nursing bridge program after earning an associate degree in nursing with clinical experience.
A bachelor’s degree in nursing will give you the foundation knowledge to practice as a nurse. It will educate you about the basics of nursing principles and practices.
To go anywhere in the nursing specialty, the most important step is to get a bachelor’s in nursing.
To practice as a healthcare provider in the US, you will have to get a license. After earning your bachelor’s in nursing, you need to pass the NCLEX (National Council for Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) exam to become a registered nurse.
To become a CRNA, you need to have one to 2.5 years of experience working in a critical care setting such as the ICU. In those years, it is essential to learn advanced skills such as mechanical ventilation, vasoactive drug administration, and hemodynamic monitoring along with knowledge of diseases and anesthetic drugs.
To get into the CRNA program, make sure to network with other healthcare providers around you, do networking, get recommendations, and work diligently because you will require other people to speak on your abilities and skills.
Make sure to keep a record of your accomplishments and shadowing work as they will be helpful for you to show why and how you are the appropriate choice for the program.
The accredited nurse anesthesia programs prepare you to become a CRNA. In that program, you will have to do coursework to gain clinical experience. It will help you specialize in the training. The program may take two to four years to complete.
By the time you graduate as a CRNA, you will have around 9000 hours of working experience.
Once you have graduated from the CRNA program, you need to get a license to practice. For that, you must pass the NCE (National Certification Examination) administered by the NBCRNA.
Being a healthcare provider, you need to get your license renewed from time to time. Therefore, after getting the license once, complete your continuing education hours, follow state licensure requirements, and keep getting the recertification done.
You need to get your certification renewed every 4 years and after every eight years, you will have to take the test again. Also, to recertify you need 100 hours of continuing education in various areas such as pathophysiology and anesthesiology.
To become a CRNA, the following skills and traits are required.
As a CRNA, you need to communicate efficiently. The following traits are essential for effective communication.
Never feel shy about asking questions while working for your patient. Make sure to clear all your queries and doubts before following any instructions.
As a CRNA, you have to practice mathematics in your day-to-day duties. You will have to add numbers, subtract, divide, multiply, use formulae, and calculate doses. Therefore, it is not all science in anesthesia. You have to be an expert with numbers as well. It is a mix of both.
CRNAs have to work in the anesthesia team. You will have to perform your duties along with other healthcare providers. Make sure you talk to them politely and have an encouraging attitude. Convey your thoughts, objections, and queries to others professionally.
A CRNA has to be an expert in dealing with dials, gauges, and machinery and inspect the quality of the products from time to time.
CRNAs work with other healthcare providers, such as physicians, dentists, podiatrists, surgeons, and anesthesiologists, to administer anesthesia to patients. Your working environment can vary from easygoing dental clinics to high-workload places, such as the ICU.
Places where CRNA work commonly include:
Most days, you will participate in pre-planned surgeries, while some days will have to attend emergency surgeries. Your working hours will be when surgeries are ongoing. Often, they take place from early in the morning till evening. You have to perform your duty in shifts, such as morning, evening, and night. It is not unusual for a CRNA to work on holidays and weekends.
The majority of CRNAs choose to work at the bedside. However, they can also work in managerial roles that include:
Being a CRNA, you will have to perform duties such as:
Working as a CRNA has various benefits. Some of them are:
Nursing anesthesia is one of the high-paying jobs in the United States. You can expect to earn around USD 189,000 per annum, which can hike up to USD 270,000.
The salary always remains a motivation to work as a CRNA. If you want to earn a lot and have enough potential, you can consider this option for specialization as a nurse.
CRNAs are in high demand in the US. The BLS projects a 45% growth between 2020 and 2030, which is high compared to other professions. It means you will not remain jobless for a long time.
CRNAs are required in various settings, from operation theater to the physician’s office. If one working environment does not suit you, you can change it. If you cannot work in an ICU, you can join the physician’s clinic.
As a CRNA, you can work in the schedule that suits you the best, be it a 9 to 5 shift or nights. Moreover, you will also have the option to work part-time, full-time, on-call, or per diem. You can choose the schedule that suits you the best.
The CRNA program is shorter compared to that of anesthesiologists, and the job roles are quite similar.
If you love problem-solving, becoming a nurse anesthetist can interest you because you will have solutions for your patients to find and choose the best anesthesia considering their health and condition. Every day, it can be a unique challenge for a CRNA to administer anesthesia, depending on the scheduled procedure and the patient’s history.
CRNA is a respected career among medical and nonmedical professionals. You earn the degree after years of hard work and studying. It is a highly specialized position that makes it arduous to attain.
A CRNA has professional autonomy that enables you to make various decisions on your own without seeking permission from senior officials or managers. You can also work as an independent contractor with multiple medical facilities, rendering more control over your career.
The salary of a CRNA, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is:
The top paying industries for nurse anesthetists with their annual mean wage can be summarized as follows:
CRNA is a high-paying field. However, it requires a lot of dedication and hard work. The time you will spend studying day and night will eventually pay off.
Before you decide to become a CRNA, expert advice is to shadow one. That way, you will get an insight if you enjoy doing that or not. Is it something you will enjoy doing all your life or not?
Moreover, shadow a CRNA working in different environments so that you can envision where you want to work. For example, a metropolitan area is busy compared to a rural one. When you work at different places, you will know the job role demands in depth.
Working as a CRNA is a lot about patient safety. Therefore, that should be your priority. Keep your ego aside and work as a team to provide the best services to your patient.
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