Certified
Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are licensed professional nurses with specialized education in anesthesia administration.
CRNAs provide the same anesthesia services as anesthesiologists, working closely with surgeons, dentists, podiatrists, and anesthesiologists to take care of the patient's anesthesia needs before, during, and after surgical, therapeutic, diagnostic, and obstetrical procedures.
CRNAs could practice in the operating rooms of a variety of settings within the public and private sectors, as well as within traditional hospital settings, pain clinics, physicians’ offices, and in the U.S. military.
Those who wish to pursue CRNA opportunities should be clear-minded and be able to deal with a great amount of stress.
Career
Outlook
CRNA's are considered to be very cost-effective for hospitals because their presence could lessen the need for multiple anesthesiologists, who tend to have higher average earnings than CRNAs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Due to this, job growth for CRNAs is expected to be quite excellent. Click here to view Information Regarding Average Earning Potential for CRNA's.
Education
and Other Requirements
- Completion
of Four-Year Bachelor's Degree in
Nursing (BDN)
- Must
be a Registered Nurse
- Licensed
(Pass the NCLEX-RN exam)
- Minimum
1-year experience in full-time nursing within acute care setting (i.e. Surgical
Intensive Care Unit)*
- Successful
completion of accredited program of Anesthesia Education from a two-three year
program
- National
Certification from National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse
Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
*These are general requirements and some
may vary by employer.
Note: CRNAs must also
meet continuing education requirements and undergo recertification every two
years, plus adhere any other state-specific
requirements.
*Time to completion is not guaranteed and will vary by level of commitment by student, class schedule, specific program, and various other factors.
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