Job Description

CRNAs are responsible for administering anesthesia to patients who are about to undergo surgery. They give patients an initial dose of anesthesia, and then again during the procedure if it is necessary. They are also with patients post-surgery to ensure that there were no complications, such as the patient being allergic to the anesthesia.

CRNAs Vs. RNs and Anesthesiologists

CRNAs complete similar tasks to anesthesiologists, except they do not get paid as much. This is because their education background is not as high, and they are not medical doctors like anesthesiologists are. Although they do not get paid as much as these doctors, they do get paid more than nurses do. CRNAs are a sub-group of RNs, and because they specialize, they earn a higher income. A CRNA’s salary can start around $110,000. There are various factors that affect salary, such as location and experience.

Location

There are several settings in which CRNAs can be employed, and each different place has their own pay scale that they offer to their employees. If a CRNA works in a private practice office, she has the potential to earn more than if she were to work in a government funded public hospital. Private practices charge their clients more, which translates into a higher income for their employees. CRNAs can also work in dentist offices, and other types of facilities, which all have different rates to pay their employees.

Experience

The more experience that a CRNA has, the more money she will make. This holds true in all occupations, of course. When a person has a lot of experience, the company realizes that these employees are less likely to make large mistakes that could end up costing them a lot of money in the long run. In addition, they do not have to spend as much time training the experienced employees. Employers see employees with prior experience as great assets to the team and will be willing to pay them more money due to this fact.

What is a CRNA?

Being a CRNA involves administering anesthesia to patients prior to surgery, and helping them post-surgery to make sure that there were no complications involved with the anesthesia. Anesthesia comes in various forms, such as a gas that is inhaled or in a liquid that is injected through veins. If a patient has an allergic reaction, the CRNA is in charge of catering to the patient and making sure that he is okay before they send him home. They work alongside doctors, surgeons, and anesthesiologists in hospitals, dentist offices or other health care centers. This profession has various requirements that need to be fulfilled. In fact, all jobs that are in the healthcare field require completing an extensive education program.

1) Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing

Having a bachelor’s degree in nursing is just the tip of the education iceberg that is involved in this career. It creates a solid foundation that more education will build upon.

2) RN License

The next requirement is obtaining your RN license. CRNAs are a sub-group of RNs that specialize in certain areas, and all of these specializations require having an RN license.

3) Field Work

After getting your RN license, you will need at least one year of experience as an RN in a real-world setting. This experience allows for you to get a feel of what life is like in a hospital, and you will get to be a part of the action.

4) Graduate School

An anesthesiologist nursing graduate school is required to attend after your year of field experience. This program will grant you a master’s degree in nursing anesthesiology.

5) Certification/License

The very last that is required is getting a certification and/or a license in nursing anesthesiology. Not every state requires you to have these credentials, but most of them do. Depending on where you attended graduate school, your school may have granted you a certification for completing the program. Again, you’ll need to check the specific laws in your state, and look over the options for graduate programs in your area.

Job Description

CRNA is an acronym that stands for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetics, and they work under anesthesiologists. CRNAs are nurses are certified to administer anesthesia to patients who are about to undergo surgery. They do a lot of the same things that anesthesiologists do, except they are not medical doctors and have not had all of the training and education that anesthesiologists do. Although they do not earn as much as anesthesiologists, they do earn more than nurses do.

It is not an easy journey to become a CRNA, but in the end, the reward is well-worth all of the trials and tribulations that you will have to go through. We have provided 7 tips that will help you to be a successful CRNA.

1) Realize Your Passion

It seems like common sense, but a lot of people have an idealized notion of what they want to be when they “grow up.” If you like people and like to help them and take care of them in their time of need, then nursing is probably the right career path for you. You need to be sure that you possess the right skills for this profession, like having patience, being able to work for long hours, and having a knack for caring for people.

2) Get Your BSN

A bachelor’s degree in nursing is the very first step involved in becoming a CRNA. CRNAs are a type of APNs, or Advanced Practice Nurses. A bachelor’s degree builds the education foundation that is necessary in order to specialize in any type of advance nursing degree.

3) Become RN Licensed

In order to be RN licensed, you’ll need to take the NCLEX-RN, which is the national nursing exam. Once this exam is passed, you be able to begin a career as an RN. Prior to starting a career as a CRNA though, you’ll have to have one year of experience as an RN.

4) Prepare for and take the GRE

The GRE is a requirement that needs to be fulfilled prior to attending graduate school, and studying hard for it will earn you a high score. Having a high GRE score will allow for you to be accepted into an excellent CRNA graduate school and more likely to successfully complete the program.

5) Complete the Nurse Anesthesiologist Nursing Program

After you have been an RN for more than a year, you can apply to this nursing program. It will give you a master’s degree in nursing anesthesiology, which is a requirement for being a CRNA nurse.

6) Certification and License

Almost every state requires you to be licensed before being able to practice in this field, and most employers will want a certified CRNA versus an un-certified one. Check out the individual laws in your state, and find a program that will give you licensure and certification.

7) Apply for Jobs

The last step in this process is going out there and applying for jobs. If you’ve completed all of the above steps, then you are well-prepared for your future career as a CRNA!

Chances are high that you have been through some type of surgery, whether it was extremely invasive like appendix surgery, or if was less minor such as wisdom teeth removal. Regardless of the procedure, there was a nice person who gave you something to knock you out while the doctor poked and prodded you. A lot of times, this ‘something’ is called nitrous oxide or laughing gas, and it makes you quite giddy and then you pass out until after the surgery is completed. This person who gave you this magical stuff is either an anesthesiologist or a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetics).

What’s a CRNA?

A CRNA is a person who works among a team of anesthesiologists to distribute anesthetic treatment to patients who are about to have surgery. CRNAs are able to give the patient anesthesia if the current anesthesiologist is unavailable, which allows for more surgeries to be accomplished.

Difference Between CRNA and Anesthesiologist

Now, you may be thinking, “what’s the difference between a nurse anesthesiologist and an actual anesthesiologist?” The answer is that CRNAs work under anesthesiologists and do not have as much education or training, although they perform similar duties. In addition, anesthesiologists earn a higher salary than CRNAs. They also go to school for longer and are medical doctors.

Job Duties

Nurses are restricted by what they can do depending on the state, and anesthesiologists don’t always have to be present during their procedures. A CRNAs job description involves administering anesthesia to patients prior to surgery. They are with the patient before, during, and after the surgery for proper preparation as well as making sure that the patient is coming off of the anesthesia safely and without any problems.

Working Environment

They work in hospitals or dentist offices, and they work alongside doctors, surgeons, and other anesthesiologists. In hospitals, they are anywhere that requires surgery, such as intensive care or labor and delivery areas. They often work long hours, and they are often on call just in case the anesthesiologist cannot make it to a procedure.