Nurse Anesthetists-CRNAs

Applicants to nurse anesthetist programs must be a RNs with a bachelor’s degree and have at least one year’s acute care nursing experience. Admission is competitive and programs last 24 to 36 months. Approximately 45% of CRNAs are men, compared to only 8% of the entire profession.

Nurse anesthetists practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered:
-traditional hospital
-surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms;
-critical access hospitals;
- ambulatory surgical centers;
-the offices of dentists,
-podiatrists,
-ophthalmologists,
- plastic surgeons,
- U.S. Military, Public Health Service, and Veterans Administration healthcare facilities.

CRNAs are educated and trained to work with or without anesthesiologist supervision. CRNAs are also educated and trained to exercise independent judgment and to respond quickly to anesthetic emergencies.
Total Clinical Education: CRNAs receive a minimum of seven years of formal education and preparation, from the commencement of the professional education in nursing to the graduation from nurse anesthesia school, to prepare them for their careers in anesthesia. During the course of their education, CRNAs will typically have acquired at least 6,000 hours of clinical patient care experience.
CRNAs are among the highest paid nursing specialists.
Their salaries ranging from $109,000 to $129,000