Last Updated on December 28, 2022
A nurse anesthesiologist is also referred to as a nurse anesthetist. Because these nurses are responsible for administering anesthesia to patients, they require extensive education and training. Making a patient go unconscious is dangerous and requires attention to detail and varied background in physiology, biology, chemistry, and other sciences. The road to becoming a nurse anesthesiologist is a long road, but it can be rewarding, financially as well as in the area of job satisfaction because of the importance of the job in medical treatments
Nurse anesthetists administer anesthesia to patients and work with other healthcare professionals, including surgeons and anesthesiologists. Before they administer anesthesia, nurse anesthetists perform patient evaluations to determine how much and what type of anesthesia to use, considering any prior health conditions during their evaluations. Nurse anesthetists must complete specific training and certification in the discipline to work in clinics, hospitals, and private practices.
Responsible for providing anesthesia and related care before, during, and after therapeutic, surgical, obstetrical, and diagnostic procedures, nurse anesthetists also provide emergency services and pain management. Before the start of procedures, nurse anesthetists work with patients to discuss their medications and medical history and explain the type of anesthesia, its risks, and benefits, to obtain consent.
Nurse anesthetists provide patients with general anesthesia, relieving pain or discomfort during surgery and other medical procedures. They also administer local and regional anesthesia to numb areas of the body, stay with patients during procedures, monitor their vital signs, and make adjustments to the anesthesia as needed. CRNAs may also act as support for the post-anesthesia care team by making a postoperative visit to the patient to assess for any complications, and provide medication to alleviate pain, nausea, or other complications.
Also Read: How Long Does It Take To Become A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, what does a nurse anesthetist do, how long is crna school after bsn, certified registered nurse anesthetist salary.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse anesthetists work in many different healthcare settings, including hospitals, private practices, and clinics. Practicing as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), nurse anesthetists collaborate with other healthcare professionals to provide safe, effective healthcare.
Nurse anesthetists most commonly work in hospital operating rooms, free-standing surgical centers, emergency department trauma stabilization, pain clinics, and labor and delivery units. They may also work in physician offices providing anesthesia for podiatry, dentistry, or other minor procedures.
CRNAs typically earn their credentials in 7-8 years. The process includes completing a bachelor’s degree and obtaining a registered nurse (RN) license, logging at least one year of work as an RN, and earning a master’s degree in nurse anesthesia from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. Becoming a CRNA is a multi-step process that will take you about seven to eight years to complete. The qualifications for entrance into a CRNA program require that you’re licensed as a registered nurse and have acute care clinical experience.
NURSE ANESTHETIST LICENSING
RN and APRN licensing requirements can vary depending on the state. During RN licensure, all states consider applicants’ legal and professional histories. Most states include a fingerprint-based criminal history check. Before applying for an RN license, each professional must complete specific educational requirements, including earning a BSN. To gain licensure, professionals must complete and pass the NCLEX-RN examination.
APRNs encounter different licensing requirements, depending on the specialty and the specific requirements of the state. The first step to earning APRN licensure is to earn RN licensure. An APRN candidate must hold an MSN or DNP and meet certification requirements specific to the certification agency that offers the specialization.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing functions as an independent, nonprofit organization that enables nursing regulatory bodies to counsel and act together on matters of safety, welfare, and public health. The organization includes the development of nursing licensure examinations.
Also Read: how to become a crna fast, how to become a nurse anesthetist, nurse anesthetist vs anesthesiologist.
how to become a nurse anesthetist uk
Entry requirements
To enter training as an anesthesia associate, you will need to apply for a post as a trainee anesthesia associate and either be:
- a registered health care practitioner (eg, nurse, operating department practitioner) and have one or both of the following:
- at least three years’ full-time, post-qualification work experience in a relevant area, and evidence of recent (within three years) and successful academic activity
- a first degree in a health-related subject
Or
- a new entrant to health care (a graduate or graduate equivalent) with:
- a biomedical science or biological science background, with:
- preferably a second-class Honours degree or better, or other evidence of recent and successful academic activity
- a demonstrable commitment to a career in health care
For further information about entry requirements please visit the Royal College of Anaesthetists website
Skills, qualities and interests needed
To work as an anesthesia associate, you’ll need:
- an interest in science
- to pay attention to detail
- good communication skills, as you will be working directly with patients as well as staff colleagues
- to be an effective team member
- good organisational skills
- the ability to remain calm under pressure
If you’re applying for a role either directly in the NHS or in an organization that provides NHS services you’ll be asked to show how you think the NHS values apply in your everyday work. The same will be true if you’re applying for a university course funded by the NHS.
how to become a nurse anesthetist
Nurse Anesthetist Career and Degree Guide
- Nurse Anesthetist Overview
- Duties
- Salary
- Education
Other Advanced Nursing Careers
- Nurse Leader / Administrator
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nurse Midwife
- Nurse Informatics Specialist
Nurse Anesthetist
Learn what it takes to become a CRNA.
Providing critical care at some of the most significant times in their patients’ lives, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is responsible for safely administering anesthesia prior to medical procedures. CRNAs are responsible for much of the comfort and safety of their patients, and the role requires extensive education and experience.
Why Enter this Field?
While it takes time and dedication to become a nurse anesthetist, the work can most certainly pay off. Not only do many CRNAs work independently, but they also make the most money among advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). If you’re interested in joining this rewarding and high-paying field, learn about the education you’ll need, job duties, certification requirements, and advancement opportunities.
Working in settings such as hospitals, surgery centers, medical offices, and dental clinics, CRNAs administer anesthesia to patients for surgical, obstetrical, and trauma care procedures.
CRNAs collaborate with doctors and other nurses to develop pain management plans for each patient. The methods for administering anesthesia vary and can include injections, inhalants, and oral anesthetics.
Education Requirements for CRNAs
Currently, you need a master’s degree and national certification to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist, but that will change in 2025 when a doctoral degree will be required to enter the field. Per the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, all CRNA degree programs must include a doctoral degree by January 1, 2022. All students enrolled in CRNA master’s degree programs at that time will be required to transition to a doctoral program.
Since it generally takes two years for a student with an MSN to earn a doctorate, students hoping the beat the DNP deadline would have to be well into the first year of their doctorate in 2020.
Nursing Groups Welcome the Shift to a Doctoral Degree for CRNAs
Raising the education level to a doctorate for CRNAs has been a long time coming and has strong support from nursing organizations.
“The movement to doctoral education for CRNAs was not a snap decision; rather it was a long-evaluated and thoroughly explored decision,” says John C. Preston, DNSc, CRNA, FNAP, APRN, a chief credentialing officer with the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), a trade group that represents private and public schools of nursing nationwide, also welcomes the change.
“Since 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing has called for doctoral preparation for all advanced practice registered nurses, including certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs),” says Robert Rosseter, AACN spokesman. “We applaud the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the Council on the Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, and the larger CRNA community for making this transition, which will ensure that patients have access to the highest quality nurse anesthetists possible.”
While the new certification requirements do not specify the type of doctoral degree CRNAs must pursue, the most common choice likely will be the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Other options will be:
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Doctor of Education (EdD)
- Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS)
CRNA Prerequisites
Before beginning a CRNA degree program, you must be a registered nurse (RN) with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. You’ll also need at least one year of experience in an acute care setting such as an intensive care unit (ICU) or emergency room (ER), though you might need more depending on the acceptance requirements of your school.
After meeting these requirements, you can apply to a graduate degree program for nurse anesthetists. To increase their chances of getting accepted, some nurses pursue specialty certification as critical care registered nurses (CCRN).
Is Accreditation Important?
When applying to master’s programs, make sure the one you choose has been approved by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COACRNA). You must graduate from an accredited program to take the certification test.
What Will I Study in a CRNA Program?
All accredited nurse anesthetist programs require studies in the following areas:
- Anesthesia pharmacology
- Chemistry, biochemistry, and physics
- Anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology
- Anesthesia equipment and technology
- Pain management
- Statistics and research
- Professional and legal aspects of nurse anesthesia practice
In addition, you’ll have supervised clinical practice to apply the theories and techniques you’ve learned in a hands-on way. You’ll work at a university-based or large community hospital and gain experience in a wide variety of procedures, from labor and delivery to open-heart surgery. Learn more about the requirements for getting into a graduate degree program and what you’ll study.
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certified registered nurse anesthetist salary
If you’re considering becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, salary likely has something to do with your choice. Nurse anesthetists’ salaries are higher than any other type of nursing specialty! But how much can you really expect to make as a CRNA? Is the salary worth the huge investment of time and money?
Read on to find out more about nurse anesthetist salaries including how much you can earn, what factors impact CRNA salaries, and whether or not it’s worth it for you!
CRNA Salary by Years of Experience
There is a nearly $100,000 range between an entry-level nurse anesthetist’s salary and the salary of a nurse anesthetist who has been working in the position for eight or more years. According to the website Salaryexpert.com, an entry-level nurse anesthetist will command an annual salary of $120,581, while a senior CRNA will earn $220,557.
Nurse Anesthetist Salary by Work Setting
Anesthesia is offered in different ways and in many different settings to relieve or avoid pain. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are often responsible for providing anesthesia services independently or working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals, and the setting in which they work is a major driver of the salary they can be paid.
TOP PAYING WORK SETTINGS FOR CRNAS
- Outpatient care centers – $224,810
- Specialty hospitals – $201,220
- Colleges, universities and professional schools – $197,700
- General medical and surgical hospitals – $196,530
- Physician offices – $180,780
Source: BLS, 2020 annual mean salaries by industry become a Part of the Nurse.org Community!
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CRNA Salary by Scope of Work
While the cities offering the highest salaries for CRNAs reflect the areas where there is a heavy concentration of teaching and acute care facilities and greater competition for skilled professionals, the states that offer the highest salaries are also those in which CRNAs are likely to have extensive responsibilities due to the dearth of available healthcare facilities and/or anesthesiologists.
Nurse Anesthetists who want to increase their salary can explore all the options we mentioned above, as well as by becoming Chief Nurse Anesthetist.
Chief Nurse Anesthetists will take on the additional responsibilities of managing, scheduling, and training staff anesthetists and can increase their salary by between $10,000 and $20,000, annually.
![Nurse Anesthetist Salary by State [2021- Updated Guide] - Nightingale](https://nightingale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/APRN-anesthetist-salaries-1030x687.jpeg)
Different locations throughout the country offer significantly different average salaries for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. Though you may think the difference has to do with the cost of living or the number of professionals available in a remote region, the real differential is based on the scope of practice law within a state.
| State | Avg Annual | Avg Hourly | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $170,560 | $82.00 | -8.80% |
| Alaska | no data | no data | +31.60% |
| Arizona | $173,460 | $83.40 | -1.95% |
| Arkansas | $167,030 | $80.30 | -11.50% |
| California | $205,360 | $98.73 | +34.80% |
| Colorado | $175,760 | $84.50 | +2.10% |
| Connecticut | $217,360 | $104.50 | +30.70% |
| Delaware | no data | no data | +10.80% |
| District of Columbia | no data | no data | +49.20% |
| Florida | $176,760 | $84.98 | -1.00% |
| Georgia | $179,630 | $86.36 | -8.60% |
| Hawaii | $201,930 | $97.08 | +67.40% |
| Idaho | $156,250 | $75.12 | -10.40% |
| Illinois | $194,950 | $93.73 | -4.50% |
| Indiana | $169,620 | $81.55 | -12.10% |
| Iowa | $198,480 | $95.43 | -8.30% |
| Kansas | $167,700 | $80.63 | -9.60% |
| Kentucky | $163,700 | $78.70 | -9.60% |
| Louisiana | $161,310 | $77.55 | -5.60% |
| Maine | $198,940 | $95.64 | +12.00% |
| Maryland | $182,780 | $87.88 | +25.00% |
| Massachusetts | $195,900 | $94.18 | +34.7% |
| Michigan | $199,870 | $96.09 | -11.80% |
| Minnesota | $216,050 | $103.87 | +34.70% |
| Mississippi | $174,540 | $83.92 | -14.00% |
| Missouri | $189,610 | $91.16 | -9.20% |
| Montana | $216,420 | $104.05 | +0.80% |
| Nebraska | $176,880 | $85.04 | -8.70% |
| Nevada | $223,680 | $107.54 | +4.50% |
| New Hampshire | $197,570 | $94.99 | +0.80% |
| New Jersey | $207,500 | $99.76 | +21.00% |
| New Mexico | $164,980 | $79.32 | -4.30% |
| New York | $217,050 | $104.35 | +35.20% |
| North Carolina | $192,830 | $92.33 | -5.80% |
| North Dakota | $192,050 | $93.76 | -98.90% |
| Ohio | $190,120 | $91.40 | -7.00% |
| Oklahoma | $179,410 | $86.25 | -11.40% |
| Oregon | $236,540 | $113.72 | +15.40% |
| Pennsylvania | $185,090 | $88.99 | +2.80% |
| Puerto Rico | $55,250 | $26.56 | +22.10% |
| South Carolina | $185,850 | $89.35 | +0.50% |
| South Dakota | $190,660 | $91.66 | +2.80% |
| Tennessee | $171,020 | $82.22 | -10.20% |
| Texas | $180,380 | $86.72 | -9.30% |
| Utah | $127,130 | $61.12 | -7.20% |
| Virginia | $179,180 | $86.15 | +0.20% |
| Vermont | $189,780 | $91.24 | +12.00% |
| Washington | $197,740 | $95.07 | +7.10% |
| West Virginia | $187,430 | $90.11 | +4.30% |
| Wisconsin | $231,520 | $111.31 | -3.10% |
| Wyoming | $231,250 | $111.18 | -8.30% |
Source BLS, Date extracted: Oct 19, 2020. Cost of Living reflects percentage above or below the national average cost of living.
There is no question that Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists have the potential to earn a great living. However, it’s also true that pursuing the education required to become a CRNA adds up quickly, leading to a question well worth exploring: Is the high salary worth the time and cost required to earn the degree?
CRNA School Costs
- BSN: $35,000 – $95,000
- Masters of Doctorate CRNA Program: $70,000 – $120,000
- Certification Exam: $725
There are only approximately 60,000 CRNAs in the country, and a big reason for that is the cost and commitment required to become one.
CRNA Education Requirements and Tuition Costs
- The minimum education required to become a CRNA is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing ,which will cost between $35,000 and $95,000.
- After you receive your BSN, you will need to attend an accredited nurse anesthesia program — either a Master’s degree or a doctorate. However, in 2025 CRNAs will be required to have a doctorate degree going forward, so it may be best to enroll directly in a doctoral program. The CRNA program will take between 24 months and 51 months to complete. According to CRNA Financial Planning, a partner of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the average cost of a CRNA program is between $35,000 and $60,000 per year.
- Lastly, you’ll also need to pass the certification exam administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification. The cost is roughly $725. You’ll also need a minimum of one year of full-time clinical experience as a registered nurse in a critical care setting.
Nurse Anesthetist Salary vs Education Costs
It will typically cost you less than $100,000 to become a BSN-degree Registered Nurse, but moving on to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist could cost you another $100,000 and possibly more.
Student Loans Can Add to the Total Cost
Though some CRNA students will have the benefit of getting tuition reimbursement from their employer, others will pay for their own schooling out of pocket and may even finance it over a twenty-year period. This can add as much as another $100,000 to the total cost, bringing it to approximately $200,000 over the cost of 20 years.
RN Salary vs CRNA Salary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average salary for a registered nurse is $75,330, or more than $100,000 per year less than the median pay for a CRNA.
The ROI on Becoming a CRNA is High
If you assume that the monthly payment on a twenty-year, $200,000 loan would be approximately $1,400 per month and the monthly salary difference between $73,300 and $181,040 is nearly $9,000, it seems obvious that the difference of $7,600 additional dollars per month — plus the high degree of job satisfaction — makes the investment well worth it.
