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What Does A Nurse Anesthetist Do
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 a 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 are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who administer anesthesia to patients before, during, and after surgical procedures.
Typically employed in a variety of health care environments, such as hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and private practice offices, nurse anesthetists work alongside nurses, surgeons, and physicians to ensure their patients receive the best care possible.
If you’re interested in a high-paying, high-growth nursing position, then you might consider a career as a nurse anesthetist. In this article, you’ll learn more about what nurse anesthetists do, how much they earn, and their job outlook in the coming years. You’ll also find out what you need to do to join the field and explore some cost-effective, online courses that will introduce you to some of the key concepts you’ll need to excel in the job.
Nurse anesthetists explained
Nurse anesthetists administer anesthesia to patients, monitor their vital signs, and help them manage their pain and post-surgery recovery. Nurse anesthetists are sometimes called certified registered nurse anesthetist, or CRNAs. As registered nurses (RNs) with advanced training in administering anesthesia, nurse anesthetists must possess either a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a Doctor of Nursing Anesthetics Practice (DNAP) alongside certification from the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetics (NBCRNA). As a result, nurse anesthetists are highly-skilled medical professionals who are tasked with many important responsibilities, command a significantly higher than average salary, and are much sought after within the medical field.
nurse anesthetist vs anesthesiologist
For those interested in pursuing healthcare careers, there are a wide variety of options that you can choose from. And some of the options seem really similar. For example, a nurse anesthetist and anesthesiologist. What are the differences between these two similar positions? While it may seem that they’re pretty similar, the reality is that these two career paths are very unique.
Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are the nurses that work independently to administer anesthesia, or may collaborate with and assist doctors, dentists, surgeons, and other medical professionals in anesthesia administration.
Anesthesiologists are physicians that specialize in the administration of anesthesia.
The major difference between these two professions is that anesthesiologist are medical doctors that administer anesthesia, while nurse anesthetists are registered nurses who may assist or collaborate with doctors in administering anesthesia, or may work entirely independently as they administer anesthesia.
This guide will dive deeper into the differences between these two healthcare professions, their salaries and job requirements, and their career paths.
What is a nurse anesthetist?
What do certified registered nurse anesthetists do?
Nurse anesthetists are critical members of medical care teams. Their actual role and responsibilities may vary based on the state where they are certified, but some of their job responsibilities may include:
- Providing pain management
- Assisting physicians with anesthesia administration
- Overseeing patient recovery
- Performing epidurals or spinal blocks
- Providing care before, during, and after anesthesia
- Being up-to-date on patient medical history to ensure anesthesia is safely administered
- Discussing anesthesiology side-effects with patients
- Monitoring vital signs during procedure
In many areas, nurse anesthetists are the main providers of anesthesia. Certified registered nurse anesthetists can work in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, surgical centers, outpatient care centers, offices of dentists or plastic surgeons, U.S. military medical facilities, and more.
Earnings and career outlook for CRNAs.
Nurse anesthetists are highly trained and skilled, which means they are well-compensated. CRNAs can expect an average annual salary of about $189,000 or $90 per hour. This is much, much higher than the national average salary, and is one of the highest paying jobs for nurses. This is largely due to the high skill-set certified registered nurse anesthetists need in order to do this specific nursing job well. They are responsible for patient safety during important surgical procedures, and their work in surgery or pain management is vital to patient success. The location where you work, the nursing education you have, and your nursing experience will greatly influence your average salary as a CRNA.
The demand for nurse anesthetists is expected to grow 26% by 2028, much faster than average job growth. The field is seeing high demand as medical practices advance and more surgical and pain management options become available. There is also a nursing shortage around the country, meaning highly trained nurses like nurse anesthetists are difficult to come by.
Requirements to become a CRNA.
The first step to becoming a CRNA is to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) and be a registered nurse (RN). WGU has options for current registered nurses to obtain their BSN, as well as options for nursing hopefuls to earn their BSN and be prepared to become an RN. Once you’ve become a nurse and obtained your degree and registration, you’ll need at least one year of experience as an RN before you can continue with your education. You’ll likely need experience in an acute care setting, like the ER or ICU, in order to have the experience you need to progress toward becoming a CRNA.
The next step to becoming a CRNA is to get a master’s degree or higher from an accredited nurse anesthesia program. This usually takes 2-3 years. After you’ve obtained that degree, you’ll need to take and pass the National Certification Examination through the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) in order to be licensed and eligible to work as a CRNA. Every two years you’ll have to prove that you’ve had 40 hours of continuing education in order to keep your CRNA license.
While there is a lot of work and education that goes into becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist, for most it is well worth the time and effort. It is a great, high-paying profession that allows you to help patients heal and feel better every day.
What is an anesthesiologist?
What do anesthesiologists do?
Anesthesiologists are physicians who administer drugs that reduce or completely eliminate pain before, during, or after a medical procedure or surgery. Their job description includes:
- Administering epidurals, anesthesia, spinal blocks, and more
- Monitoring patient vital signs during surgery or procedures
- Supervising anesthesia assistants and CRNAs
- Approving general, sedative, regional, or local anesthetics
- Reviewing medical files and lab results
- Informing patients the side effects of anesthesia
- Complying with medical and hospital regulations
Anesthesiologists are in charge of helping reduce and remove pain and complications that are associated with surgery or medical procedures.
Earnings and career outlook for anesthesiologists.
As medical doctors, anesthesiologists have an incredibly high pay. They earn an average annual salary of $261,730 per year, or $125 per hour. Doctors in general have a much higher pay than the national average because of all the extensive schooling and training that they require. The location where you work and your experience will directly impact how much you can make as an anesthesiologist.
The job outlook for anesthesiologists is 15% growth by 2026. That’s double the pace of the national average for job outlook. As healthcare needs continue to grow, as medical procedures and surgeries continue to become more safe and a good option for healing, anesthesiologists will continue to be in high demand.
Requirements to become an anesthesiologist.
Anesthesiologists have an extensive amount of educational requirements. They must begin with a bachelor’s degree in a science field. After getting an undergraduate degree, students must attend medical school. They can either become a Medical Doctor (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO). After graduating from medical school, anesthesiologist hopefuls complete a one-year internship learning about anesthesiology. They then have a three year residency in anesthesiology. After this residency program, students often spend a year or more in a fellowship program to learn an anesthesiology subspecialty. Subspecialties include cardiac, pediatric, neurologic, obstetric, pain management, or critical care. The final step to become an anesthesiologist is to pass the American Board of Anesthesiology Exam. Becoming an anesthesiologist will require extensive schooling, training, and study.
What does a nurse anesthetist do?
A nurse anesthetist performs their duties in three stages: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. Before surgery, you’ll need to assess the patient’s medical history and current condition to determine if any factors may pose complications with the anesthesia. Throughout the surgical process and after, you’ll also be responsible for:
- Undertaking a physical assessment
- Taking part in preoperative teaching
- Choosing the correct type of anesthesia for each patient
- Determining the proper amount of anesthesia
- Monitoring the patient’s vital signs and adjusting the amount of anesthesia as necessary
- Delivering anesthesia via gas and intravenously to keep the patient pain-free
- Maintaining anesthesia intraoperatively
- Administering medications that help block pain
- Preparing for anesthetic management
- Responding appropriately if complications arise
- Supervising recovery from anesthesia
- Proving post-surgical pain management to help ensure a controlled recovery
Check out this fascinating video on sensory systems from the University of Michigan:
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Kelli Sullivan, lecturer in the Division of Anatomical Sciences at the University of Michigan, discusses the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Course 3 of 4 in the Anatomy Specialization
Nurse anesthetist skills
As a nurse anesthetist, you must be professional, think critically, communicate well, and possess technical nursing skills. During both your schooling and career, you’ll develop an advanced skill set to use specialized equipment and make complex decisions that have a critical impact on a patient’s health outcome. Here are some of the core competencies you’ll need as a nurse anesthetist:
Nursing skills: To offer safe, high-quality care as a nurse anesthetist, you must have excellent clinical skills like administering anesthesia and monitoring vital signs. You also need to keep up-to-date with best practices in the field of anesthesia and new developments in pain management.
But what sets CRNAs apart from RNs is the specialized responsibilities, such as spinals, epidurals, tracheal intubations, and arterial line placements. Nurse anesthetists often need proficiency in:
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
- Pain management
- Surgery
- Airway management
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Postoperative care
Critical thinking: You need to be able to make quick decisions based on patient observations and test results.
Attention to detail: You need to interpret data, such as a patient’s vital signs, and adjust accordingly. You also need good technical knowledge when administering precise doses of anesthesia and other medicines.
Communication skills: You need to be able to explain what you’re doing as you administer anesthesia and provide updates about your patient’s condition after surgery.
Read more: What Does a Registered Nurse Do? Your 2023 Career Guide
Nurse anesthetist salary and job outlook
The median annual salary for nurse anesthetists was $195,610 in May 2021. By comparison, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that nurse practitioners made a median annual salary of $120,680 during the same period, while nurse midwives earned $112,830 [1].
Not only do nurse anesthetists earn a high salary, they are also in high demand. According to the BLS, employment for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners is projected to grow by a whopping 40 percent between 2021 and 2031, resulting in approximately 30,200 new jobs added each year. This is a much faster rate than the projected average job growth in the United States during the same period [2].
Benefits of becoming a nurse anesthetist
Some benefits of being a CRNA include high compensation within the nursing field, a positive job outlook, a rewarding job, and both personal and professional satisfaction.
Your job as an anesthetist is to ensure that patients do not feel pain throughout the surgical care cycle. While this may seem simple enough, it can be quite complicated because each person feels pain differently and has different drug tolerances. You’ll need to know how to handle problems if they arise before, during, or after surgery.
Benefits of becoming a nurse anesthetist include:
- Autonomy: As a nurse anesthetist, you’ll practice independently and in collaboration with other health care team members.
- Compensation: CRNAs are among the highest-paid advanced practice nurses.
- Demand: The demand for CRNAs is very high and continues to rise.
- Intellectually challenging: Your work as a CRNA is considered intellectually demanding, requiring insight and critical thinking.
- Professional satisfaction: As a nurse anesthetist, you can typically get great professional satisfaction from providing quality care to patients in pain
How to become a nurse anesthetist
To become a nurse anesthetist, you need to have experience in acute medical or surgical settings, earn the right qualifications, become licensed, and then maintain your license with continuing education and relicensing efforts. Here’s what you can expect on the path to becoming a nurse anesthetist:
1. Obtain the right credentials.
To become a nurse anesthetist, you must obtain a doctoral degree and certification. The landscape in the profession has changed, as CRNAs were previously only required to have a master’s degree. Starting in 2025, new nurse anesthetists will be required to have earned a doctoral degree. Institutions currently offering programs in nursing anesthesia have had to adjust their curricula.
As a nurse anesthetist, you are an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). After becoming a registered nurse and working in the profession, you will complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program or a Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice (DNAP), the two doctoral qualifications approved by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). You’ll typically spend three years completing your doctoral degree.
Usually, you’ll also need a bachelor’s degree in nursing before going to higher levels of education in nursing. Some doctoral nurse anesthetist programs will accept you if you have completed a graduate degree in another discipline or an associate degree in nursing, as long as you have the required clinical experience. Most doctoral programs require you to have at least one year of critical-care experience to gain admittance to a program.
Read more: Your Guide to Nursing Degrees and Certifications
2. Get certified.
After graduation, you will take the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) to become licensed as a registered nurse anesthetist. After passing and getting certified for the first time, you must take the Continued Professional Certification Exam every four years. All states require certification to become a nurse anesthetist.
3. Gain work experience.
After meeting the education and certification requirements, you can gain hands-on experience as a nurse under the supervision of a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). During this training period, you will learn to perform various anesthesia procedures. You should also become familiar with respiratory care equipment, drug effects, and patient monitoring techniques.
Since nurse anesthetist careers require considerable education and training, it can take six to seven years to qualify and a minimum of one year of clinical experience.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Nurse Anesthetist
There are many educational requirements to become a nurse anesthesiologist. After high school, you must earn a 4-year degree and become a registered nurse (RN). There are some programs that take less time to become a registered nurse, but because a nurse anesthesiologist also requires a master’s degree, the 4-year degree is a requirement. After the 4 years and the degree, a graduate must take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses to become an RN. After becoming a registered nurse, a nurse must complete 1 year of acute-care nursing. Then the nurse must enter a graduate program that leads to a master’s degree as well as certification as a nurse anesthesiologist. The graduate program usually takes from 24 to 36 months.
SIGNIFICANCE
The length of time to become a nurse anesthesiologist is significant for several reasons. The 4-year degree program helps the student pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, the exam to become a registered nurse. This is difficult, and many nurses opt for the less-stringent requirements to become licensed practical nurses, or LPNs. The undergraduate program also helps the student to survive the rigors of postgraduate study. These educational requirements are necessary because anesthesiology is a complex science in which missteps can cost lives.
COURSEWORK
The early courses in the lengthy training that is required of nurse anesthesiologists are in physiology, nursing theory, biology, chemistry and nursing theory. The postgraduate training involves more focused coursework in the effects of anesthesia and the monitoring of vital signs while patients are unconscious. Clinical work and training is essential in preparing to become a nurse anesthesiologist, and graduate programs have intensive courses in place that use clinical work as learning tools.
MISCONCEPTIONS
Students who want to become nurse anesthesiologists might do so initially because they believe it is a position that is less demanding than physicians while earning comparable salaries. But because of the clinical preparation that is required before the administering of anesthesia, along with the intense monitoring of vital functions, the demands of being a nurse anesthesiologist are quite high. Also, after all of education that a nurse anesthesiologist needs before beginning to practice the profession, a student might expect that no more training is needed. However, nurse anesthesiologists are generally expected to receive additional annual training to keep up with current medical practices.
EXPERT INSIGHT
The important of being a nurse anesthesiologist should not be underestimated. While some physicians and surgeons might have attitudes that look down upon nurse anesthesiologists, that they take secondary roles in the health care industry, a nurse anesthesiologist is absolutely necessary and one of the most taxing positions in the industry because every human body’s chemistry is slightly different and responds differently to anesthesia. Therefore the observation skills of a nurse anesthesiologist must be high as well as the ability to intensely focus on vital signs while patients are anesthetized.
How Many Years Does it Take to Become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist?
On Mar 4, 2019
Find your next CRNA job today!
Although just about every job category in the medical field is in high demand, the need for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) is higher than ever. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the specialty will grow by more than 30 percent in the next decade.
CRNAs are advanced-practice nurses who evaluate patients prior to administering anesthesia and follow up on patient recovery after anesthesia. CRNAs work in partnership with doctors in hospital settings, in military settings, and in private practices. In some cases, such as remote rural hospitals, CRNAs are the sole providers.
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.
Step 1: Earn Your Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing
The first step is to earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. It takes an average of four years to earn a BSN.
Step 2: Get Your Registered Nurse License
After earning a BSN, the next step is to obtain a registered nurse (RN) license. In order to qualify to sit for the RN exam, you must have first earned a BSN.
Step 3: Work as an Acute Care Nurse
Next, before applying to a CRNA program, you’ll want to get experience in an acute care setting. Most CRNA programs require that you have more than a year of experience, although every CRNA program has its own guidelines that specify what qualifies as acute care.
Generally, CRNA programs define acute care as working in a coronary care unit, an emergency room or in an intensive care unit. Because CRNA programs differ, you’ll want to research the requirements of your preferred CRNA programs before accepting a position in an acute care setting.
Step 4: Complete CRNA School
When you’ve met all the requirements above, it’s time to apply to CRNA schools. Depending on the school, a nurse anesthetist program is two to three years long. CRNA programs teach through classwork and through hands-on clinical opportunities. After you complete your CRNA program, you must then pass the National Certification Examination.
CRNA Timeline
In total, it takes six to seven years of education to become a CRNA. In addition to the education requirements, a minimum of one year of acute care clinical experience working as a registered nurse is required before a person qualifies for entrance into a CRNA school program, which means it takes seven to eight years to become a CRNA.
5 Reasons Being a CRNA Rocks
CRNAs are well paid (the average CRNA salary is more than $160,000 per year), and because of this, gaining admission into a CRNA education program has become highly competitive. Registered nurses who desire to become CRNAs sometimes find that more than one year of acute care clinical experience is required to successfully gain entrance into a CRNA program, which means it can sometimes take more than eight years to become a CRNA. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) reports that the average acute care experience of RNs entering CRNA programs is 2.9 years.
anesthesiologist nurse salary
The amount of time and rigorous training required to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) might seem daunting, but this career is highly rewarding in more ways than one.
Not only do CRNAs fill a crucial role in healthcare, but they also earn a median annual salary of $195,610, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the highest pay among advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
Median Annual Salary for CRNAs
Nurse Anesthetists
National data
Median Salary: $195,610
Projected job growth: 11.8%
10th Percentile: $131,840
25th Percentile: $164,860
75th Percentile: N/A
90th Percentile: N/A
State data
| State | Median Salary | Bottom 10% | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $165,610 | $128,110 | N/A |
| Alaska | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Arizona | $166,060 | $76,910 | N/A |
| Arkansas | $154,580 | $103,250 | $175,030 |
| California | N/A | $78,790 | N/A |
| Colorado | $164,830 | $127,240 | N/A |
| Connecticut | N/A | $168,110 | N/A |
| Florida | $164,860 | $108,950 | N/A |
| Georgia | $195,380 | $132,120 | N/A |
| Hawaii | N/A | $195,730 | N/A |
| Idaho | $164,860 | $128,460 | N/A |
| Illinois | N/A | $173,610 | N/A |
| Indiana | $168,450 | $156,410 | N/A |
| Iowa | $201,660 | $157,460 | N/A |
| Kansas | $154,640 | $103,250 | $195,610 |
| Kentucky | $195,250 | $33,110 | N/A |
| Louisiana | $168,450 | $85,290 | N/A |
| Maine | $202,080 | $164,640 | N/A |
| Maryland | N/A | $47,570 | N/A |
| Massachusetts | N/A | $168,450 | N/A |
| Michigan | N/A | $172,800 | N/A |
| Minnesota | N/A | $180,030 | N/A |
| Mississippi | $171,400 | $81,690 | N/A |
| Missouri | $169,000 | $130,980 | N/A |
| Montana | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Nebraska | N/A | $168,120 | N/A |
| New Hampshire | N/A | $195,250 | N/A |
| New Jersey | N/A | $166,060 | N/A |
| New Mexico | $168,090 | $24,480 | N/A |
| New York | N/A | $166,060 | N/A |
| North Carolina | $195,250 | $154,640 | N/A |
| North Dakota | N/A | $169,050 | N/A |
| Ohio | $168,450 | $128,380 | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $168,450 | $129,870 | N/A |
| Oregon | N/A | $193,120 | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $195,910 | $154,060 | N/A |
| Rhode Island | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| South Carolina | $205,820 | $155,030 | N/A |
| South Dakota | $195,380 | $164,860 | N/A |
| Tennessee | $168,450 | $131,810 | N/A |
| Texas | $195,550 | $135,220 | N/A |
| Utah | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Vermont | $168,450 | $154,640 | N/A |
| Virginia | $168,450 | $128,380 | N/A |
| Washington | N/A | $168,120 | N/A |
| West Virginia | $195,550 | $166,680 | N/A |
| Wisconsin | N/A | $200,160 | N/A |
| Wyoming | N/A | $154,810 | N/A |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2021 median salary; projected job growth through 2031. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.
CRNA Salaries by Workplace
In general, CRNAs enjoy plentiful job opportunities in an array of healthcare settings. But where you work can be a big influence, according to BLS numbers. This chart ranks CRNA workplaces from highest to lowest in terms of median pay.
Employer
Average Annual Salary
Outpatient care centers
A medical facility, often part of a hospital, that provides care for patients not staying overnight.
Places you may work:
- Ambulatory (same day) surgical centers
- Pain management clinics
$254,180
General medical and surgical hospitals
Academic or community-based facilities providing short-term care for acute illnesses and injuries.
Places you may work:
- Traditional hospital suites
- Labor and delivery units
- Public health centers
$212,340
Specialty hospitals
Healthcare facilities focused on treating specific medical conditions or patient populations.
Places you may work:
- Midwifery or private birth centers
- Critical access hospitals, small hospitals in rural areas
- Plastic surgery centers
- U.S. military and veterans’ hospitals
$219,540
Colleges and universities
Medical facilities or clinics operated by public, private, teaching, or research institutions.
Places you may work:
- On-campus healthcare clinics
- Teaching hospitals
- Leadership roles in administrative offices
$200,340
Physicians’ offices
Private medical practices, clinics, medical groups, or independently practicing physicians’ offices.
Places you may work:
- Podiatrist clinics
- Sports medicine clinics
$194,240
Health practitioner offices
Clinics or private practices operated by advance practice providers such as nurse practitioners or other healthcare professionals.
Places you may work:
- Dental offices
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) group practices
- Ophthalmologist offices
$179,220
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