Do you know that there is an ever-increasing demand for registered nurses all over the world? This article provides information on what is a ‘certified registered nurse anesthetist’ (CRNA) and how to become a CRNA. Read on if you are thinking about a career in the medical field….
A certified registered nurse anesthetist or CRNA, as the name suggests, is a certified nurse who is allowed to administer anesthesia. Along with the anesthesiologist, CRNAs are part of the ‘operation team’. They are trained to take care of patients who are administered anesthesia. If you are interested in making a career in nursing and if you have a compassionate and stable mind, then you can definitely become a successful nurse. For those who are looking for information about how to become a nurse anesthetist, the information is provided in the following section. Because of the ever-increasing demand, certified registered nurses enjoy excellent monetary benefits along with job stability.
How to Become a CRNA
If you loved your math, health and science classes in high school, if you like to help people and if you are ready for hard work, then you can choose the nursing field to make a career. Graduating with good grades from high school will enable you to get admission in a good nursing college. You should have a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) with good score.
As more and more students are applying for masters in nursing, graduation with at least a 3.0 will enable you to get admission for the master’s course. After completing BSN, you can apply for a license from your state board of nursing. You can thus become a registered nurse (RN). The exam and the educational and training requirements to become a RN vary from state to state. Practical experience for a minimum of one to three years (at least one year in an intensive care unit) can ensure your admission at the topmost college for the CRNA program.
Admission for advanced nursing degrees demands a high GRE (Graduate Record Examination) score. Make sure that you apply to at least 3-4 colleges for CRNA program. Your educational performance, training, experience, your aptitude, your personality and nature will be assessed during the interview. Then only you will get the admission. Those who are ready for hard work will be able to complete the course successfully. Maintaining high grades throughout will help you get the best job.
Your master’s degree in nurse anesthesia will not be enough for working as a CRNA. You will have to pass the national certification test for CRNAs, conducted by The Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists (CCNA). Then you will get a job as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, CRNA. You are expected to take a recertification course every two years. This is a prerequisite for renewal of the license.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Benefits
CRNA jobs are one of the highest paid medical jobs in line after doctors. The annual salary for CRNAs is usually more than $100,000. CRNAs administer anesthesia during surgeries. They may work independently or under the supervision of an anesthesiologist (depends upon the state laws and employer’s rules). They monitor patient’s needs not only during the surgery but also before and after the surgery.
CRNAs are always in demand because with their help only, more surgeries are possible with fewer anesthesiologists on the payroll. It proves to be cost-effective for the employing facility, to appoint more CRNAs, despite good salaries to CRNAs. This explains why CRNAs are always in demand. Even a recession or economic melt down cannot affect the demand for CRNAs.
If you want to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist, CRNA, then persistence, determination, politeness, compassion and empathy are the qualities that are essential for achieving your goal. I hope, you have got the answer to the question ‘how to become a CRNA’. The job involves hard work, emergencies, great responsibilities and skills. Choosing this field for monetary benefits can prove to be a wrong decision because the job involves ‘service beyond self’.