Information on Nurse Anesthetist - Role of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Life of a Nurse Anesthetist

Role of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is an advanced practice nurse that is able to provide anesthesia for surgeries, trauma care, obstetrical, and pain management procedures. Working in collaboration with surgeons, anesthesiologist, dentist, and other healthcare professionals to help ensure that the administration, monitoring, and treatment of anesthesia is done properly. ^[1]

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist offer services ranging from simple procedures like offering pain management for physical therapy and acupuncture. To the more complex ones, where the care of a patient is needed prior to the start of surgery. Along with during and after surgery to determine treatment afterwards.

With this profession you have many areas in which you can work. From obstetrical and providing epidural to use as pain management during labor.  To providing local anesthesia during a dental procedure. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist can deliver anesthetist either as an independent provider or as member of the anesthesia team.

There are a few different care models when it comes to what a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist can do within limits. The more important ones are the Care Team model, CRNA Model, and MD/CRNA model.

The Care Team model involves the supervision of a physician anesthesiologist that is overseeing the surgery. The CRNA model is more so utilized by the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist without the need for a physician anesthesiologist. The MD-CRNA Model is when a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist is working under the anesthesiologist, but with less supervising, as it is not required. ^[2] 

Any Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist has a high responsibility to understand, uphold, and adhere to the patient’s ethics as well as legal rights. They must also provide the important information on what will be the outcomes and possible consequences of any procedures. This is so a patient can come to a decision on if they wish to consent to a procedure where anesthetist is needed. There are also times where a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist can, without any bias, can transfer over the care of a patient to another anesthesia provider with equal certifications, if there is a moral, religious or ethical conflict that goes against their personal code of ethics. ^[3]

Education and Registration and Certifications

The process to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist is to hold a Bachelor of Science, have an active nursing license, and also have completed a master’s program in nurse anesthesia, which is an additional three years. The final part of the program to become a nurse anesthetist requires that you complete clinical experience under the supervision of a physician and become certified to provide anesthesia, sit for your Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist exam. ^[4] The overall process from to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist can tske seven to close nine years. From starting your Associates to passing your National Certification Examination.

You can earn your certification for nurse anesthetist by attending school in University of Miami Florida Nurse Anesthetist school. The master’s program length is 36 months with 124 credits between 67 class credits and 57 Clinical credits. The cost for this program is costly and can run you at $132,000. ^[5]

Another close location would be Florida International University Miami Nurse Anesthetist School. For this program, a nurse would have to complete a total of 154 credits divided by, 71 class credits and 83 clinical credits, which can take a minimum of 28 months to complete. This program is more practical in cost than University of Miami for a total of $108,580. ^[6]

Employment Opportunities for a Certification Registered Nurse Anesthetist

The demand for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist falls under the umbrella of the high demand for nurses, which according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for a Registered Nurse will increase up to 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is due partly to the aging population. Florida is also a popular destination for the elderly due to the yearlong warm weather.

Right now, locally you can see a number of roles for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in the Miami and South Florida area in the Miami Herald. ^[7] For example, the University of Miami and all that is being asked is for a Master’s degree from a accredited Anesthesia program and have a valid Certification Registered Nurse Anesthetist license.

Currently the rate for a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist is 168,000 without any experience in Miami. It requires a master’s degree, active Registered Nursing license, 1 full year of Intensive Care Unit experience, two years of experience as a Registered Nurse is required. With experience you could be looking at a higher end of $190,000 with five years of experience working as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. ^[8]

Advancement opportunities where additional education is needed to climb the career ladder in the anesthesia realm of nursing is a Doctor of Nurse Anesthetist, which is an additional 2 years of school.

Life after school

Once you I begin my career, I can join a known organizations in my profession.  American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.^[9] For the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists organization, a student cost would come out to $200.00. ^[10] You can review their professional journal from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists called the AANA Journal, which is bimonthly published journal that provides information on the science of anesthesia and the innovations, issues, and ideas that help with the advancement of anesthesia in nursing. ^[11]