In many rural hospitals the certified registered nurse anesthetist is the only person available there who is able to give an anaesthetic. This means that he job in general comes with quite a lot of prestige. This article will give you the information you need about becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist and also help you discover what the job is exactly all about so you can decide if being a certified RN anesthetist is the right path for you.
Career Overview
There are a number of tasks that you will be responsible for as a certified registered nurse anesthetist. You will have to perform physical assessments of patients, administer anesthesia during the course of surgery, and oversee the patient’s recovery from anesthesia. You will also be able to work in a number of different settings such as hospital operating rooms, ambulatory surgery centers, pain clinics, and physicians’ offices.
Another important fact about the career outlook for a nurse with RN certification in anesthesia is that you will have a very stable job indeed. You will find that with most advanced nursing positions the demand is very high for professionals with the appropriate qualifications. Unlike other industries that fluctuate with changes in the economy the healthcare profession is always on the increase making it one of the most stable areas of work to become involved in especially if you want to work at the advanced level of a certified RN anesthetist.
This career is not for everyone, however, and you should think carefully about this career path before deciding to become an expert in anesthesia. You should base your decision on your:
- Professional goals
- Personal interests
- Individual talents
Education
RN certification for becoming a professional expert in anesthesia requires that you enrol in a nurse training program and earn a Master’s degree in nursing with a major in anesthesia. The amount of time it takes to earn this degree can vary rather significantly from school to school and program to program, but it should take something in the region of 24 to 36 months to complete. In your raining program you will be requires to study subjects such as anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, pharmacology, principles of anesthesia, and management and advanced Practice nursing in order to achieve full RN certification in this regard.
An important part of your education involves practical hands-on training. In fact it is impossible to become a certified RN anesthetist without having first completed the necessary practical training. As a result you should attend only those schools that offer the necessary hands-on training for you.
You also need to make sure that your RN certification training program is accredited by the proper bodies, namely:
- The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC)
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Salary
There are a number of factors affecting the salary that you can expect to earn as a certified registered nurse anesthetist. The salary can in fact fluctuate from $136,000 to $174,000 with an average salary of about $156,610. There are several factors that affect the salary that you can earn as a nurse with RN certification is anesthesia.
Firstly your employer will affect how much you can earn as different facilities and different companies offer different salaries for the same job. There are quite notable fluctuations in this regard, so make sure that you look into all of your options before making a decision to try and find the best rate possible.
Secondly your level of education you have as a certified registered nurse anesthetist will also play a role. Like in all industries you are more likely to earn a higher salary if you have a higher level of education than your counterparts. Getting the highest level possible is therefore in your best interests.
Lastly your previous work experience will affect your salary. People with more experience are considered to consequently be more highly skilled at the job and are therefore often eligible for higher salaries than those with less work experience.
RN Anesthetist Jobs
There are a lot of jobs out there for a certified RN anesthetist with the appropriate RN certification. As these jobs pay well they are also in high demand so you will need to have very convincing qualification if you want to stand a chance of doing exceptionally well when hunting for a job on the job market. There are a huge variety of different settings that you can work in if you are an expert in aesthesia so you should be able to find a setting that suits you regardless of what your preferences are. Some of the settings that you will be able to work in include hospital emergency and operating rooms, ambulatory care, dental offices, and health clinics and with the right qualifications and level of experience you will be able to simply stroll into any of these jobs. The amount of time it takes to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist s not exactly time effective, and it may also cost a lot, but in the long run you will be opening more doors for yourself in terms of your working opportunities. In fact the increase in job opportunities is one of the main reasons that nurses choose to get RN certification in anesthesia.
RN Schools
In order to get into a certified RN anesthetist school you will have to meet some prerequisites. For example you will be required to have a certain number of years of experience in acute nursing. You will also need to have an acceptable GPA as well as a good score on the GRE. Knowledge of statistics, research, chemistry, anatomy or physiology may be recommended or even required by certain schools if you want to get your RN certification in anesthesia. You will have to provide letters of recommendation and get through an interview before you will be admitted to the school of your choice. On top of that you will have to submit a well worded statement of purpose motivating your choice to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Most good programs will include topics like professional aspects of nurse anesthesia, integrative physiology and pathophysiology, research methods, clinical pharmacology, basic and advanced principles of anesthesia practice, anatomy for nurse anesthetists, chemistry of anesthesia, and health assessment for advanced nursing practice. Another reminder that you should make sure that the school you attend is appropriately accredited to avoid wasting your time and your money.
How To Become A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Here are some steps for becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist as well as for knowing if you are the right person for the job:
- Get your RN and your BSN qualification as most MSN programs stipulate that you should hold both before being allowed admittance to their anesthetist program.
- Make sure that you get as much hands-on experience as possible when working as a normal RN as this is also a requirement for getting into an anesthetist program.
- Show that you are willing to work the long hours required of a certified registered nurse anesthetist.
- Check that you have the right interpersonal skills for the job as you will have to deal with people on a daily basis.
- Make sure that you feel comfortable around the machinery and equipment used by certified RN anesthetists.
- Make a good choice when deciding on the school that you would like o attend as this choice will affect you throughout your career.
- Once you have chosen the school focus your attention hard on getting your master’s degree. Do your best while studying.
- Be ready to work alone as certified registered nurse anesthetists often are required to do so.
Accreditation
Now we come to the question of accreditation of your RN certification program, something that we have already mentioned twice simply because it is so important. The program that you enrol in needs to be one that is accredited by the state board of nursing for your state. To find out how to get a hold of your state board of nursing to see whether or not your program is certified and accredited, please go HERE. You can also search for schools in your area using this website.
Now that you have a better idea of what being a certified registered nurse anesthetist entails and how to go about becoming one you should be better equipped to make your decision about whether or not this s the best path for you to take. Deciding to specialize in any area of nursing is not something that you should do lightly, and you need to put the relevant amount of thought and effort into each of the decisions that you make in this regard. There are a lot of factors to consider and you must not neglect to look at any of them. That said, becoming a RN anesthetist is possible one of the best choices you could make as a nurse, if you have what it takes, so if you are sure about your decision, go right ahead and get started today.