Allied Technicial Institute

A CRNA is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and they are professionals who administer upwards of 20 million anesthetics every year inside of the US. Anesthetists have been practicing anesthetist care in the US for over 100 years. Anesthetist Nurses originally started administering anesthesia to wounded soldiers in the Civil War. Over 85% of all anesthetists in the US are members of the AANA, or
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

CRNAs are the only ones administering anesthesia in around 2/3 of all US hospitals located in rural areas, and allow these health care centers to offer surgical, obstetrical, and trauma stabilization treatment. In several states, almost every provider of anesthesia is a CRNA. A CRNA typically will provide anesthetics to patients while working with anesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists, surgeons, and many other health care professionals.

A CRNA can be found in every place anesthesia is used. Obstetrical delivery rooms, surgical rooms in hospitals, intensive care units, dentist offices, plastic surgeons, in the military, and even at the VA. A CRNA’s liability insurance premiums are around 40% lower than they were a decade ago, due to the fact that administering anesthesia is safer than it has ever been before. An interesting statistic, almost half of all full time CRNA’s are men, but only 8% of people in the nursing profession in total are.

The educational and experience requirements to become a CRNA are:

- A license as a registered nurse
- At least one years experience as a registered nurse
- A masters degree from a nurse anesthesia program (typically 24-36 months), and passing a certification exam after graduation.
- A BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) or a similar degree.

And in order to keep their certification, a CRNA must acquire 40 ours of additional education every two years. CRNAs are in very high demands across the country, and there are many available positions for both specialty and general practice. CRNAs are one of the highest paid nursing specialists. The future for those wishing to enter this field can expect to enter a job market where they will be in high demand, and anyone would be making an excellent career choice to seek education in this field of nursing.

A CRNA’s median salary can range between $90,000 to $150,000 per year depending on state and city location. The cost of getting the education (not counting the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing pre-requisite) to become a CRNA can range anywhere from $18,000 to $42,000. Additionally, a CRNA must pass the ‘Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Exam’ before they can start working in the field.