Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist - CRNA Career
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Nurse Anesthetist:
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs),
administer anesthetic agents to patients. CRNAs
are highly skilled advanced practice nurses.
Almost half of all CRNAs are men, which is
interesting considering less than ten percent of
the entire nursing profession in the United
States is male. Because of the critical nature
of a CRNA's role, they hold a lot of
responsibility, and are compensated accordingly.
The main duties of a CRNA include:
- Performing preoperative evaluations of
patients
- Administering anesthesia to patients
undergoing surgical procedures
- Working closely with anesthesiologists,
surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, and other
healthcare professionals
- Monitoring a patients vital signs during the
surgical procedure
- Ensuring that the patient awakens from the
anesthesia comfortably
- Advising the relevant physician of any adverse
reactions
- Providing postoperative follow up and patient
evaluation
- Maintaining medical records
- Working as part of the surgical team in
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Assisting in the training of medical personnel
in CPR, Anesthesia and Respiratory Care
Where they work:
CRNAs can work in any setting where anesthesia
is administered e.g. Hospital Surgical Rooms,
Delivery Suites of Obstetrical Departments,
Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Dental Clinics,
Podiatrists, Ophthalmologists, Plastic Surgeons,
Public Health Services and the U.S. Military.
Qualifications:
Before applying to become a CRNA, you must have:
- A Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN)
or international equivalent
- A current Registered Nurses (RNs) license
- A minimum of one years experience working in
an acute care environment
If you possess the minimum requirements you can
join an accredited Nurse Anesthesia Educational
Program. The “Council on Accreditation of Nurse
Anesthesia Educational Programs”, is the
accreditation body for CRNA programs. Courses
can take between 24 – 36 months to complete.
Successful students graduate with a Master’s
Degree. Following graduation CRNAs must pass a
national certification examination to allow them
to practice.
Certification lasts for two years at which time
CRNAs can recertify by completing 40 hours of
approved continuing education. CRNAs can also
continue to earn a PhD in Nursing. With a PhD,
CRNAs can choose to pursue a career in many more
areas such as education or research.
Find a Nursing School:
Use the red search box above, to find schools
and colleges in your area that offer nursing
programs.
Below is a list of some of the various types of
medical nurses / assistant nurses: |
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