Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Nurse Anesthetists
Nurse Anesthetists administer anesthesia, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Table of contents
What they do
Nurse Anesthetists administer anesthesia, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
- Manage patients’ airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
- Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.
- Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids, or blood products as necessary.
- Monitor patients’ responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Nurse Anesthetists perform pre-anesthetic screenings, including physical evaluations and patient interviews, and document results. They assess patients’ medical histories to predict anesthesia response.
A typical day for a Nurse Anesthetist will also include:
- Obtain informed consent from patients for anesthesia procedures.
- Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients.
- Select, order, or administer pre-anesthetic medications.
- Develop anesthesia care plans.
- Manage patients’ airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Nurse Anesthetists also insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples. They may also read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Nurse Anesthetists perform or manage regional anesthetic techniques, such as local, spinal, epidural, caudal, nerve blocks and intravenous blocks. They might also respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
In addition, they request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses.
To some Nurse Anesthetists, it is also their responsibility to prepare prescribed solutions and administer local, intravenous, spinal, or other anesthetics, following specified methods and procedures.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
74% said they were satisfied with their job and 82% said they found their job meaningful.
I am a nurse anesthetist also referred to as a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). I am a nurse that gives anesthesia. I work in surgery centers and not a hospital. I give anesthesia to patients for different types of procedures and surgeries. A typical day can be giving anesthesia to 5 to 20 patients for colonoscopies to 1 to 3 patients for breast augmentations or abdominoplasties.
Pros
I have a lot of autonomy in my job. I actually get to make the anesthesia plan for my patients. The patients are generally very grateful to be taken care of by anesthesia and really appreciate the sleep.
Cons
The con is that you are responsible for someone’s life. It is your responsibility to keep that patient alive while the doctor does their surgery or procedure. So my job is 95% boring 5% major stress to make sure a patient doesn’t die.
Pros
Suitable for people who like to solve problems mentally.
Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
One of the fastest-growing careers.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to start and carry out projects.
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Nurse Anesthetists with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $133,970 to $154,540 per year or $64 to $74 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Median | $183,580 | $88 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $154,540 | $74 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $133,970 | $64 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Nurse Anesthetists based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Care Centers | $224810 | $108.08 |
| Home Health Care Services | $210670 | $101.28 |
| Specialty Hospitals | $201220 | $96.74 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $197700 | $95.05 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $196530 | $94.49 |
| Local Government | $191180 | $91.91 |
| Offices of Physicians | $180780 | $86.92 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $179770 | $86.43 |
| Employment Services | $154090 | $74.08 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Nurse Anesthetists work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Nurse Anesthetists including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 21560 | $180780 | $86.92 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 14030 | $196530 | $94.49 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 2460 | $224810 | $108.08 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 1670 | $179770 | $86.43 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 1290 | $197700 | $95.05 |
| Specialty Hospitals | 530 | $201220 | $96.74 |
| Home Health Care Services | 80 | $210670 | $101.28 |
| Local Government | 60 | $191180 | $91.91 |
| Employment Services | $154090 | $74.08 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
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Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Nurse Anesthetist
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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