How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist, Career Near Me
How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist, Career Near Me
If you're interested in a challenging, interesting, and rewarding career in the medical field, you might want to consider becoming a nurse anesthetist, or a CRNA. CRNAs meet with a patient before a procedure, administer anesthesia, and monitor the patient throughout the procedure and recovery, adjusting anesthesia when necessary. In many cases, CRNAs can administer anesthesia without physician supervision, which means your services will be in high demand if you choose this profession!
Part 1 Getting Your BSN and RN Certification.
1. Decide whether you have the right personality for the job. A nurse anesthetist handles the anesthesia that a patient receives when they undergo a procedure, so it's very important that you have great communication skills, since you'll need to put the patient and their family at ease. You'll also need to have strong decision-making skills, a critical eye for detail, and have the ability to stay calm under pressure.
While your role as a nurse anesthetist will carry the pressure of making life-and-death decisions, you'll also have the rewarding experience of making a valuable difference in patients' lives when they're at their most vulnerable.
2. Enroll in an accredited 4-year nursing program. When you're choosing a nursing school, enroll in an accredited 4-year program. Study hard all throughout school, especially in your required nursing classes, which will include courses like anatomy, chemistry, and microbiology. You'll need to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to be accepted into most graduate programs.
Some colleges offer 2-year associate's degrees in nursing, but you'll need the 4-year bachelor's degree in order to become a CRNA.
For extra support during school, join or create a study group with other students from your nursing program.
To make sure a school is accredited, check sources like https://www.aacnnursing.org/ or https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/.
Tip: If you've already obtained your RN through an associate's or diploma program, you can enroll in a 2-year RN-to-BSN program to complete your bachelor's degree.
3. Apply to your state board of nursing for licensure after you graduate. If you live in the U.S., you must apply for your nursing license with the state where you plan to practice. The procedure for applying will depend on where you live, but in order to become licensed as an RN in the U.S., you'll have to pass the NCLEX-RN before your license is granted.
You can find the information on your state's board of nursing here: https://www.allnursingschools.com/articles/nursing-state-boards/.
If you want to work in more than one state, apply for a multi-state license.
If you live in another country, you will need to apply for a nursing license through your country or region's nursing authority.
4. Pass the NCLEX-RN to become certified as an RN. After graduation, register to take the NCLEX-RN, or the exam required to become licensed as an RN. The computer-based test consists of at least 75 Question : s that will cover what you learned in nursing school, including health promotion and management of care. The test lasts 5.5 hours, plus 2 10-minute breaks.
Start studying 3-4 weeks before the test, using the study materials provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Purchase a review book and study it carefully. You should also plan to take at least 2-3 practice exams to familiarize yourself with the test format.
There's a $200 fee due at registration. You can register for the exam at http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex/ncsbn/.
After your registration is approved, you'll receive an Authorization to Test, or ATT. Once you have this, you can schedule your exam.
5. Work for a year as an RN. After you pass the NCLEX-RN and receive your license, focus on finding employment in an acute setting, such as an emergency room, ICU, or surgical ICU. This year of experience is required to enter a graduate-level nursing program.
When you find an open position that interests you, send in a polished resume, then dress professionally for your interview.
A year of experience is equivalent to about 1000 hours.
Due to the high demand for nurses worldwide, it will most likely be very easy to find employment once you're licensed as an RN. Search online job boards, classified ads, or go through your school's career center to find a position that's right for you.
Part 2 Becoming Certified as a CRNA.
1. Complete a Master of Science in Nursing degree in nurse anesthesia. Going through a graduate-level nursing program typically takes about 3 years. In your MSN program, you'll learn about anesthesia management and equipment, pain management, and physiology. You'll also get hands-on clinical practice, and will likely work directly under the supervision of a physician near the end of the program.
An accredited program is one that meets the standards set by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program (COA).
To determine if a program is accredited, visit https://www.aacnnursing.org/.
2. Take and pass the NCE to become a certified CRNA. The NCE, or National Certification Examination, is the exam which is administered by the National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists, or NBCRNA. The computer-based test will test the knowledge you gained during your master's program and clinical experience, and the length is variable.
The fee for the NCE is $995.
Register for the exam at https://www.nbcrna.com/exams.
To study for the NCE, study the content outline in the NBCRNA Handbook. This outline contains all of the information you need to know about registering for your test, as well as the information that will be covered. You can find the handbook here: https://www.nbcrna.com/publications/handbooks.
3. Apply for entry-level CRNA positions in the state where you're certified. The CRNA field, along with much of the rest of the medical field, is expected to continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Once you've successfully passed the NCE, look on job boards or go through your school's career department, and apply for entry-level CRNA positions. Your skills are likely to be in high demand.
Typically, you'll work under physician supervision, although this won't always be the case.
4. Enroll in a doctoral program to improve your career outlook. As early as 2025, CRNAs may be required to complete their DNP, or Doctor of Nursing Practice, as opposed to the masters-level education required today. Whether a doctorate is required or not, this level of education will give you a competitive edge in your career, resulting in better job opportunities and higher pay.
A DNP program typically takes about 1-3 years.
Community Q&A.
Question : Can I become a nurse anesthetist within two years of completing my bachelor's degree?Answer : Not according to the article. You will have to get at least one year of experience after getting your bachelor's degree, after which you'll need to pursue your masters. Supposing you do your bachelor's in four years and your masters in two, that's seven years total with the year of experience.
Question : How do I apply to become a nurse anesthetist in the USA and Canada?
Answer : First, you'll need to get your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, or BSN. Then you'll need to work as a Registered Nurse (RN) for at least a year, and finally, you'll be ready to apply to graduate school. Nurse Anesthetists are advanced practiced nurses, so depending on the nursing practice laws in your state or territory, you may need either a master's degree or a doctorate in order to practice.
Question : Do I have to have ICU experience only?
Answer : No.
Question : Does the experience in the ICU have to be as a nurse or can it be as a tech?
Answer : It usually must be one year as an RN in some form of ICU (PICU, CVICU, medical ICU, etc). Refer to individual program requirements for details, as requirements may vary.
Question : Can I become a CRNA if I've already obtained my bachelors?
Answer : Certainly! Just make sure you have completed the prerequisites for nursing school, graduate nursing school, and then get your masters degree in nurse anesthesia.
Question : Can I do my schooling for becoming a nurse anesthetist in another country and come to the USA, take the test, and become a certified CRNA?
Answer : Check the IFNA (International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists) for in-depth information concerning your Question : .
