Life As a Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Anesthetist Definition 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.
Daily Life Of a Nurse Anesthetist
- Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
- Monitor patients’ responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
- Request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests.
- Discharge patients from post-anesthesia care.
- Assess patients’ medical histories to predict anesthesia response.
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Nurse Anesthetist Needed Skills
Nurse Anesthetists state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Other Nurse Anesthetist Job Titles
- Chief Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Chief CRNA)
- Associate Professor Program Director Nurse Anesthesia
- Staff Nurse Anesthetist
- Senior Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Senior CRNA)
- Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)
Job Opportunities for Nurse Anesthetists
There were about 41,800 jobs for Nurse Anesthetist in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 16.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6,800 new jobs for Nurse Anesthetist by 2026. The BLS estimates 2,800 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Nurse Anesthetist are Utah, California, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Hawaii, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Nurse Anesthetist Make?
Nurse Anesthetists make between $116,820 and $208,000 a year.
Nurse Anesthetists who work in Montana, California, or Wisconsin, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Nurse Anesthetists in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $161,780 |
Alaska | $187,690 |
Arizona | $144,670 |
Arkansas | $186,970 |
California | $212,210 |
Colorado | $172,700 |
Connecticut | $190,480 |
Delaware | $187,860 |
Florida | $177,390 |
Georgia | $151,070 |
Hawaii | $192,580 |
Idaho | $143,270 |
Illinois | $190,500 |
Indiana | $156,580 |
Iowa | $209,130 |
Kansas | $159,600 |
Kentucky | $172,780 |
Louisiana | $159,370 |
Maine | $170,300 |
Maryland | $191,160 |
Massachusetts | $191,320 |
Michigan | $180,560 |
Minnesota | $188,130 |
Mississippi | $163,320 |
Missouri | $159,080 |
Montana | $246,370 |
Nebraska | $189,030 |
Nevada | $163,220 |
New Hampshire | $171,800 |
New Jersey | $189,150 |
New York | $191,130 |
North Carolina | $178,250 |
North Dakota | $197,860 |
Ohio | $174,380 |
Oklahoma | $176,780 |
Oregon | $205,730 |
Pennsylvania | $171,250 |
South Carolina | $164,480 |
South Dakota | $188,360 |
Tennessee | $150,880 |
Texas | $158,510 |
Utah | $161,300 |
Virginia | $187,320 |
Washington | $195,610 |
West Virginia | $183,080 |
Wisconsin | $204,820 |
What Tools do Nurse Anesthetists Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Nurse Anesthetists:
- Microsoft Word
- MEDITECH software
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- eClinicalWorks
- e-MDs software
- SOAPware EMR
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- ChartWare EMR
- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
- Cerner Millennium
- SynaMed EMR
- Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- Medscribbler Enterprise
- Amkai AmkaiCharts
- StatCom Patient Flow Logistics Enterprise Suite
- Skyscape AnesthesiaDrugs
- AetherPalm InfusiCalc
- Drug database software
Becoming a Nurse Anesthetist
Education needed to be a Nurse Anesthetist:
What work experience do I need to become a Nurse Anesthetist?
Nurse Anesthetists Sector
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Related Careers
Those who work as a Nurse Anesthetist sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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