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Life As a Nurse Anesthetist

Nurse Anesthetist Example 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.

A Day in the Life of a Nurse Anesthetist

  • Administer post-anesthesia medications or fluids to support patients’ cardiovascular systems.
  • Perform pre-anesthetic screenings, including physical evaluations and patient interviews, and document results.
  • Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
  • Develop anesthesia care plans.
  • Manage patients’ airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
  • Insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples.

Qualities of a Nurse Anesthetist

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

  • Staff Nurse Anesthetist
  • Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)
  • Staff Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesia Service (Staff CRNA, Anesthesia Service)
  • Chief Nurse Anesthetist
  • Associate Professor Program Director Nurse Anesthesia

What Kind of Nurse Anesthetist Job Opportunities Are There?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 41,800 jobs in the United States for Nurse Anesthetist. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,800 job openings in this field each year.

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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.

Nurse Anesthetist Average Salary

The salary for Nurse Anesthetists ranges between about $116,820 and $208,000 a year.

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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 & Technology 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

How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist

What kind of Nurse Anesthetist requirements are there?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse Anesthetist?

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Nurse Anesthetists Sector

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Similar Careers

Career changers with experience as a Nurse Anesthetist sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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