All About Nurse Anesthetists
Occupation Description 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, order, or administer pre-anesthetic medications.
- Insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples.
- 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.
- Instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses.
- Manage patients’ airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
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What Every Nurse Anesthetist Should Know
When polled, Nurse Anesthetists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Types of Nurse Anesthetist
- Associate Professor Program Director Nurse Anesthesia
- Chief Nurse Executive
- Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)
- Chief Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Anesthetist
Is There Going to be Demand for Nurse Anesthetists?
In the United States, there were 41,800 jobs for Nurse Anesthetist in 2016. 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. There will be an estimated 2,800 positions for Nurse Anesthetist per year.

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.
How much do Nurse Anesthetists make 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?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Nurse Anesthetists may use on a daily basis:
- 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
Individuals working as a Nurse Anesthetist have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse Anesthetist?

Where Nurse Anesthetists Are Employed

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

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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