The Job Description of a Nurse Anesthetist
Earning a nurse anesthetist certification is a sure-fire way to not only boost your earnings, sometimes by double, but also increase your professional clout and earn a specialty certification, all with just two to three years of further study and clinical experience.
What A Nurse Anesthetist Do
A nurse anesthetist is a vital member of a doctor or surgeon’s team, whether in a hospital, surgical center, dental practice, private office, etc. He or she works closely with a physician or anesthesiologist to provide patients with anesthesia-related care of all levels prior to and after many kinds of procedures. These high-level nurses are expected to carefully evaluate and prepare patients and work with the physician in charge to deliver the best anesthesia plans for patients.
Nurse Anesthetist Job Description
The basics of a nurse anesthetists’ job are to provide patients with anesthetic care before, during and after procedures, taking care to monitor vitals and continually evaluate patients as they progress. Some say that these nurses do everything a physician anesthesiologist does, particularly if in a rural setting, while others are quick to point out that these nurses administer and monitor a patient’s anesthesia and sedation themselves but are not the decision-makers behind the medication utilized.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are considered “advanced practice” nurses with a high degree of autonomy and respect within their field. According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, CRNAs can provide anesthetics to patients in every practice setting, for every type of surgery or procedure, and are often the sole anesthesia providers in nearly all rural hospitals and the armed forces.
Education And Training Of Nurse Anesthetists
Nurse anesthetists are RNs specializing in anesthesiology who have completed a master’s degree in nursing (which normally takes about two years to finish) and one year of related critical care experience.
Nurse anesthetists must pass a national certification exam and they are required to re-certify every two years by completing 40 hours of continuing education.