Are you considering a health-care career but aren’t sure what path suits your wants and interests? Below, we’ll explain why you should consider a career in nurse anesthesia, from the high wages to the meaningful responsibility that the position provides.
What Is a CRNA?
To work in nurse anesthesia, you must become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), but what does that mean? A CRNA is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), which means they have further education and training beyond a registered nurse (RN).
CRNAs have many duties and responsibilities, including educating patients before a surgery or procedure, administering anesthesia, and monitoring patients after the anesthesia procedure. While a surgeon and anesthesiologist will review and outline the basic principles of an anesthesia treatment plan, most of the duties of administering that plan will fall to the CRNA.
Why Choose a Career in Nurse Anesthesia?
Now that we understand what a CRNA is, we can better explain some reasons to consider a career in nurse anesthesia, whether you’re looking for fulfilling work or a flexible career.
Meaningful Work
The primary reason that many people become CRNAs is because it allows doing meaningful work every day. Every nurse does important work, but a CRNA has greater responsibilities.
Anesthesia is an integral part of most surgeries and many medical procedures, and the proper care and administration of the anesthesia is a weighty responsibility for anesthesiologists and CRNAs. If you want a career where you can help people daily and make a difference, a CRNA career may be right for you.
Freedom of Job Choice
Another benefit of being a CRNA is that it offers flexibility in where and when you want to work, especially if you choose to become a CRNA independent contractor. There are many pros and cons of becoming a CRNA independent contractor, but if you want a career that takes you to new places, you’ll likely enjoy this job.
There’s a growing demand for CRNAs, as many health-care providers require CRNA services for anesthesia procedures. Whatever type of health-care provider you’d like to work for, you will likely find an open position as a CRNA.
In-Demand
Lastly, joining a career with growing demand is always beneficial. Many areas within the health-care industry are growing with in-demand positions, but CRNAs are among the most sought-after specialists in the nursing industry today.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a significant increase in job growth for CRNAs in the rest of the decade due to the more common use of anesthesia. Higher demand means better wages and more opportunities for current and future CRNAs.
