Satisfaction
Most CRNAs I know are very professional and are not complainers. There are probably many reasons including the two you mentioned, autonomy and pay. Also anesthesia is challenging, exciting and not at all routine. There are less "clipboard" type of supervisors or inane policies mandated. We are expected to keep up with the profession, read, attend meetings and to give excellent patient care. There is satisfaction to all of the above.
I also believe that the competitive process for admission to schools, the heavy science curriculum and focus on clinical expertise all lead to people who really want to go this direction. It also helps to have a strong professional organization supporting us and a strong presence in Washington DC and state capitals.
In my practice, I have no one to complain to, so I just go about my work and practice my yoga.
YogaCRNA
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