Is this job (nurse anesthetist) really as good as Im reading or no?

Nursing Students SRNA

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So basically Ive read around 150k a year, 36hr/wk, covered or low and around 7 years of schooling/training and high demand? Am I missing something or is this job perfect?

Specializes in Anesthesia.
Ok. Didn't understand. They paid for a hefty chunk of school then?

Yes, most military CRNAs goto school while active duty at one of the two military CRNA schools.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
I don't know if you are upset, but it sounds like you are. My main point in all of this was that CRNA's who act like money isn't an issue and never should be should just stop. Money DOES play a factor in every profession and choosing what one does with their life, whether you want to admit it or not. I've already talked about how it shouldn't be the only or main reason. I just tire of hearing from current CRNA's talk about how people who are intrigued by the profession, partly due to the increase pay are somehow evil/greedy.

And now that I'm thinking about it, who cares if someone went to CRNA school strictly for the money? If they are a competent anesthesia provider after they graduate, why does anyone even care? Yes, I realize this goes against everything I've been saying, but really, who cares why people pick careers? Is a CRNA who went into the profession for the money a bad person?

/rantover. bleh

I have made many posts on this exact same subject, so there is no reason to rehash this again and again. There are many people that feel the same way as you, but luckily they were all non CRNAs.

Money was not my even close to my top reasons to become a CRNA and for the ones that become CRNAs just for the money then IMO they are unlikely to ever significantly do anything for the nurse anesthesia profession.

If money is someone's top priority for becoming a CRNA and you see nothing wrong with it then you should not be afraid to tell the nurse anesthesia admissions committees that...

Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, OR, Med-Surg.
I suppose you evidence for the wild statements of money being the major factor? Or are you just pulling this from the air?

Part of being a clinician/provider is understanding evidence based medicine. You can't just say something without evidence. So if you have any studies that show the CRNA are mainly in it for the money and prestige, post them. Otherwise, please stop giving unfounded opinions especially as you are not a CRNA and not a NP either.

No offense intended.

I believe that everyone has a right to post their opinion. After all, this is a blog. I also agree with the poster that money was a very important consideration for most people seeking the anesthesia specialty. If it weren't the case, most ICU nurses could have chosen to go into the ACNP or CCNS route. Whether a person states facts or opinions is their prerogative. Evidenced based medicine deals with the clinical aspects of translating research and applying it to the clinical settings. If a person states an opinion that is their right to do and should be respected.

No offense intended.

Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, OR, Med-Surg.
Ok. Didn't understand. They paid for a hefty chunk of school then?

It's not just ICU nurses with the retention bonuses that are making more than the military CRNAs. All nurses who are certified in their specialty can receive the $20,000 a year bonus if they sign up for a 4 year commitment. It's just a matter of time I believe before the retention bonuses are taken away. Since the intent was to keep nurses in the military to compete with the civilian sector due to the supposed nursing shortage. Now that we know that the shortage is not as bad in some areas, I can't see the military continuing to issue the retention bonuses when a lot of people are not trying to leave the military since our workload at the bedside is nothing compared to how the civilian nurses work. At my part-time job, in the ICU we get 3 patients. In the military hospital where I work, we still have a 1:1 ratio and rarely will we go to a 2:1 ratio. Most military nurses in the ICU would not be able to last in the civilian ICU settings. In the military, we have technicians such as navy corpsmen, who can take their own ICU patient and do their own assessment and give PO meds. We have Army LPNs in the ICU and they get their own patient as well. In the civilian sector, I have never seen a CNA in their ICUs. We do primary nursing and just help our team mates out. I can honestly say that my work is not that bad in the military. If sequestration continues into FY 2014, Sec Hagel has already stated bonuses will be discontinued and promotions will be frozen and civilians staff will be laid off instead of furloughed. I'm leaving active duty at the right time.

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Oh Yeah? Like what??

Bond trader, banker, family practice doc., computer whiz, hooker. Taking call and coming into work the next day is no joke - it ages you. There's often no one to relieve you in the afternoon so you just have to stay and finish your room. Two of my colleagues had to finish their rooms before they could have their appendixes out! You EARN EVERY DOLLAR. You can't pee when you have to, no lunch breaks (surgeons are kings..nothing prevents them getting to their offices in the afternoons). Anesthesia is the piano player in the whorehouse. Patients think you're "just the MDA's assistant" and you have to accept that. The older I get the better I explain it to the patients how it really is - in a gentle way, of course.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

This is not a normal blog. This is a CRNA blog. Opinions may be right or wrong but are just that, opinions. Sadly, some people will believe them as gospel since it was written on the internet. As we SHOULD be all scientists here or at least working on becoming one as a CRNA,

I believe that everyone has a right to post their opinion. After all, this is a blog. I also agree with the poster that money was a very important consideration for most people seeking the anesthesia specialty. If it weren't the case, most ICU nurses could have chosen to go into the ACNP or CCNS route. Whether a person states facts or opinions is their prerogative. Evidenced based medicine deals with the clinical aspects of translating research and applying it to the clinical settings. If a person states an opinion that is their right to do and should be respected.

No offense intended.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

2012 PRO pay for CRNAs was 50k. CRNAs have received PRO pay since I was in the army in 1992. That is one incentive pay that will not stop.

Compare apples to apples. Either compare both ICU RN and CRNA as obligated or compare both ICU RN and CRNA as non-obligated. You can't mix and compare.

Even so though. The obligated CRNA STILL gets a 15k PER YEAR incentive pay for a 1 year commitment vs an un-obligated ICU RN who gets 20k only if they agree to a 4 year commitment.

So I still fail to see how an ICU nurse can make more than the CRNA. Take 2 majors, identical pay except for the incentive pay.

ICU RN incentive pay 20k per year for FOUR year commitment.

CRNA incentive pay 50,000 per year!

5. (U) INCENTIVE SPECIAL PAY (ISP) RATES. AUTHORIZED CRNA ISP AND RN

ISP RATES ARE PAID AS A LUMP SUM ANNUALLY AND ARE TAXABLE.

5.A. (U) SPECIALTY RN ISP RATES.

5.A.(1) (U) OBLIGATED SPECIALTY RN WHO HAS NOT COMPLETED THEIR INITIAL

ADO PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THEIR SPECIALTY RN ISP AGREEMENT

ARE ELIGIBLE FOR $5,000 FOR EXECUTION OF A 1-YEAR AGREEMENT. THE ADO

INCURRED AS A RESULT WILL RUN CONCURRENTLY WITH MOST EXISTING ADO'S.

5.A.(2) (U) OBLIGATED SPECIALTY RN WHO HAS 1-YEAR OR LESS REMAINING ON

THEIR INITIAL ADO, ARE ELIGIBLE TO EXECUTE A 1, 2, 3, OR 4-YEAR

SPECIALTY RN ISP AGREEMENT. THE ADO INCURRED AS A RESULT WILL RUN

CONCURRENTLY WITH MOST EXISTING ADO'S. THE RATES LISTED IN

SUBPARAGRAPH 5.A.(3) BELOW SHALL APPLY.

5.A.(3) (U) UNOBLIGATED SPECIALTY RN WHO IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION FOR

TRAINING OR ACCESSION INCENTIVES, OR IF A DIRECT ACCESSION PRIOR TO

THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THEIR SPECIALTY RN ISP AGREEMENT, ARE ELIGIBLE

FOR:

5.A.(3)(A) (U) $5,000/YEAR FOR EXECUTION OF A 1-YEAR AGREEMENT, OR

5.A.(3)(B) (U) $10,000/YEAR FOR EXECUTION OF A 2-YEAR AGREEMENT, OR

5.A.(3)© (U) $15,000/YEAR FOR EXECUTION OF A 3-YEAR AGREEMENT, OR

5.A.(3)(D) (U) $20,000/YEAR FOR EXECUTION OF A 4-YEAR AGREEMENT.

5.B. (U) CRNA ISP RATES.

5.B.(1) (U) OBLIGATED CRNA WHO HAS NOT COMPLETED THEIR THIRD-YEAR POST

GRADUATION FROM CRNA TRAINING PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THEIR

CRNA ISP AGREEMENT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR $15,000 FOR EXECUTION OF A 1-YEAR

AGREEMENT, OR

5.B.(2) (U) CRNA WHO HAS COMPLETED THEIR THIRD-YEAR POST GRADUATION

FROM CRNA TRAINING, ARE ELIGIBLE TO EXECUTE A 2, 3, OR 4-YEAR CRNA ISP

AGREEMENT. THIS IS REGARDLESS OF THEIR TOTAL CRNA ADO OR COMBINATION

It's not just ICU nurses with the retention bonuses that are making more than the military CRNAs. All nurses who are certified in their specialty can receive the $20,000 a year bonus if they sign up for a 4 year commitment. It's just a matter of time I believe before the retention bonuses are taken away. Since the intent was to keep nurses in the military to compete with the civilian sector due to the supposed nursing shortage. Now that we know that the shortage is not as bad in some areas, I can't see the military continuing to issue the retention bonuses when a lot of people are not trying to leave the military since our workload at the bedside is nothing compared to how the civilian nurses work. At my part-time job, in the ICU we get 3 patients. In the military hospital where I work, we still have a 1:1 ratio and rarely will we go to a 2:1 ratio. Most military nurses in the ICU would not be able to last in the civilian ICU settings. In the military, we have technicians such as navy corpsmen, who can take their own ICU patient and do their own assessment and give PO meds. We have Army LPNs in the ICU and they get their own patient as well. In the civilian sector, I have never seen a CNA in their ICUs. We do primary nursing and just help our team mates out. I can honestly say that my work is not that bad in the military. If sequestration continues into FY 2014, Sec Hagel has already stated bonuses will be discontinued and promotions will be frozen and civilians staff will be laid off instead of furloughed. I'm leaving active duty at the right time.
Specializes in Anesthesia.

Nomadcrna, Army rules for CRNA retention pay are different than the AF. The AF only allows CRNAs during their payback years to receive a maximum 1yr bonus of 10,000. The AF also states that we cannot maintain our old retention bonuses while going to an AF funded school. The rules are different for all uniformed services.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

My bad. I thought all branches were the same.

Specializes in Anesthesia.
My bad. I thought all branches were the same.

The max bonuses for nurses are the same for all the branches, but each branch decides how much of that bonus they are going to give out and the rules for each bonus.

I estimate that I gave up approximately 140K in retention bonuses when transitioning from ICU to CRNA, but I am very glad I did it.

Looking at CRNA programs, part of the curriculum is doing a residency. Does anyone know if that is a paid residency like what physicians have? Or is it normally for no money, just credit and experience? I'm just trying to understand if there is any way to make money while in a CRNA program.

it's a ~2 year program where you are a student. residents are doctors doing more training.

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