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?

To those of you who are already CRNA's, did you work as a nurse during your program or did you have to quit because of the vigorous program?

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

I live in rural southeast NC and there are some here making $112,000/yr here with 3 to 5 years experience so I'm sure there are a good but of CrNAS making $150,000/yr in other places.

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To those of you who are already CRNA's, did you work as a nurse during your program or did you have to quit because of the vigorous program?

I know people who quit and I know people who continued working. It all depends on you.

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Tough crowd, tough crowd :blackeye:

I'm not a CRNA, and upon second look maybe I should have been more reserved in posting within the CRNA forum. It was just a joke and no offense was meant. However, the joke probably rises from a bit of annoyance with statements like, "think about money last" when you're considering a career path. I don't know about you, but I work for money. Yes I get some intrinsic joy out of what I do, which is a bonus, but the fact is, if they didn't pay me, I wouldn't do it, which I would venture a guess that many CRNAs hold the same thought. I get annoyed seeing CRNA's dissuading everyone and anyone who mentions anything about the money they make from going into that career path, as if the current CRNA thought nothing of the salary and wanted nothing more than to pursue their career for the fuzzy feeling it gave their heart.

On the flip side, I believe I can see where the CRNAs are coming from when they get annoyed with anyone who's ever Googled fastest way to become a CRNA or online CRNA programs or accelerated CNA to CRNA. I get it. There's a lot of flaky people out there that see dollar signs and don't have a clue what a CRNA does let alone what a nurse does.

My only point is that if I didn't consider the money, I would still be broke, in a rock band, eating Kraft every night. So I have an appreciation for people that say, "I want a better life, how can I make that happen?" I've seen too many people with stars in their eyes and dreams in their heads not do a thing with their life because they're still wondering, "Would I make it? Would I be good at that?" I say just do it.

What CRNAs mean when they say don't do it for the money is that the process to become a CRNA is long and not easy and the job comes high responsibility and liability. You could probably make the same amount of money had you invested your time and efforts into some other career. Also most CRNAs have student loans over 100K that they have to pay back with interest. Plus you have to pay . Some jobs are 1099 contracts meaning you have to pay your own taxes. So basically half of what you make as a CRNA (if not more) is gone to taxes, insurance, and other expenses.

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I have never heard this position...not that I am for Obamacare, but that sounds reasonable

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It takes 7yrs to be an CRNA? Why not become a doctor with that much schooling?

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It takes 7yrs to be an CRNA? Why not become a doctor with that much schooling?

That makes sense. One might as well choose to become a MD. Although becoming a doctor will require a little more time and more debt. If you fail in medical school you have a biology/chemistry or similar degree to fall back on. If you fail in CRNA school you have your BSN and RN to fall back on. You will make more money as a MD in the long run. Which one is better? It's a personal choice...

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It takes 7yrs to be an CRNA? Why not become a doctor with that much schooling?

I didn't plan on going back to school, it just happened that way. I got my BSN and decided to go further after starting as an RN.

It's a good route to go, BSN to CRNA. I graduated in my early 20's, got to travel around, get married, enjoy time with my family, and now that I'm a bit more mature and experienced in practice, I am going back to school, will put in the required 2 years, and jump right into a full-time career afterwards.

As an MD, you dedicate every year of your life between 18 and 26 to school (unless you started at 17, then it's obviously 25). Then if you want to specialize (which I would have), you go through internship, residency, fellowship, and then you find a job at 30 or so, maybe 32. And the hours are grueling. You can't work in med school, so loans. As an intern/resident/fellow, they make less than I do as an RN. So you ain't paying off loans yet, and you don't have the time/money to travel the world. You only start thinking of paying off loans at maybe 30 or so, unless your parents paid for everything for you. So now you're in your early 30's, hundred of thousands in loans, and you had little free time your 20's.

For some people, they might enjoy that kind of lifestyle. I, however, would not. Some of my best friends are doctors and are at the age where they're finally looking for an attending gig, but I can tell you every one of them is burnt out on the hours and the work involved to get there. Some of them have straight up told me if they knew then what they knew now, they'd never have gone into medicine. A lot of them didn't get to see their children grow up. One of my mentors is an attending, has been for decades, and he even advised me against following in his shoes.

As was said earlier, there are much easier ways to make the kind of money a CRNA or an experienced MD can make. I have good friends who never went further than a Bachelors degree, and they were rolling in money years ago. Smart business decisions and connections can earn you way more.

Advanced healthcare degrees are a calling, and I'm grateful for that. I wouldn't want to work alongside people who went the same route I did simply because they thought it was good money.

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

I didn't plan on going back to school, it just happened that way. I got my BSN and decided to go further after starting as an RN.

It's a good route to go, BSN to CRNA. I graduated in my early 20's, got to travel around, get married, enjoy time with my family, and now that I'm a bit more mature and experienced in practice, I am going back to school, will put in the required 2 years, and jump right into a full-time career afterwards.

As an MD, you dedicate every year of your life between 18 and 26 to school (unless you started at 17, then it's obviously 25). Then if you want to specialize (which I would have), you go through internship, residency, fellowship, and then you find a job at 30 or so, maybe 32. And the hours are grueling. You can't work in med school, so loans. As an intern/resident/fellow, they make less than I do as an RN. So you ain't paying off loans yet, and you don't have the time/money to travel the world. You only start thinking of paying off loans at maybe 30 or so, unless your parents paid for everything for you. So now you're in your early 30's, hundred of thousands in loans, and you had little free time your 20's.

For some people, they might enjoy that kind of lifestyle. I, however, would not. Some of my best friends are doctors and are at the age where they're finally looking for an attending gig, but I can tell you every one of them is burnt out on the hours and the work involved to get there. Some of them have straight up told me if they knew then what they knew now, they'd never have gone into medicine. A lot of them didn't get to see their children grow up. One of my mentors is an attending, has been for decades, and he even advised me against following in his shoes.

As was said earlier, there are much easier ways to make the kind of money a CRNA or an experienced MD can make. I have good friends who never went further than a Bachelors degree, and they were rolling in money years ago. Smart business decisions and connections can earn you way more.

Advanced healthcare degrees are a calling, and I'm grateful for that. I wouldn't want to work alongside people who went the same route I did simply because they thought it was good money.

Great post!

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I'm hoping to become CRNA one day. If I start when I'm 18, I should be what, 26, 27 when I've completed the program?

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Is it possible to go through the CRNA or NP program and have a family? I have 3 small children and I'm just now planning to start bsn nursing program.

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Is it possible to go through the CRNA or NP program and have a family? I have 3 small children and I'm just now planning to start bsn nursing program.

I know many people who have done it. You can do it too.

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