CRNA's in the future...

[Skrawberri]

Hello.. In the near future I plan to go to college and get my BSN. But at the very end of my education, I plan to be a CRNA because I am so fascinated by anesthesia, and also because of all of the other "benefits" of being a CRNA. My question is.. and I know nobody knows the answer for sure.. But now that the CRNA profession is becoming so well known ($$$ issues), is it safe to say that the CRNA salaries are going to continue to stay as high as they are now? I want to be a CRNA... And I could tell you 9 other people that I know PERSONALLY who want to be CRNA's also, basically just because of the $$$.

Do you see salaries decreasing in future years? I am just wondering, because if things go as planned, I should be a CRNA in around 7 years, and I dont know if there is going to be as great a need for them then as there is now.

Any thoughts? Thanks. :)

[duckboy20]

Who thinks that the Anesthesiologists Assistant profession will gain a strong footing and severely hurt our CRNA profession in the long run? I think it is doubtful but I guess anything can happen, I just hope it doesn't!

[user69]

I would tend to believe that the increase in seats in CRNA programs are a much bigger threat to the future economic rewards than the AA issue. Did I read it on this board or another one, but somewhere I read that there were only 500 practicing AAs and only two schools after 30 years. I would be willing to bet that the number of CRNAs output per year has increased by that number in just the past 10 years. As a future applicant to CRNA programs I do not want to see the programs impose smaller class sizes, but once I graduate I probably will. Kind of like protesting city sprawl after I get my nice new 5 bd room house in the suburbs.

Any one that is not concerned about future earning potential before starting down the CRNA path is a fool. It is a huge commitment of time and money that any reasonable person will make sure that will pay off in a standard of living they want. This is not to knock the lucky trust fund kids that have a higher moral calling.

Sorry for the long post.

[Sheri257]

I would tend to believe that the increase in seats in CRNA programs are a much bigger threat to the future economic rewards than the AA issue. Did I read it on this board or another one, but somewhere I read that there were only 500 practicing AAs and only two schools after 30 years. I would be willing to bet that the number of CRNAs output per year has increased by that number in just the past 10 years. As a future applicant to CRNA programs I do not want to see the programs impose smaller class sizes, but once I graduate I probably will. Kind of like protesting city sprawl after I get my nice new 5 bd room house in the suburbs.

Any one that is not concerned about future earning potential before starting down the CRNA path is a fool.

Who knows what's going to happen in the next 20 years. But you also have to figure demand into the equation. I believe the AANA published a study in January showing that the increased slots in CRNA schools still weren't enough to meet current demand. And demand will probably increase with the aging baby boom generation, so increased CRNA slots may not be much of a problem. Unless, of course, AA's become more common. IMHO, that's the wild card in all of this, mostly because I don't underestimate the power of the physicians' lobby.