Experienced CRNA...ask me anything

Specialties CRNA

Updated:   Published

Okay...If you've read my posts you know that I will be retiring soon.

Now is your chance to ask a practicing CRNA anything.

12 years of experience from solo rural independent to medical-direction urban ACT. Former Chief and Clinical Coordinator of SRNAs.

I will not reveal my identity, specific locations, employers, or programs.

Anything else...ask away.

loveanesthesia said:
Glad to see an experienced CRNA stay in the workforce because a serious shortage is just at the beginning. We're going to need all hands on deck.

You think there is going to be a CRNA shortage? Why do you say that?

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Specializes in CRNA.

CRNA shortage can be seen by the number of open jobs increasing nationally. Demand is increasing due to a general increase in anesthesia demand due to the number of procedures with an aging population. Additionally CRNA demand is increasing due to a shift from MDA heavy practices to utilization of more CRNAs. Supply is flat with about 2400 CRNAs entering practice/year for the past 5 years. There is currently a relatively large number of CRNAs at 60 years or older and this group may delay retirement but they will leave practice at some point.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Hopefully a slight shortage from all of the older CRNAs retiring will drive up salaries by the time I graduate so I can pay off these loans :)

On the other hand, hopefully the ASA doesn't keep using the "shortage" of anesthesia providers as a means to push AAs into more states and pump more out in an effort to drive our salaries down. Curious to see how the market will respond to this.

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Specializes in CRNA.

I'm not sure there is a lot of room for CRNA salaries to increase. I wouldn't plan on that unless you are prepared for independent practice. CRNA retirement s are a secondary factor in the CRNA demand. Shifting to more CRNA independent practice is the most important factor. And independent practice can require more from CRNAs. No clocking in and out, but staying until the cases are done. Keeping up your clinical skills etc. As for AAs and the shortage, the ASA is going to use whatever they can to promote AAs because AAs keep MDAs in power.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
06crna said:
I left a medically-directed ACT practice with a stifling, hierarchical culture and returned to independent PRN/locums coverage. I'm traveling and having a great time.

With that being said, do you still regret going into the career now that you are actually enjoying it? I've been following his thread for a long time and have changed paths to become one.

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loveanesthesia said:
CRNA shortage can be seen by the number of open jobs increasing nationally. Demand is increasing due to a general increase in anesthesia demand due to the number of procedures with an aging population. Additionally CRNA demand is increasing due to a shift from MDA heavy practices to utilization of more CRNAs. Supply is flat with about 2400 CRNAs entering practice/year for the past 5 years. There is currently a relatively large number of CRNAs at 60 years or older and this group may delay retirement but they will leave practice at some point.

I agree with this. I really had every intention of retiring. But I have many contacts in multiple states, multiple state licensures, and my own company. There hasn't been a week when I haven't been contacted by someone, somewhere, asking me if I would be willing to provide coverage due to a staffing shortage (either expected or unanticipated).

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I agree. I can also state with certainty that well-rounded CRNAs with independent practice skills, experience placing their own regional blocks, and specialty expertise (OB, cardiac, peds), are greatly in demand.

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headofcurls said:
With that being said, do you still regret going into the career now that you are actually enjoying it? I've been following his thread for a long time and have changed paths to become one.

Honestly? Regardless of my present circumstance, if I had to do it all over again, I would not have become a CRNA. I wish I had the ability to see beyond the student loan debt I would have been burdened with when I was accepted into medical school. All I could see, as a young woman with no financial help from family or feds, was massive loan repayments for decades.

When I was accepted once again in my 40s, after I became a CRNA - it really was too late.

I am currently happy in my career...true. But, that has come with a heavy personal price. I live in a different state than my husband. In a rental home in an unfamiliar rural town. I work. A lot. More accurately, I am required to be available to work a lot. That does not leave time for much else. I'm having a good time - in my career - but this path is not sustainable for the long term. So we'll see...

That said, I still strongly believe that the CRNA role, especially in an independent practice setting, is the pinnacle of advanced nursing practice. Professionally speaking, my highest highs and lowest lows have occured when I was at the head of the bed. I wish you every success on your journey.

1 Votes
06crna said:
Professionally speaking, my highest highs and lowest lows have occured when I was at the head of the bed. I wish you every success on your journey.

Great thoughts to ponder. I'm sure a lot of CRNA's can identify with this as well.

1 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care.
06crna said:
Honestly? Regardless of my present circumstance, if I had to do it all over again, I would not have become a CRNA. I wish I had the ability to see beyond the student loan debt I would have been burdened with when I was accepted into medical school. All I could see, as a young woman with no financial help from family or feds, was massive loan repayments for decades.

When I was accepted once again in my 40s, after I became a CRNA - it really was too late.

I am currently happy in my career...true. But, that has come with a heavy personal price. I live in a different state than my husband. In a rental home in an unfamiliar rural town. I work. A lot. More accurately, I am required to be available to work a lot. That does not leave time for much else. I'm having a good time - in my career - but this path is not sustainable for the long term. So we'll see...

That said, I still strongly believe that the CRNA role, especially in an independent practice setting, is the pinnacle of advanced nursing practice. Professionally speaking, my highest highs and lowest lows have occured when I was at the head of the bed. I wish you every success on your journey.

Why do you wish you would have gone the medical route? The loans are horrifying to me as well. I know no job is perfect. But my ideal job would be one where I make a great income and don't have to spend all my time at work. I want to work to live not live to work. Work life balance is very important to me but my income as a bedside nurse just isn't where I want it to be without tons of overtime. Thoughts?

1 Votes

I am interested in attending CRNA school at some point in the future. I have been reading up on requirements and such and I am a bit concerned as to if I will even be able to get into a program. I started my nursing education at a university when I was 18. I had to transfer due to financial issues.

I graduated from a diploma program and currently enrolled in a BSN program that I will have completed in about 3 weeks. However, I have been reading about requirements such as schools wanting a Statistics, Assessment, and Pharm grade of a B or better. I took those classes at my first school and not sure if I would qualify from those three classes. My graduating GPA from my diploma program was around a 3.6 and i received an A in advanced pharm while i was there. I was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge as to how strict CRNA programs are with those prereq classes? Do they take growth of GPA, grades, etc. into account?

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headofcurls said:
Why do you wish you would have gone the medical route? The loans are horrifying to me as well. I know no job is perfect. But my ideal job would be one where I make a great income and don't have to spend all my time at work. I want to work to live not live to work. Work life balance is very important to me but my income as a bedside nurse just isn't where I want it to be without tons of overtime. Thoughts?

I wish I had gone medical school because I understand myself well enough now to know that I am a problem-focused thinker who likes to be constantly moving and interacting with patients. I did not spend enough time following practicing CRNAs to understand their day-to-day role. Had I truly known what I was getting into, or insightful enough to listen to my inner misgivings the first couple of semesters of my program, I would not have continued on this path.

My general belief is that when you are one of the lucky few who is paid to do what they really enjoy, work is not "work". For the rest of us, the criteria you listed - great income, work-life balance, reasonable hours - makes the CRNA profession a very appealing choice in nursing. I know of no other nursing specialty that is more autonomous and more highly compensated.

However, those criteria can cause a good deal of friction between more mature, experienced CRNAs who view anesthesia as a profession where you work until the work is done, and younger CRNAs who view anesthesia as a job with 15 minute breaks, a 30 minute lunch, out by 3, and no call/nights/weekends.

Absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a career based on lifestyle and compensation. Just make sure the career is one that suits your personality and skill set, because if you are discontented every time you walk in the door, it matters not how much money you make.

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