CRNA vs AA

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Hi, im trying to figure out what would be a better choice a nurse anesthesist or the anethesiologist assistant. I realize their are pros and cons to each but i need some opinions preferrably people in the field. Thanks

Gaswork isn't an advertisement, but an actual recruiting website that displays factual employment information. I agree that there is not complete representation of all types of employment on the site, but I find it very interesting that the majority of positions displayed are for very independent CRNA positions. They do provide recuitment for both rural and non-rural settings. In fact, I have found positions listed on that site for some of the major trauma centers in our area (Parkland, John Peter Smith, Scott and White, etc.) so there is a pretty good mix of positions for review. The website covers the entire US and other territories as well, so it offers some pretty good comparisons of positions from state to state. Obviously it's not the only recruitment site out there, but it is very extensive. AA positins are also listed on the site, and as you may have found they are scarce in comparison to CRNA jobs by locale.

Gaswork is a site full of advertisements for anesthesia groups, hospitals, etc. Call them what you will - they're ads. Gaswork, while an interesting resource, is hardly the be-all and end-all of anesthesia recruiting information in the country. Most groups don't use it for recruiting - otherwise there would be hundreds and hundreds of ads for each state. Many of the ads are placed by recruiting companies, hardly a great choice to find a quality position. There's a reason why hospitals and groups resort to using recruiters, and it's not because people are beating down their doors to grab the high-quality positions they're offering. The really good positions will rarely require recruiters.

AA positions do have a separate section on Gaswork, but many of the CRNA listings, particularly for ACT practices in states with AA's, are applicable for AA's as well. Employers for many of the listings in Georgia, Ohio, Missouri, Florida, and others, would be happy to have AA's apply as well.

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Well i dont see anything wrong with being an AA. I think its good because people considering being an anesthesiologist can do so much easier. Since they always have to be watched by an anesthesiologist they dont need as much exp. I just dont think you shouldnt respect them because they dont have nursing exp, after all they took tougher courses in college.

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On the contrary, many highly respected facilities do utilize the recruitment agencies, as you will note if you read the actual "ads" on the webiste. This is mainly because there is a very high demand for CRNA's and MDA's, and the marketplace is very competitive. Negotiating through a recuiter is a very smart move. In fact, on average the salaries and sign-on incentive tend to be higher when negotiated by a recruiter. You can give your recuiter specific items to take to the table such as benefit requirements, sign-on bonus, length of contract, loan repayment, etc. I know many CRNA's who have done it both ways and most of them say that their best outcome was after using a recuiter. As you stated, gaswork isn't the only website out there. But it is one of the few where not only recruiting agencies but also anesthesia groups, hospitals, and other facilities can directly recruit CRNA, AA's, and MDA's.

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Specializes in MICU & SICU.
Well i dont see anything wrong with being an AA. I think its good because people considering being an anesthesiologist can do so much easier. Since they always have to be watched by an anesthesiologist they dont need as much exp. I just dont think you shouldnt respect them because they dont have nursing exp, after all they took tougher courses in college.

I think you sort of have a misconception of what being watched is all about or you missed my point of what patient care experience really means.

So you are saying the your biology degree or whatever BS degree that you had was far tougher than Nursing school. I might retink that statement considering you have not endured nursing school. I suppose that working in the ICU is also much easier than whatever job a student in AA school did prior to school. You also have to think about this as well, when you say tougher classes, multiple people in my program have additional degrees prior to nursing in addition to a range of 4-9years of Intensive care experience. You have to be knowledgable about a topic prior to throwing out comments like that. :nono:

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On the contrary, many highly respected facilities do utilize the recruitment agencies, as you will note if you read the actual "ads" on the webiste. This is mainly because there is a very high demand for CRNA's and MDA's, and the marketplace is very competitive. Negotiating through a recuiter is a very smart move. In fact, on average the salaries and sign-on incentive tend to be higher when negotiated by a recruiter. You can give your recuiter specific items to take to the table such as benefit requirements, sign-on bonus, length of contract, loan repayment, etc. I know many CRNA's who have done it both ways and most of them say that their best outcome was after using a recuiter. As you stated, gaswork isn't the only website out there. But it is one of the few where not only recruiting agencies but also anesthesia groups, hospitals, and other facilities can directly recruit CRNA, AA's, and MDA's.

You must be a recruiter, or somehow your perspective has really been skewed somewhere along the way - almost universally, the CRNA's on this particular board have stressed not using recruiters. There is a reason employers use recruiters, and it is NOT because they have stellar job opportunities going unfilled. We would much prefer to pay our anesthetists a better salary or a signing bonus than pay a hefty commission to a recruiter. You are absolutely fooling yourself if you think quality employers with quality positions prefer to use recruiters.

We get calls every day from recruiters - we hang up on them. We have NEVER used a recruiter to find staff, and have never hired an employee through a recruiter. Never have, never will. Period. If an individual looking for a job doesn't have the initiative to put together a resume', and look up or call for our address, mail a resume', and follow up, (actually, we follow up all serious inquiries) then we're really not interested in talking with them, much less hiring them. Yes - the demand is there - plenty of places need anesthesia staff. The advantage is already with the person looking for a job. That's why someone looking for an anesthesia position doesn't need a recruiter - unless they're too lazy to do it themselves.

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I think you sort of have a misconception of what being watched is all about or you missed my point of what patient care experience really means.

So you are saying the your biology degree or whatever BS degree that you had was far tougher than Nursing school. I might retink that statement considering you have not endured nursing school. I suppose that working in the ICU is also much easier than whatever job a student in AA school did prior to school. You also have to think about this as well, when you say tougher classes, multiple people in my program have additional degrees prior to nursing in addition to a range of 4-9years of Intensive care experience. You have to be knowledgable about a topic prior to throwing out comments like that. :nono:

You don't know what jobs some of these AA students had prior to school, nor have you "endured" a BS program in the hard sciences (organic, physics, biochem, etc.) And there are TONS of CRNA's with that minimum one year of critical care experience, and many have just completed it as they enter their CRNA program. And I've met very few with additional degrees (ASN to BSN doesn't count as an additional degree). You have to be knowledgable about a topic prior to throwing out comments like that. :nono:

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Specializes in trauma ICU,TNCC, NRP, PALS, ACLS.

The salaries on gaswork.com seem a little outlandish. I can't image a CRNA making that kind of $$$. (But hhhhhhhmmm who knows just my opinion)

Actually, I think you're facts may be a bit inaccurate. The majority of anesthesia delivered in rural areas is by CRNA's only, with little or no access to MDA's. Visit www.gaswork.com to view current CRNA openings & you will note that the amount of time (if any) that the CRNA will be supervised by an MDA will be listed.
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Specializes in Level 1 Trauma, ICU, Anesthesia.
You don't know what jobs some of these AA students had prior to school, nor have you "endured" a BS program in the hard sciences (organic, physics, biochem, etc.) And there are TONS of CRNA's with that minimum one year of critical care experience, and many have just completed it as they enter their CRNA program. And I've met very few with additional degrees (ASN to BSN doesn't count as an additional degree). You have to be knowledgable about a topic prior to throwing out comments like that. :nono:

Organic, physics, biochem were all required prior or taken in my program. Careful where you get your stats. TONS huh? Just one year huh?

hmmmm... those must be the CRNAs that will work along side AAs.:lol2:

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Specializes in Level 1 Trauma, ICU, Anesthesia.

Hands down CRNA is the way to go. You can play that 'most CRNAs don't work independently" all you want. The fact is we can--you can't. That isn't a crack on AAs--it's just a fact. And in reality, AAs never will. Fact is, there are 37,000 CRNAs--half the anesthesia work force. How many AAs are there? 1700? Why would you want to play on a team with only 1700 players? Do you really think it's a contest? Come on. The AANA is one of the top 10 recognized organizations on Capital Hill--your going to compete with our organization? Get real. Give it another 50 years--then maybe. This is not our fault--its just the way it is. We worked hard to get to this point. I can't believe you would try to downplay our profession. Face it--AA is a runner up scenario. Your comments cement my feelings. AAs should be trying to befriend us not alienate us.

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The salaries on gaswork.com seem a little outlandish. I can't image a CRNA making that kind of $$$. (But hhhhhhhmmm who knows just my opinion)

Believe it or not those are accurate salaries. I know CRNA's that work in rural areas and make well over $200k. I live in the Dallas/FW area and the average salary here for a new grad is between $120 to $140k.

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You must be a recruiter, or somehow your perspective has really been skewed somewhere along the way - almost universally, the CRNA's on this particular board have stressed not using recruiters. There is a reason employers use recruiters, and it is NOT because they have stellar job opportunities going unfilled. We would much prefer to pay our anesthetists a better salary or a signing bonus than pay a hefty commission to a recruiter. You are absolutely fooling yourself if you think quality employers with quality positions prefer to use recruiters.

We get calls every day from recruiters - we hang up on them. We have NEVER used a recruiter to find staff, and have never hired an employee through a recruiter. Never have, never will. Period. If an individual looking for a job doesn't have the initiative to put together a resume', and look up or call for our address, mail a resume', and follow up, (actually, we follow up all serious inquiries) then we're really not interested in talking with them, much less hiring them. Yes - the demand is there - plenty of places need anesthesia staff. The advantage is already with the person looking for a job. That's why someone looking for an anesthesia position doesn't need a recruiter - unless they're too lazy to do it themselves.

Ha! No, I am not a recruiter. I am preparing to enter a CRNA program this fall. Many of the students I know are already working with recruiters to secure jobs upon graduation. So, are you a CRNA? It's true that there are people who say not to use a recruiter. On the other hand there are just as many folks who say it's a good idea. I think it's a personal preference. Also, I hardly believe that Southwestern Medical School (one of the top rated in the country) would be using recruiters (which they do) to find CRNA's because the jobs there are just so awful that no one wants to work there. Same goes for Parkland Hospital (level I top rated trauma center). Both have had advertisements on the website. So your theory that only the most loathesome of positions would be posted there seems a bit skewed. Obviously you either had a bad recruiter experience or are just anti-CRNA. I haven't figured it out yet. Anyway, again are you a CRNA, because if not you should probably not be speaking for the profession.

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Specializes in Level 1 Trauma, ICU, Anesthesia.
Believe it or not those are accurate salaries. I know CRNA's that work in rural areas and make well over $200k. I live in the Dallas/FW area and the average salary here for a new grad is between $120 to $140k.

That ain't nothing--I know numerous colleagues making over 200K and personally know several making over 300K. Opportunity is out there--you have to go find it. Without a doubt, areas in which AAs work tend to experience some salary depression. Not all, but many. There could be many reasons for this to occur.

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