CRNA VS anesthesiologist MD

Specialties CRNA

Published

I am trying to decide weather I should become a CRNA or anesthesiologist.

Can anyone help with the pro's and con's of each

What do CRNA do that is different than a anesthesiologist?

What can a anesthesiologist do that a CRNA can't?

Any other information would be great (I have a huge interest in anesthesiology, and I am in a BSN program now, but I have been told to look into becoming a MD instead of a CRNA.)

Any help would be great. And thanks!

Specializes in ICU/Trauma..SRNA.
The pay is definately a BIG difference. More schooling to become a MD. You can do more than a CRNA. A CRNA work under the MD.

That is absolutely inaccurate....

CRNA's are the only advance practice nurse that have the SAME scope as an MD!

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Specializes in ICU/Trauma..SRNA.

WOW the level of or lack of info here in regards to this specialty is phenomenal....

there is plenty of info out there....that is not hearsay...

FIRST you need to decide if yu want to be a NURSE or a DR...that is the starting point!

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Specializes in CRNA.
however when a CRNA works independently they are pushing into the area of practicing medicine. There's legislation going around that is either going to open up the CRNA field by allowing independent practice or limit CRNAs to require MD supervision (whether it's an MDA or any other MD is another issue).

CRNAs do not practice medicine, the courts have decided the question multiple times, beginning in the 1930's. When a CRNA administers anesthesia, it is the practice of nursing. I'm not sure what legislation you are referring too, but several state governor's have requested to "opt out" of the Medicare billing requirement for physician superivision.

Many states do not require CRNAs to be physician supervised, and no state requires that a MDA supervise a CRNA. A CRNA may work with a surgeon in every state without an MDA. Thirty-nine states do not have a physician "supervision" requirement for CRNAs in nursing or medical laws or regulations. If clinical "direction" requirements are considered in addition to "supervision," 31 states do not have a physician supervision or direction requirement for CRNAs in nursing or medical laws or regulations. Taking into account state hospital licensing laws or regulations as well, 33 states still do not require physician supervision. Taking into account state hospital licensing laws or regulations, 24 states still do not require physician supervision or direction. 14 states have "opted out" of the federal supervision requirement.

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CRNAs do not practice medicine, the courts have decided the question multiple times, beginning in the 1930's. When a CRNA administers anesthesia, it is the practice of nursing. I'm not sure what legislation you are referring too, but several state governor's have requested to "opt out" of the Medicare billing requirement for physician superivision.

Many states do not require CRNAs to be physician supervised, and no state requires that a MDA supervise a CRNA. A CRNA may work with a surgeon in every state without an MDA. Thirty-nine states do not have a physician "supervision" requirement for CRNAs in nursing or medical laws or regulations. If clinical "direction" requirements are considered in addition to "supervision," 31 states do not have a physician supervision or direction requirement for CRNAs in nursing or medical laws or regulations. Taking into account state hospital licensing laws or regulations as well, 33 states still do not require physician supervision. Taking into account state hospital licensing laws or regulations, 24 states still do not require physician supervision or direction. 14 states have "opted out" of the federal supervision requirement.

Sorry, I forgot to specify interventional pain management. It just happened a couple months ago.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/05/11/prsa0511.htm

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Sorry, I forgot to specify interventional pain management. It just happened a couple months ago.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/05/11/prsa0511.htm

This may be a little ignorant, but what is the difference between placing an epidural in a chronic pain patient and placing an epidural in an OB patient???

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The diagnosing of the cause of pain...

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Specializes in CRNA.
Sorry, I forgot to specify interventional pain management. It just happened a couple months ago.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/05/11/prsa0511.htm

Oh, interventional pain managment is a contentious issue, as the article you reference states, some State's regulatory bodies are of the opinion it is the practice of medicine, and some State's are of the opinion that it is not. In the previous post it appeared that you were stating that "independent" CRNAs were practicing medicine, and that is not true (that would be illegal).

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Specializes in ICU.

I've only heard this second hand but....

My uncle is an anesthesiologist and one of the reasons he choose that speciality 30 some years ago was b/c it wasn't as popular and residency was easier to get into competiton wise. Today its the exact opposite. Its one of the most highly sought after residencies since the pay is excellent and the hours are tough to beat. So, not only will you need to attend quite a bit more schooling, but the competition for anesthesiology is intense as well.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
>

That he doesn't think his kids have what it takes to become an anesthesiologist.

And that CRNA school is easy?

Let's ask the CRNAs what they think about THAT.

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Specializes in ICU.
And that CRNA school is easy?

Let's ask the CRNAs what they think about THAT.

Good lord, where did I say that in my post? Did you actually read it before posting?

CRNA school is difficult for sure. No need to get hypersensitive about it.

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Specializes in CRNA.
I've only heard this second hand but....

the hours are tough to beat. So, not only will you need to attend quite a bit more schooling, but the competition for anesthesiology is intense as well.

competition goes up and down as the perception for income goes up and down. 10-15 years ago residency slots in anesthesia went unfilled because the perception was that the income was going down. I think that is going to happen again as changes in health care unfold. As for the hours, if you are in an outpatient surgery center, maybe they "are tough to beat", but in the rest of the world they are long. Need to cover the obvious things like trauma, OB, emergency appy's etc, but also need to cover the evenings when the surgeons are done at the outpatient surgery center, and need to do the inpatient cases late in the day after the outpatient center closes. This does seem to be a shock to some of the new anesthesiologists, they are unhappy with the number of days they are there until 6, 8, or 9 pm. And that's not on the Call days, I've often wondered to myself "what did they expect", but maybe they had the same expectation as you have of the hours.

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As for the hours, if you are in an outpatient surgery center, maybe they "are tough to beat", but in the rest of the world they are long. Need to cover the obvious things like trauma, OB, emergency appy's etc, but also need to cover the evenings when the surgeons are done at the outpatient surgery center, and need to do the inpatient cases late in the day after the outpatient center closes. This does seem to be a shock to some of the new anesthesiologists, they are unhappy with the number of days they are there until 6, 8, or 9 pm. And that's not on the Call days, I've often wondered to myself "what did they expect", but maybe they had the same expectation as you have of the hours.

Yes. My father was an anesthesiologist. For most of my life (until he retired in his 70s), he was at the hospital before 7a, gave anesthesia 7-3 (roughly), then made his rounds on follow-ups and the next day's cases. He typically got home some time around 6 PM. Once he was home, it was v. common for him to be called in for emergency surgery during the evening and/or in the middle of the night (and, in that case, he still had to be at the hospital at the regular time in the morning for his scheduled cases). Then there were the weekends on call. It was not a "cushy" job by any stretch of the imagination. I still marvel that he did this without complaints for decades ...

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