difference between Nurse Anesthetist and anesthesiologist

[lpnstudentin2010]

is a anesthesiologist the same as a nurse anesthetist? Just wondering although I am not yet even a pre-nursing student because in my life I have had four surgeries and may, in the near future, behaving another.

[hawklord]

doesn't one make decisions and the other carry them out like less anesthesiaologists and more crna's to carry out jobs while other group does desicions and make triple money:twocents:

[kirbybunny]

hawklord said:

doesn't one make decisions and the other carry them out like less anesthesiaologists and more crna's to carry out jobs while other group does desicions and make triple money:twocents:

This makes no sense.

[californianurse]

hawklord said:

doesn't one make decisions and the other carry them out like less anesthesiaologists and more crna's to carry out jobs while other group does desicions and make triple money:twocents:

:yeah:That was hilarious!

[cmyoung18]

I have to agree with you, and you make the most sense. You work to live not live to work. I myself think CRNA's are fully capable of doing what they do, if they were do you think the state and government would let them work and do it? no. There is nothing wrong with the salary being paid, and not all anesthesiologist do it for the money, yes it has some to do with it but like you said you work to live and if you can help people at the same time, then why not

CRNA and anesthesiologist both deserve their position. This year I'm actually starting my 4 years of undergrad to become an anesthesiologist.

[DocHolliday]

WAREAGLE said:

An anesthesiologist is a doctor that has specialized in anesthesia. A nurse anesthetist or CRNA for short (certified registered nurse anesthetist) is a registered nurse that worked in a critical care area for at least 1 year (usually much more) before returning to school for 2+ years for specialty training in anesthesia. CRNAs are masters prepared. (except for older ones that trained prior to a masters degree requirement.) Both anesthesiologist and CRNAs are very educated and capable of delivering quality anesthesia care. The main difference in my opinion is that CRNAs bring compassion and a human touch into the anesthesia setting.

"The main difference is that CRNAs bring compassion and human touch to the anesthesia setting"?

That is such a wishy-washy comment, you know that? Why don't you go ahead and define "compassion" and "human touch" for us, and tell us how it is you conclude that anesthesiologists fail to practice their specialty of medicine without compassion and human touch.

Why don't you tell the original poster the real difference between CRNAs and anesthesiologists? You know, like anesthesiologists being doctors and CRNAs being nurses; like anesthesiologists spending four years in anesthesiology residencies (including a year of internal medicine rotation); like anesthesiologists being experts in critical care medicine and pain management.

[DocHolliday]

apaisRN said:

I mentioned to a surgical resident that I was going to CRNA school. She said "That's a GREAT job, if anything goes wrong you just call the attending!"

She hit the nail right on the head.

Look, let's be honest here....

The only reason your job is around today is because you work cheap compared to anesthesiologists. You're not the best anesthesia providers. You're the cheapest.

I cannot imagine any hospital board actually concluding that they'd rather have nurses than physicians handling their patients' anesthesia needs. They are making a judgment call based on money. These hospitals just cannot afford anesthesiologists. That's why the vast majority of hospitals whose anesthesia services are provided soley by CRNAs, without anesthesiologist oversight, are rural hospitals, i.e. hospitals that have to pinch pennies.

Hospitals in more developed areas, i.e. hospitals that have more money--and more complicated patient pools, invariably want anesthesiologists in the picture.

[firecoins]

DocHolliday said:

She hit the nail right on the head.

Look, let's be honest here....

The only reason your job is around today is because you work cheap compared to anesthesiologists. You're not the best anesthesia providers. You're the cheapest.

I cannot imagine any hospital board actually concluding that they'd rather have nurses than physicians handling their patients' anesthesia needs. They are making a judgment call based on money. These hospitals just cannot afford anesthesiologists. That's why the vast majority of hospitals whose anesthesia services are provided soley by CRNAs, without anesthesiologist oversight, are rural hospitals, i.e. hospitals that have to pinch pennies.

Hospitals in more developed areas, i.e. hospitals that have more money--and more complicated patient pools, invariably want anesthesiologists in the picture.

i totally agree

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

cmyoung18 said:

I have to agree with you, and you make the most sense. You work to live not live to work. I myself think CRNA's are fully capable of doing what they do, if they were do you think the state and government would let them work and do it? no. There is nothing wrong with the salary being paid, and not all anesthesiologist do it for the money, yes it has some to do with it but like you said you work to live and if you can help people at the same time, then why not

CRNA and anesthesiologist both deserve their position. This year I'm actually starting my 4 years of undergrad to become an anesthesiologist.

Just curious (really!): Why do you think, at your tender age, that you want to be an anesthesiologist? What is the lure for someone who has not even started college? What is the attraction and why do you think that you are suitable for the job and the job is suitable for you?

[Future-Male-RN]

I keep reading posts that seem to imply that it is wrong to be in this field if money is a good part of the factor. I feel that that is very unfair! No one works for free and if you are going to give your time and money (schooling tuition) they why not get the most out of it. Just because someone is in it for the money does not mean that are void of empathy. I know that if I do something regardless of enjoying it or not, I want the best compensation I can receive and there is nothing wrong with that.

What I could almost guarantee, with all certainty, is that the ones here looking down on us, because we would enjoy the money that is allocated for such a position like this, would not walk into HR and tell them that they would take a RNs salary instead of the $XXX,XXX the title cost with.

Eddie

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

I don't think people are implying that you lacking in empathy if you become a CRNA purely for monetary reasons. No one should do ANYTHING in life just for the money. The point is that you can spend three years of your life in school and spend the rest of your life doing something you despise doing - just because its a good paycheck. Once you spend the years in school, its really hard to walk away from all that investment in money and having a life. Believe me, you EARN every dollar in anesthesia. It is incredibly stressful, most corporations are just as dysfunctional as the floor you came from and after taxes you're not rich. Its a wonderful profession for adrenaline addicts = keeps you on your toes.

[Future-Male-RN]

subee said:

its a wonderful profession for adrenaline addicts = keeps you on your toes.

dm

[leilrodgers]

I know there are differences between the two obviously, that's common sense. What I want to know is if the Anesthesiologist oversees the procedures, is he also there at the time the Nurse Anesthetist is overseeing the procedure or does he give the numbers to follow to the Nurse Anesthetist and leave the procedure? If the Nurse Anesthetist oversees the patient from beginning to end why have both? My opinion is the Dr. sets the amount of anasthesia to be used and turns the actual monitoring to the Nurse Anesthetist. Am I right?