First Job as a CRNA...

[TheLemur]

Hi all,

I'd like to hear (read) some opinions on what to look for in a first job fresh out of CRNA school. I just started my program, no clinicals yet, but it can't be too early to start thinking ahead. There are various stipend possiblities to complicate it, but I'm not prepared to sign anything yet, and my financial situation does not make it imperative to do so at this point. So what kind of facility should I shoot for? Big teaching hospital with a residency or not? Medium-size hospital where CRNAs do more but without the sickest patients? Rural hospital? Anesthesia care team, yes or no? I've ruled out outpatient kind of stuff; do many new grads go into this anyway? Let's assume one could get a job anywhere and location is not a factor. What's the BEST situation for a new grad?

Appreciatively, An Arboreal Primate Native to Madagascar.

[gongju]

I am curious about this as well. It seems like (around here in southern california at least) that the big teaching hospitals that employ CRNA's will give you great experience and the ability to work with a lot of traumas, but do not pay as well as the medium size hospital where you might not see as much. And it seems like as far working in a rural hospital (where you would essentially be the sole anesthesia provider) or part of a private anesthesia team you need to at least have a couple of years or so of experience?

[EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN]

I have the same question. I assume you want to work for a place that will let you do everything, lines, regionals, etc. but is it better to work for an anesthesia group or be a hospital employee?

[soliant12]

I am curious about this as well. It seems like (around here in southern california at least) that the big teaching hospitals that employ CRNA's will give you great experience and the ability to work with a lot of traumas, but do not pay as well as the medium size hospital where you might not see as much. And it seems like as far working in a rural hospital (where you would essentially be the sole anesthesia provider) or part of a private anesthesia team you need to at least have a couple of years or so of experience?

Your program should prepare you well enough to work in a rural or solo practice. Several of my instructors started out in rural areas and 1 worked as a solo provider. You will still see some ASA IV cases in a rural area so they are not all easy Bread and Butter like a lot of job postings claim.

[yoga crna]

Get as much experience as you can in a variety of cases. All of my years in OB, hearts, neuro, trauma and pediatrics paid off when I went out on my own. It has been a long time since I have done any of the above, but those skills and continuous education are things I have used throughout my 46 years in anesthesia. Also, work where you have some back-up in other CRNAs or anesthesiologists. There is a lot to learn in anesthesia beyond your basic education.

Yoga

[soliant12]

Yoga is correct my clinical coordinator told me the exact same thing. I want to work rural when completed and figured I would need to do more rural rotations and he explained to me that instead of seeing two cases a day at a rural facility I needed to be as busy as possible seeing as much as possible for the exposure.

Get as much experience as you can in a variety of cases. All of my years in OB, hearts, neuro, trauma and pediatrics paid off when I went out on my own. It has been a long time since I have done any of the above, but those skills and continuous education are things I have used throughout my 46 years in anesthesia. Also, work where you have some back-up in other CRNAs or anesthesiologists. There is a lot to learn in anesthesia beyond your basic education.

Yoga

[TheLemur]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

[deepz]

Get as much experience as you can in a variety of cases. ........

Three words: Volume, volume, and then there's ... volume. Go where you get lots of cases, preferably of all kinds, ideally with every extra: lines, blocks, etc.

Your education truly begins as a CRNA when you take all your didactic knowledge and your basic skills out, and you polish those skills, over and over, analyzing continuously and teaching yourself how to do the art of anesthesia better with each new patient.

deepz