the future of CRNA's

richard13 · Feb 12, 2004

Hello, Welcome and good luck to both you and your wife.

I have done some research in the area and found that although

CRNA graduate numbers are increaseing each year, they fail

to keep up with CRNAs who retire, go on pregnancy leave and

do not come back etc...In Boston, Boston College has just opened

up a new CRNA program to try and meet the demands of the hospitals

in the area. Also, anesthesiology residents once abundent in the 80's

have significantly dropped. Another plus for the CRNA. Every CRNA I have

talked with, loves the job, loves the schedule, and loves the overtime.

I don't see the field becoming saturated anytime soon. I have an article

from the Mayo Clinic I'll try to e-mail you-but do a search on google, CRNA+shortage or something like that-you'll get a bunch of hits I'm sure.

Good luck

meandragonbrett · Feb 12, 2004

Statnurse,

I believe there have been some discussions on the board about this before. If you use the search function, I'm sure that you will find some great information in the forum archives. Also, welcome to the board and good luck in educational goals!! :)

Brett

yoga crna · Feb 13, 2004

Welcome to this board. You will find interesting people who are sincere in becoming or being a CRNA.

I would advise you to go to the website for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists where you will find invaluble information. Also, many state associations have excellent websites with information related to state and local issues.

As long as the population ages, broken bones need fixed, gall bladders need removed, babies need birthing, and pain needs relief, there will always be a need for CRNAs. Our education is stellar, our practitioners excellent and the demand is greater than ever. If you have read any of my past posts, you know that I am passionate about this field, have been in it almost 44 years and can't imagine retirement. There are so many things to love about it, so please read everything on this forum and get ready for a wonderful career.

YogaCRNA

Roland · Feb 13, 2004

Yoga, what is your opinion concerning the regulatory "turf wars" between MDA's and CRNA's? Do you see these as subsiding or that a stable "stale mate" might persist for decades? Personally, I think that IF CRNA's can consolidate effectively with other nursing organizations that they are in a strong position to favorably influence legislators. I am somewhat concerned about the expansion of AA's into CRNA's area's of practice. I believe that CRNA's should seek federal regulations that specify licensure to administer anything but local anesthesia. As an attorney what "game plan" seems most efficatious?

yoga crna · Feb 13, 2004

Roland,

The turf wars will always be there, because anesthesia is the only field of medicine where physicians and nurses do essentially the same functions. When I started anesthesia, in the dark ages, there was more of a difference, but now our education is on a higher level. There are many situations where the "team concept" works well and for some anesthetics, having another pair of skilled hands and anesthesia brain is excellent patient care.

The AANA is an excellent professional organization and is representing the needs of CRNAs in federal and state legislation and regulations. We have active communication with all nursing groups, but we are really light years ahead of all other groups in our lobbying efforts. They come to us for help. It has been my experience that, on all levels--nurses do not stick together. I don't, in my lifetime, believe I will ever see nurses take advantage of the strong political influence they could have if they were a cohesive group.

I don't know where you are in the CRNA process--wannabe, student or CRNA, but please become active with your state and national nurse anesthetist organizations. When eligible, get on some other web based forums and participate in the discussions. We are an incredible group, with excellent ideas that become actions. Donate money to CRNA PAC and to the AANA Foundation. Being good anesthetists has gotten where we are today, legal and legislative rulings will keep us part of the future.

Yoga CRNA

Berliner · Feb 15, 2004

"are schools meeting demands of the future?"

i've got to wonder the same thing. the csuf program had, as i understand from a reply to my woes of rejection, 400+ applicants for 35 positions (and 10 slots went to applicants held over from last year). is it the economic state of affairs in ca, or do all schools have this kind of ratio. the research i've found concurs- there is a crna shortage akin to the nursing shortage. a piece in the aana journal (feb 2003, vol. 71, no 1- "vulnerable time periods for attrition during nurse anesthesia education) points to the shortage worsening as a result of the retirement of the baby boomer generation and high rate of burn out among students. i hear that csuf is very good in guiding their students. any one got any input about their school, especially cal state univ. fullerton? :rolleyes: what about how small the acceptance pools are? another editorial (aana, dec. 2002, vol 70, no. 6- expansion of nurse anesthesia educational programs: where are the barriers?) speaks to the reduction in nurse anesthesia programs and the need to increase enrollment. cal state fullerton had increased their pool from 30 to 35. cited barriers were limited ability to train students in necessary procedures (maybe this is where the simulators will help a bit). other factors were "insufficient number of applicants [that may not now be a problem with the current economy esp. with the number of applicants i was up against], quality of the applicant pool, and budget shortfalls....". this is an interesting article that i'd love to get response to from current students and crnas!!!!

gaspassah · Feb 16, 2004

i think that there were 6 alternates from last year, so they took 29 this year. i think that kaiser is at critical mass now. being in a class of 35 there just is not enough space (classroom), clinical area(number of sites), and faculty to adequately give enough individual instruction to. we have a simulator and it was tough to get time with it to do much good. i'm at sunset kaiser right now and there are 16 kaiser students (jr/sr) plus a couple of texas weslyan students. when you have a slow day there is not another room to float to because it's either a case they dont want jr students doing, or there are students in the other rooms.

this does not include the specialty rotations like neuro and hearts where there is even more limited cases and sites.

there is just so much that the schools can do short of fundamentally changing the way they train students, faculty expansion, and clinical expansion.

d

Berliner · Feb 17, 2004

thanks gasspassah. Anyone else have any comments regarding their number of applicants and what your school's acceptance pool allows?

gaspassah · Feb 18, 2004

about 400 qualified apps from what i heard, 70 interviews for 35 positions.

d

sun_chica · Feb 18, 2004

Welcome to this board. You will find interesting people who are sincere in becoming or being a CRNA.
I would advise you to go to the website for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists where you will find invaluble information. Also, many state associations have excellent websites with information related to state and local issues.
As long as the population ages, broken bones need fixed, gall bladders need removed, babies need birthing, and pain needs relief, there will always be a need for CRNAs. Our education is stellar, our practitioners excellent and the demand is greater than ever. If you have read any of my past posts, you know that I am passionate about this field, have been in it almost 44 years and can't imagine retirement. There are so many things to love about it, so please read everything on this forum and get ready for a wonderful career.
YogaCRNA

Yoga, I've got a question about the field of CRNA??

Currently, I'm finishing up my senior yr of nursing, so in May '04 I'll have my AAS. Then I'll sit for the RN exam, work for ~6months, then continue for my RN to BSN. Then I'm seriously considering going to my CRNA but I'm unsure of a few things. I've done some reading, but what kind of cases are normally done by CRNA's, are most supervised? More importantly, do you feel that schools prepare you adequately...it's a very serious job with lots of responsibility. I don't mind the responsibility if I'm adequately trained. I just know that as a GN you tread water that first year b/c the real world is so different from school. any advice would be appreciated. thanks:p

meandragonbrett · Feb 18, 2004

Sun Chica,

Welcome to the board! I would higly advise that you spend some time reading through the archives of this forum as well as the FAQ at the top of the forum as many of your questions are answered in these two locations :)

Welcome to the board,

Brett