If you became CRNA for the money did you end up......

Specialties CRNA

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End up loving it?

I'm strongly considering CRNA school for many reasons but primarily the salary. My opinion toward anesthesia right now is that it's not a passion or anything, I don't love it, I don't hate it, I'm very content/neutral toward it. This is holding back my decision to move forward because the schooling is so intense. Is there anyone that initially felt the same way as me but ended up falling in love with it? Anyone feel the same as me and regret pursuing CRNA?

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Bluebolt. ...You are right.But with overtime it can easily reach to 250k or more.Many places give time and half.Which don't give that,they give you 90 and hour or more on W2.

Huh? That didn't make a whole lot of sense, but I get that you think the opportunity to work bunches of overtime and make bunches of money through overtime is an advantage. On the other hand, not everyone wants to live at work. Some would like to actually go home and see their families.

This is completely ludicrous statement.

If you are a "people person" there is a good chance that you will not like being a CRNA. I am very outgoing and that is why I became a NP. I also love science. However, even the hospitals and private clinics do not want people persons anymore. They want robots lol! I have always been told I spend too much time with patients, BUT I always get good reviews.

If you can't "breeze" through your BSN, you should not consider CRNA school. Look into other areas of focus. CRNA school is on the order of several magnitudes more difficult. BSN as four years of easy easy easy.

How the hell did you breeze through your BSN? And how the hell can I do the same? LMAO

Ruby vee.....There are many jobs in Midwest and other areas where you get 220 to 250k for 40 hours plus 1 call weekly or biweekly.

CRNAs are getting ALMOST equal to family physicians and pediatricians.

Thankfully, barrier to entry is high and able to block people only in it for the money. If not, it would flood like the NP market and salaries would drop substantially. I'm glad the admission requirements and program material are so rigorous. It filters out the undedicated with only dollar signs in their eyes.

Thankfully, barrier to entry is high and able to block people only in it for the money. If not, it would flood like the NP market and salaries would drop substantially. I'm glad the admission requirements and program material are so rigorous. It filters out the undedicated with only dollar signs in their eyes.

ICUman you sound a little judg-ey of people who are financially motivated. You never know why someone is financially motivated unless you know their life. For all you know I could supporting a family member that takes an insanely expensive lifelong medication, or maybe my identity was stolen and I'm digging myself out of someone else's massive debt. Not everyone who is financially motivated is just trying to buy diamonds and jet skii's.

In addition you can be an excellent provider regardless of your motivation to get in the field.

Thanks so far for everyone's input, it's given me a lot to think about. I've decided that I don't think I'll pursue CRNA school for now. In the future I'll maybe re-visit the idea and shadow some CRNA's but it sounds like what helps you get through CRNA school is the passion for it which I am lacking so for now I'll say goodbye to it.

money always plays somewhat of a factor and one should not be guilty of that. I don't think I would medicine for 50k per year for life, but it is a great and interesting job.

More than likely people would not CRNA for 50k either, not when less stressful or full of liability jobs are out there.

If anybody wants to chase pure cash though go be a financial engineer for big banks.

I became a CRNA for two reasons: 1. A bedside nursing role did not offer sufficient autonomy or intellectual challenge despite several unit changes (perioperative (non-OR), adult/pediatric ICU, ER) and 2. money.

12 years later, having experienced multiple anesthesia practice types from solo independent to heavily-managed supervision employed by Anesthesia Management Companies, I can say with certainty that you SHOULD NOT pursue this career unless you enjoy nursing, modern health care, the OR environment, and anesthesia. It took 3 years out of my life to get through school, 5 years to pay my loans, and 7 more to save enough to change careers entirely at 45. I will retire from anesthesia within a year.

I still remember meeting my Program Director a few months into school and explaining my doubts, but I persevered for the payoff. I absolutely regret my decision and would never take this path again.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
ICUman you sound a little judg-ey of people who are financially motivated. You never know why someone is financially motivated unless you know their life. For all you know I could supporting a family member that takes an insanely expensive lifelong medication, or maybe my identity was stolen and I'm digging myself out of someone else's massive debt. Not everyone who is financially motivated is just trying to buy diamonds and jet skii's.

In addition you can be an excellent provider regardless of your motivation to get in the field.

If these are your motivations for going to anesthesia school, how in the world are you going to afford anesthesia school in the first place?

I became a CRNA for two reasons: 1. A bedside nursing role did not offer sufficient autonomy or intellectual challenge despite several unit changes (perioperative (non-OR), adult/pediatric ICU, ER) and 2. money.

12 years later, having experienced multiple anesthesia practice types from solo independent to heavily-managed supervision employed by Anesthesia Management Companies, I can say with certainty that you SHOULD NOT pursue this career unless you enjoy nursing, modern health care, the OR environment, and anesthesia. It took 3 years out of my life to get through school, 5 years to pay my loans, and 7 more to save enough to change careers entirely at 45. I will retire from anesthesia within a year.

I still remember meeting my Program Director a few months into school and explaining my doubts, but I persevered for the payoff. I absolutely regret my decision and would never take this path again.

If you could go back in time (knowing that bedside nursing wasn't for you), would you have pursued becoming a Nurse Practitioner (FNP or ACNP) instead? Or would you have remained a bedside nurse?

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