Nurse Anaesthetists

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I read in the Nursing Times recently that Nurses were finally being allowed to move deeper within the world of anaesthetics. i awas looking at anaesthetics in the U.S. where not only did i discover that 65% of all anaesthetics in the US are given by Nurses! But that anaesthetics was the oldest Nursing specialty with records of the practice going back to the early 1900's. A Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetist (CRNA), undertakes 24 to 36 months of intensive training to gain a Master Degree and license to practise as a Registered Nurse Anaesthetist. There are currently some 29,000 CRNA's practising all over the US.

I personally feel that this training model could be imported over to the UK with no problems at all. The course is not solely intended for theatre nurses. In fact many recommend that Intensive Care nurses should consider it as a career as in their job they monitor the patient closely and see the effect of the drugs and also make tough decisions on what is best for the patient. By the way the average salary for a Nurse Anaesthetist is $123,000!! (Which is £83,900!!!)

So who is with me? Anaesthesia can be a Nursing Specialty!!!!!!!!!!

Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

Hi, unfortuanetly we do not have a CRNA course here in the Uk. However, aprently at the end of this year, and it is already being piloted. They will be doing a new course, which will enable you to become Anaesthestic Practitioner. Salary...HAHA nowhere near as they would pay you in the USA. A Far Cry. Lets just leave it at that. http://www.rcoa.ac.uk/index.asp?PageID=761 Rumours are that it will be around 50k once qualified, im not sure whether thats optimistic, or pessimistic. Somebody else may knowmore. Good luck x

this is very timely for me as i have just yesterday seen a posting at my trust for an AP. just doing some research about it. i had looked into Nurse anesthetist in the states but there it's a very intensive MSN program and they really discourage you from working during the program, a little difficult to contemplate as a single mom!!

but what i've seen posted is a 27 month F grade trainee position, and looking at the AP website you can go on to get a master's (which i would cause i don't trust their "certificates"....)

anyway, i figure, i have a BSN, 10+ years in critical care, working in an ITU here in birmingham with no prospects of moving up, so what do i have to lose, the trainee position is a promotion for me!!!

i'm wondering, when you say 50K, is that £50K or $50K????

£50K i could be very happy with!!! i'm not out to get rich, just want to get out of ITU and into something i can do til i retire!!

Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

Hi ya Tracey, god all that experience in ITU, the schools in usa would snap you up. !! my game plan was to immigrate to America and do my 18 months contract with OGP and do the CRNA course as they only require you to have 1 year ICU experience. Obviously you would have a green card as you are sponsered, so you would be eligible to apply for loans. you usually need 2 years credit history in the states to do this anyway. Yes its not good to borrow, but some of the salarys you could earn as a crna in america, is more than what a surgeon would get paid here!..i know its ridiculous. However, in regards to the Uk, they say that 50 thousand pounds a year is what they will be paying you once qualified. Im not sure how much once training. It is very worthwhile doing , they only reason why i steered against it is because you STILL do not have as much autonomy as a CRNA in the states. 80% of CRNA administer anesthestia, where as here the Anesthesiologist will be upon your heels all the time!! Yes you still have to report to the Anesthesiogist in the USA but your given a lot more responsibility. I guess it all depends on what you want. However, you are in a brilliant position to get accepted to whatever you need to go good luck xx

Specializes in not qualified yet, ask me soon! x.

i just read you post again, and noticed it was f grade salary at trainee thats quite good. Id take the post!!! you have nothing to lose, your rite.!! let me know how you get on!!! where did you see that on nhs jobs?? xx

It does sound interesting, though I'm pretty sure the docs will resist giving all this power away at all costs (you'll see what I mean soon enough). But, I'm interested in knowing how you will gain the extra hours needed to gain a visa to the US in the first place? (peads, mental etc)

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