Is this job (nurse anesthetist) really as good as Im reading or no?

Anoetos, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2012

No, that's about right, but the programs are very competitive and hard to get into, not to mention very difficult...and it's a ridiculous amount of responsibility once you start working. But if you can get in and get through it, yeah, thats what it is.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 6, 2012

From what I see:

- it is more commonly much more than 36 h/week;

- the demand is much lower than people think.

BCRNA · Dec 6, 2012

So basically Ive read around 150k a year, 36hr/wk, covered or low malpractice insurance and around 7 years of schooling/training and high demand? Am I missing something or is this job perfect?

Most crnas work 40 hr weeks, but it is possible to work 36. The demand is down just a little right now, but no new grad is jobless if they are willing to move, or wait several months if they dont move. Only certain areas are oversaturated, mainly large cities with anestgesia programs. Locals go to school there and dont move after graduation.It is a great career, but dont do it just for the money. Honestly, Obamacare is going to bankrupt health care within the next ten years, no one in healthcare will get paid then. Unless they actually fund the program with a sustainable flow of income.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 7, 2012

Honestly, Obamacare is going to bankrupt health care within the next ten years.

No it will not! Plenty of organizations and insurance companies have implemented the policies structured around the Affordability Care Act BEFORE the last election and they are not going bankrupt. They have more customers and are getting paid to care for more rather than dealing with people who are uninsured that do not pay their bills. If you think that the status quo (having a system of uninsured who cannot pay bills flooding the ED and hospitals everyday) has not bankrupted Health Care, then you should definitely not think that insured people through the Affordability Care Act will bankrupt anybody.

loveanesthesia · Dec 7, 2012

So basically Ive read around 150k a year, 36hr/wk, covered or low malpractice insurance and around 7 years of schooling/training and high demand? Am I missing something or is this job perfect?

Nurse anesthesia is a great career-but the salary should be the last thing you consider. There are much easier ways to make 150k a year. Also if working less than 40 hrs/wk is important to you, I think you could be very disappointed. I've always worked full time salary, and maybe a couple of weeks per year it's 36 hours, mostly it's around 45, and at the end of the year 50 hour weeks are common. As money in health care gets tighter, work hours per week are not going to decrease.

You should pick a career based on your particular strenths and weaknesses-not 150k for 36hr/wk. Do you like high stress environments? Do you always want to keep learning? Can you live with the fact that if you make a mistake/misjudgement you could cause harm? Are you really good at science? Can you learn a lot of information really quickly? Can you physically handle long days in the OR cheerfully? Can you stick with something (anesthesia school) and put in a lot of effort even when you think you might fail? Can you put the patient's best interest ahead of your own and stay to finish the case until 7 pm even though you worked 40/hours already this week? A good CRNA will not count the hours.

mild77 · Dec 8, 2012

Well said loveanesthesia, u hit the nail on the head.

Wreck'em · Dec 28, 2012

There are much easier ways to make 150k a year. .

Oh Yeah? Like what??

Mully · Dec 28, 2012

but the salary should be the last thing you consider.

The salary should be the last thing one considers? If this were true, I guess I should have stuck with the rock and roll band I played in after high school...

allnurses Guide · Dec 28, 2012

The salary should be the last thing one considers? If this were true, I guess I should have stuck with the rock and roll band I played in after high school...

And you have been a CRNA for how long that you are giving advice on the nursing profession with the highest addiction rates and one of the highest stress rates.....You may want to consider what someone that has lots of years as a CRNA is trying to tell you before jumping in with your opinion that you have little to no first hand experience with.

allnurses Guide · Dec 28, 2012

Oh Yeah? Like what??

Cadiopulmonary tech, Business exec, finance manager, JD at large law firm.... everything comes at a price.

Mully · Jan 7, 2013

Tough crowd, tough crowd :blackeye:

I'm not a CRNA, and upon second look maybe I should have been more reserved in posting within the CRNA forum. It was just a joke and no offense was meant. However, the joke probably rises from a bit of annoyance with statements like, "think about money last" when you're considering a career path. I don't know about you, but I work for money. Yes I get some intrinsic joy out of what I do, which is a bonus, but the fact is, if they didn't pay me, I wouldn't do it, which I would venture a guess that many CRNAs hold the same thought. I get annoyed seeing CRNA's dissuading everyone and anyone who mentions anything about the money they make from going into that career path, as if the current CRNA thought nothing of the salary and wanted nothing more than to pursue their career for the fuzzy feeling it gave their heart.

On the flip side, I believe I can see where the CRNAs are coming from when they get annoyed with anyone who's ever Googled fastest way to become a CRNA or online CRNA programs or accelerated CNA to CRNA. I get it. There's a lot of flaky people out there that see dollar signs and don't have a clue what a CRNA does let alone what a nurse does.

My only point is that if I didn't consider the money, I would still be broke, in a rock band, eating Kraft every night. So I have an appreciation for people that say, "I want a better life, how can I make that happen?" I've seen too many people with stars in their eyes and dreams in their heads not do a thing with their life because they're still wondering, "Would I make it? Would I be good at that?" I say just do it.