I've been working towards this for awhile. I'm finally getting all of my ducks in a row to apply next year. I love critical care so far, and I think anesthesia would be like working in critical care on steroids, which I think I would enjoy. Looking at the numbers though, it makes me wonder if it really is worth it for a California RN to go into the debt:
My current RN biweekly pay working 4 12 hour shifts/week: $4038 with an after tax take home of $2834 claiming married with 1 dependent. Monthly take home of $5668.
Potential biweekly CRNA pay: Assuming a starting pay of 150k (which I think would be achievable in Southern California): $5769 with a take home of $3809. Monthly take home pay of $7618. Our local school is 100k. Looking at a different out of state school they say the average student loan debt including cost of living is 150k. Paying that back over 20 years leaves you with a payment of $1254. $7618-$1254 = $6364. This leaves me with an take home pay of $6364 after student loan payment. 6463-5668 (current take home pay) = $696. A lot of work and extra debt for an extra $696. If pay is increased to 175k (California average), take home goes up to $8672. $8672-1254 = $7418. 7418-5668 = 1758. An increase of 1758. This makes it look a little more attractive.
A local hospital pays RNs $60/hour. 48hrs/week x 48 weeks = $138248. with a gross biweekly pay of $5317, net pay of $3555. A monthly pay of $7110. $7418 (175k CRNA pay)-$7110 (RN pay at $60/hr) = $308. Not a huge increase in pay, but I guess the question is do I really want to work as an ICU nurse for the rest of my life, and is the increased level of respect along with increased autonomy worth the level of debt that I would get myself into with CRNA school? It seems like a much better deal in states where nursing isn't unionized and are paid poorly. It also seems like a better deal if one is willing to move to a rural area where cost-of-living is low and pay is high.
Since current CRNAs know best about the current job market, would you do it all over again if you were in my shoes? I'm not worried about the lost income from not working for 2-3 years. It's just that if I put the work in to do this, I want my standard of living to be increased at least a little bit, for my wife's sake.
I am HIGHLY considering USAGPAN, but who knows if I would get in? I think if tuition and cost of living is paid for, it would definitely worth it. Plus I get to travel and serve my country (which is something I always wanted to do anyways, but avoided because of the low pay). It sounds awesome, just not sure if my GPA would be competitive enough for USAGPAN!!
I have heard that about Derm. Here in Ohio I net a little over $6000/month at my ED job (12 shifts/month). I pick up a couple other shifts in an Urgent Care that depending on need pays up to $1020/shift. I thought I wanted to be a CRNA. Shadowed a few then decided that I preferred the ED environment more. There is money to be made at whatever advanced degree you choose. I just turned down one of those urgent care shifts today, because I wanted a day off. Last month my gross was $11,640.00, so yes there is money to be made as an FNP. I wouldn't get caught up in the dollar figure when determining which advanced degree you want to pursue. Make sure it is something you can see yourself doing. I love being an FNP.
I have heard that about Derm. Here in Ohio I net a little over $6000/month at my ED job (12 shifts/month). I pick up a couple other shifts in an Urgent Care that depending on need pays up to $1020/shift. I thought I wanted to be a CRNA. Shadowed a few then decided that I preferred the ED environment more. There is money to be made at whatever advanced degree you choose. I just turned down one of those urgent care shifts today, because I wanted a day off. Last month my gross was $11,640.00, so yes there is money to be made as an FNP. I wouldn't get caught up in the dollar figure when determining which advanced degree you want to pursue. Make sure it is something you can see yourself doing. I love being an FNP.
Great post. I shadowed 10+ CRNA's and 10+ NP's before deciding what I want to do.
Hmm. I thought I was the only one who did this (although for a slightly different reason). I was jestingly called a loser by a couple friends for this but I'm happy with my FNP choice.
Nope I finished school worked for 4 years, $80,000 in debt and not working as a CRNA for several reasons..mainly due to stress. Wish I would have went a different route i.e. NP
Nope I finished school worked for 4 years, $80,000 in debt and not working as a CRNA for several reasons..mainly due to stress. Wish I would have went a different route i.e. NP
so did you stop work altogether or you did you go back to floor nursing?
I've changed my mind since posting in this thread a year ago. I am doing CRNA.
I do not understand what you mean. I just meant to say that in addition to CRNA, I think NP would be a great opportunity given the success of some posters here as NP's. I am doing CRNA as well - thanks........
Hi, im new to this forum, just signed up today actually. I cant help but make a comment to your post😀 I hope that by the time you read this, you are already in a crna program. Ive been a crna for 13 years. Ive been a nurse since 1990 . I started med surg for 3 years , then. Icufor the rest of the time before going to crna program. I went to crna school at the age of 42!!!! Lol. Why so late? Because that was my end point of burnout tolerance! And getting paid nothing for that. Let me tell you, its worth it!!! Go do it while youre young. There will never be a perfect time than now. All the obstacles and conditions you set for yourself for not going will still be there year after year that you did not to do it.
Things that you say to yourself like when this and that are done, then.... Ill go, will never happen. Year after year that you didnt do it while all the time dreaming of becoming a crna is just like talking yourself out of it. Why do it? Sure the money is good but more importantly, and i emphasize this , is the way being a crna will make you feel. Its an important power to do good, the power to hold life and really really do good for that life. That my dear is priceless. And imagine feeling accomplished everytime , in each patient, in each case, that you played a very integral part to get a patient thru surgery. And each time you do it, you continually learn. Each year you reflect on how much better you have become as a crna and as a person. At the same time you are always humbled by how fragile life is, how much responsibility rest in your hands. That my dear is an opportunity for respect from others. This is one profession where learning never stops, where there is no set recipe, where each patient teaches you something.
Sure you can make money being an RN but eventually you might feel burnt out because we see a lot of chronicity in patients conditions, repeated admissions of these patients where at the end of the day you ask yourself whether you have made a difference. Most of the time its the same scenario over and over again where yes you get paid but never feel accomplish. Personally this was the source of my burnout. When i was an icu rn , my rate in florida was a comical $23 per hour earning 35k a year or less. I went to crna and my first full year gross is 180 k ( of course with ot). In florida the cost of living is relatively low, i mean my house cost 152k . So it was and still is lucrative for me. But like i said my biggest reason for doing it is burnout from icu. Being a crna now, i can truthfully say, its not just about the money. I hope this helps
@Gerti09 wow wow wow!!!! You just motivated me like 1000%! Thank you so much for posting to this thread:) I'm 35 years old and still working on my BSN. It's been my dream (since '06) to become a CRNA. After several years working in the hospice field, I put it aside and eventually the fire slowly burned away. Despite the fact, something in the back of my mind kept telling me to fulfill my dream. As of last year, I started working on my BSN. I am desperately trying to reach my goal! I'm so excited!!! Your comment has ignited my fire and I'm so happy to read of your success, even if I don't know you:yes: Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this forum. Wishing you many more successes in life!!!!!
I went back and forth between ACNP and CRNA multiple times before ultimately deciding on applying to CRNA school and I'll be starting next year. My deciding factor was when I went and shadowed a CRNA at a local hospital (we don't employe them at our hospital). I like the idea of still being at the beside and performing lots of procedures and giving medications instead of ordering them, just my preference. However, I give full credit to the NP's out there, the ACNP's I work with are absolutely awesome and I would not have the knowledge I have now if it wasn't for them.
Hey everyone. Hope all is well. I remember those early years in the ICU, I was so active in trying to get into CRNA school. I've been a nurse for 9 yrs. now and I don't see myself doing CRNA anymore. I wish lots of good luck to those who wants it. I think I am just tired of nursing alone because of the politics... TOO MANY. Senior nurses are eating their youngs right and left... just sickening. CRNA job is no joke and I give credit to those who are practicing CRNA. I describe their job as being in a conveyor belt... once your enter the circle, you can't really get out for mini breaks all the time. I love my job right now. I work as a vascular nurse inserting PICC-Lines and I work in interventional radiology doing conscious sedation for heavy cases (I am practically an underpaid CRNA there, LOL). The MOST important thing in life is if you have a job that you really love. If you love money, there are many ways to make more money other than the CRNA route.
I think it's pretty cool that this thread took off like it did.I can't believe it's been over a year since I posted this. Just to update: I applied to 5 schools. I wasn't able to get a football injury from the past waived by the Army though, so USAGPAN was a no go for me.
I did fairly well on the GRE, got CCRN, and CMC this past year.
I've been invited to 2/4 of the civilian schools that I applied to so far. The other 2 don't start interviewing until later in the year. If I get accepted to a certain school in Florida that I'm interviewing at, I will accept (since it starts sooner) and then attempt to move back out to the west coast when I'm finished. That or move to Texas since there seems to be an abundance of jobs for CRNAs there. Anything can change though, and I'm aware of that.
Like wtbcrna suggested, I'm looking at this as more of a career change. When all is said and done, I'm just hoping I can net the same amount of income as I do now (after subtracting student loan payments), but I'm hoping that I can do it while working better hours, less nights, and less weekends. I want to enjoy my work, and after shadowing a CRNA, I'm honestly excited about doing this. I crave the skillset and autonomy that CRNAs have, and I definitely can't be a bedside RN forever.
Thanks everyone! I hope to continue hearing your stories!
Your comment has ignited my fire and I'm so happy to read of your success, even if I don't know you:yes: Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this forum. Wishing you many more successes in life!!!!!
BuckeyeFNP
6 Posts
I have heard that about Derm. Here in Ohio I net a little over $6000/month at my ED job (12 shifts/month). I pick up a couple other shifts in an Urgent Care that depending on need pays up to $1020/shift. I thought I wanted to be a CRNA. Shadowed a few then decided that I preferred the ED environment more. There is money to be made at whatever advanced degree you choose. I just turned down one of those urgent care shifts today, because I wanted a day off. Last month my gross was $11,640.00, so yes there is money to be made as an FNP. I wouldn't get caught up in the dollar figure when determining which advanced degree you want to pursue. Make sure it is something you can see yourself doing. I love being an FNP.