For all who think we are a bunch of money driven pigs I want to ask you how much is too much based on my pediatric practice.
How much money would it take for you to take a young couple's most prized possession for them and tell them you are going to take care of their 4 week old boy, then go put little junior into a drug induced coma for his craniotomy.
How much would it take to get you to put a child to sleep for cardiac cath that has TOF/pulmonary atresia so they can evaluate her heart before having surgery.
How much would you charge to take a child from it's sobbing mother to go do a harvest on her baby because he's brain dead.
Yes we make good money, because we earn it. Just knowing how long I'm liable for each case in working pediatrics is enough to stress you out even for giving a little propofol to a healthy child in MRI. There is the reward of money but you have to love it to keep from burning out. For the students out there don't let any of the "nay-sayers" steal your dream...many are called, few are chosen.
It is also important to look at supply and demand.
It was only 5 years ago that CRNAs might start at 80-90K. As nursing has seen a shortage and a drastic increase in wages via supply and demand, so too has the CRNA profession. As the population ages and more OR time is required the demand increases. Standard economics. The good thing is, once wages go up, they dont tend to go down.
Do CRNAs deserve that kind of money? Absolutely. CRNA is the only "midlevel" profession that practices to the same scope of the physician anesthiologist in the OR setting. The responsibility and liability of that increases the risk, and therefore the return.
Great post! Supply and Demand. CRNA salary, like everything else, is what the market will bear. Despite the "high" salaries, there is still a shortage. If you want anesthesia services, it's gonna cost you. Don't like it, you can get it from the MDA's and get charged twice as much! That is what anesthesia services truely cost, so with CRNA's you're getting a HUGE discount. Do I feel guilty about my paychecks q month? Hell no....Do CRNA's make too much? How much is enough? The answer is no and never. I'm all in favor for higher wages. Now is the time folks, don't know if wages will last forever. See you in the OR.
Who cares how much is too much? No one asks doctors why they do what they do and why they get paid what they get paid. If I had the time and money to be a CRNA I would do it in a heart-beat!
Personally, I do not plan to give nay-sayers a second thought. They do not pay my bills. Besides, you know you do good things and are worth the money... that should be enough.
yeah, but don't get too comfortable, the foreign nurses coming may be changing all of that soooooooon...................
Foreign RNs have no effect upon CRNA wages. They come here entering jobs with the same wage you get as an RN. The only way they could possibly effect RN wages is if they absolutely allieviated the RN shortage and thereby slowed increases.
However, medicine has also opened its doors to forrign grads (how many Dr. Patels do you know?) yet it has changed nothing for them
Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
yeah, but don't get too comfortable, the foreign nurses coming may be changing all of that soooooooon...................
I understand your point, but that will not be the case. There are not enough foreign Nurses to cover the available positions now let alone the growing demand in the future.
On a more personal note, I have my bases covered. I am not giving up any of my additional education, certifications, licenses, or training. I plan to always have other ways to make money. I was one of those in IT that was out of a good paying job when the boom ended. I do not ever want to be without options again should I lose a job.
Dear friends, if anyone ever dares to bring your salary up to you please ask them to look up salaries of the average pro football or basketball player. What is it with a society that complains about paying decent wages to a caregiver then forks over 11 million a year to someone because of the way they bounce a ball?
well said. Lets not forget they are also allow to kill their wives (OJ), rape various women (Kolby), do drugs at their lesiure (too many to name), drive anyway they like etc etc and get special treatment by the law.
But, I would ask the naysayers and envious types who think we make too much money to put their a** on the line during a sphincter-tightening moment. The first time they deal with a difficult or impossible airway, a crashing patient . . . they might say instead, "You don't pay me enough for this!"
Yes, you have to love it to keep doing it, because all the money in the world isn't going to help me get to sleep at night if I f**k up and kill someone -- even if it's not my fault.
Again, bravo.
John Z
Columbus/Ft. Benning, GA
For all who think we are a bunch of money driven pigs I want to ask you how much is too much based on my pediatric practice.
How much money would it take for you to take a young couple's most prized possession for them and tell them you are going to take care of their 4 week old boy, then go put little junior into a drug induced coma for his craniotomy.
How much would it take to get you to put a child to sleep for cardiac cath that has TOF/pulmonary atresia so they can evaluate her heart before having surgery.
How much would you charge to take a child from it's sobbing mother to go do a harvest on her baby because he's brain dead.
Yes we make good money, because we earn it. Just knowing how long I'm liable for each case in working pediatrics is enough to stress you out even for giving a little propofol to a healthy child in MRI. There is the reward of money but you have to love it to keep from burning out. For the students out there don't let any of the "nay-sayers" steal your dream...many are called, few are chosen.
well said. Lets not forget they are also allow to kill their wives (OJ), rape various women (Kolby), do drugs at their lesiure (too many to name), drive anyway they like etc etc and get special treatment by the law.
Dear friends, if anyone ever dares to bring your salary up to you please ask them to look up salaries of the average pro football or basketball player. What is it with a society that complains about paying decent wages to a caregiver then forks over 11 million a year to someone because of the way they bounce a ball?
With the airtime celebrities get it's easy to forget how few of them there are. Celebrities have worked their way to the very top of their industry, usually an industry that has much less room for desirable, well paying jobs than the medical field does.
The comment about them being able to rape or kill is small minded.
Do I feel guilty about my paychecks q month? Hell no....Do CRNA's make too much? How much is enough? The answer is no and never. 
30andconfused
23 Posts
Or like asking a women how much shopping is enough, or how much child support is enough...(oow did I say that?)