Reasons NOT to be CRNA

Nursing Students SRNA

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I'm a student nurse in a BSN program in florida. I heard about CRNAs shortly after I decided to purse a nursing career. I thought I had my mind set on being a CRNA. However, so far in school, I'm not doing as well as I thought I would in the classroom. Compared to my classmates, I'm about average, but I had a high GPA before nursing school and I do well on standardized tests, so I know I can do well on the GRE. My performance in the classroom, along with other things has discouraged me from wanting to be a CRNA someday because I feel that maybe I'm not good enough to be competitive. I also feel like some other niches in nursing may be a better fit and more interesting for me. My point and question is, I'm not even sure if I want to CRNA because I've heard alot of good things, but nothing bad about it. Now I would like someone to educate me on woes of a CRNA/SNRA. I just want an honest opinion of both sides of the fence from people who have been there and done that. Not too much to ask right?:o

Thanks Brian.

ApaisRN - you are right. However, most APN's have a much higher stress level than a staff nurse.

IDK. While I'm still a student, I'd say that the stress is just different. For example, if I were a floor nurse with 10-12 patients and lacked the time and resources to take care of each like each deserves, I'd be more stressed than being in a situation in the OR where poop is hitting the fan with the resources available to deal with it. Yes, the stress is more constant, but to me that is less stressful than getting too comfy, bored, or in too much of a routine where a mistake is more likely to happen. Does that make any sense?

To answer the OPs request for not-so-great-aspects of... I can only speak to the student aspect. Studying for the GRE and taking it pretty much stink. Studying/preparing for a standardized test that is basically 7th-10th grade math thrown at you in ways meant to confuse combined with super-neat vocabulary that you will vow to use but never will all thrown on you with a time limit...well, I can't think of much worse. That said, bust your butt and kill it, because a great score is very beneficial. An OK score is OK and won't hurt you, but a great score is big. Interviewing with a group of folks you don't know about something you are so passionate about is great because you got an interview, but it is awful because it is nerve-racking. I'm weird, because I really dig studying, but most people think spending 18 hours/day studying during the didactic portion of school and spending every waking moment of the weekends studying just to catch up or stay on top of the material sucks. Being unsure of yourself in clinical and learning an intense amount of new things from many people who do everything slightly differently is intimidating and can be "bad" at times. Sleep deprivation bites no matter how you slice it.

With all of that said, I am absolutely LOVING school and all that goes with it. There are ups and downs, but for the most part, everyone is trying to help. Your professors want you to succeed; the CRNAs want you to succeed; the anesthesiologists want you to succeed. You will get constructive criticism, and when you take it and learn from it, you do things better and all is good. Classes will push you, and you will learn and succeed. Stress will freak you out, and you will deal with it and do well; the feeling that results is fantastic. Yes, you will run into some folks having a bad day and take unjustified grief, but you will not escape that with any profession you choose.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do, but I can honestly say that there is NO other job in the world that I'd rather have; I just wish I'd realized that this is what God put me here for much earlier in life.

Man, SSrythm....I've been researching nursing for a year, and CRNA for a few months. I am a 38 year old career changer and your post is exactly what I want to hear. There is good and bad in whatever profession you choose. If you can handle that, you'll be fine. I just wish I'd started sooner.

I am beginning my nursing education in August with an Associate's Degree, then moving to an RN-BSN then hopefully to a CRNA school. Although it is many years away, I am wondering if there are any resources (i.e. textbooks) or otherwise that deal with certain aspects of anesthesiology that I can begin to read in my spare time? I am sure the profession is ever evolving, but any regular reading would be helpful.

Advice?

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Man, SSrythm....I've been researching nursing for a year, and CRNA for a few months. I am a 38 year old career changer and your post is exactly what I want to hear. There is good and bad in whatever profession you choose. If you can handle that, you'll be fine. I just wish I'd started sooner.

I am beginning my nursing education in August with an Associate's Degree, then moving to an RN-BSN then hopefully to a CRNA school. Although it is many years away, I am wondering if there are any resources (i.e. textbooks) or otherwise that deal with certain aspects of anesthesiology that I can begin to read in my spare time? I am sure the profession is ever evolving, but any regular reading would be helpful.

Advice?

Don't think about it now. You have many YEARS ahead of you before you can even apply. Just concentrate on being a good nurse and pay close attention to respiratory and cardiac physiology - get your degrees and several years of ICU experience.

Hey Mark- I see you're both a CRNA and a Firefighter/Paramedic. I was just curious how you find time for it all? Are you a volunteer or career firefighter. I am just a newbee nurse, but have also thought about firefighting. Thanks for the info.

To say the least your numbers are a bit slanted.

Are you talking about becoming a travel nurse for that $100k/year figure as a regular RN? Because if not, I don't see how you would make only 55-60% of other RN jobs as an ICU nurse. In So Cal. ICU pays the same as any other field.

As for using $120k as the salary for CRNAs, first of all this is on the lower end of the pay scale. Second, obviously this figure is not static and will rise quickly as CRNA gains experience.

More accurate figures would be something like this:

New grad ICU RN salary: ~65k-75k from year 1, up to 90k on year 5.

CRNA school costs: 100k/2 years

New grad CRNA salary: $130k from year 1, $140k-$150k from year 3.

If a new CRNA was to pay off his debt as quickly as possible, he'd catch up to the regular RN in about 2 years. But numbers don't tell the whole story. The CRNA has vastly greater earnings potential than the RN, enough so that he's gone from "decent middle class bloke" to "upper middle class yuppie." If he's smart with his finances and career prospects, he can go even higher. The RN has very little upward potential in comparison. Sure, he can move into traveling or management, but that's about it.

Honestly there's no comparison here in terms of earnings potential.

I know this post was several years ago but I want to tell you that as a new

grad in the ICU in 2008 I made 99,000 in the bay area. the next year in

the icu I made 128,000 working OT maybe once a month.

So actually your numbers are way off.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

Numbers are way, way off.

I've not made less than 200k since 1999(as a CRNA).

I know this post was several years ago but I want to tell you that as a new

grad in the ICU in 2008 I made 99,000 in the bay area. the next year in

the icu I made 128,000 working OT maybe once a month.

So actually your numbers are way off.

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Numbers are way, way off.

I've not made less than 200k since 1999(as a CRNA).

And I'm sure you had to do plenty of overtime to earn that. Been a CRNA for about 30 years and I've only seen a number like that once as a base salary. Person didn't last long because it was evening and nights coming to a 50 hour base work week.

Where are they now?

To the OP and the original commenters of this post back in 2006, MistaV, micugirl, goodytwoshoes and others, I am curious to hear an update and see how you guys made out with your situations.....Did you guys finish school okay? Did you get through the anesthesia program alive?!....I'm curious to hear your experiences as well as any advice you could give us upcomers eager and willing to take the same path....This post has been so informative, I can't even tell u.......

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

I have not been employed since I left the army.

I did private practice, fee for service in 1999-2000 and made over 200k each year.

I made 215k from 2000-2007 in Texas.

I made 170k working two week on and two weeks off in Montana after that for 3 years.

Heck the national average is 180k. I'm not sure where you are working but 200k is not hard to find.

Go look on gaswork.com, I see many jobs over 200k there right now.

And I'm sure you had to do plenty of overtime to earn that. Been a CRNA for about 30 years and I've only seen a number like that once as a base salary. Person didn't last long because it was evening and nights coming to a 50 hour base work week.
Specializes in Anesthesia, Psych MH.

Thank you for each of your input on this forum.

I am interested in learning more about being a CRNA and would LOVE to shadow someone. I live in Oakland, California and I am willing to commute for an opportunity to learn more. Can you help?

Thank you!

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

The people who makr the most money often work in the biggest shortsge areas, i.e. plsces thst sre undesirable enough to have shortages 0R thry work a lot of hours. In a rural area you msy not have a lot of scheduled cased but you fo have a lot of call. I have no doubt you EARNED the big bucks.

why thank you for asking!

I actually stumbled upon my old post just for fun.

Right now I'm currently in a CVICU gaining my ICU experience. I'm still researching to see if this is the right decision for me. There is a significant investment into anesthesia school and I'm not taking this decision lightly.

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