This is how it really is for this new CRNA

[CRNA2007]

I can only speak for myself as a recent graduate. I took a rural Iowa position right of school (CRNA only). I am salaried with benefits at 190K per year. I work with another CRNA in a small rural town we split the call a week at a time. We average 44 call backs a year so about one every 9 days or so. I get 6 weeks of vacation which includes 1 week of CME which I am allowed an additional $4000 per year to utilize for my training. My AANA dues are paid for by the hospital and doescome out of my CME money. We rotate the work schedule a week at a time, but must be available throughout the week if needed. When I am on call and the primary CRNA I work about 15-20 hours per week. The next week when I am secondary (but not on call) I am off unless we have a heavy case load or the surgeon wants to swap rooms (which sometimes happens with ortho and ENT) I usually have to work about 10 hours on my week "off" when it is ENT or cataracts or ortho doc has three or 4 cases scheduled. When surgery is done I restock my carts check the schedule and hit the door. most days out by 11 or noon. The OBs seem to run in streaks and I will come in and place an intrathecal or epidural; bolus it hang around do some charting and check on my earlier patients make sure the OB is doing okay and then I am gone. While the other staff has to stay around and "keep busy" every day till 3pm I am at home kicking back watching TV planning the fall hunting trips or a really expensive week long vacation (CME Training). As for retirement I have a 403B plan that I sock away my 15K a year. The hospital also matches 5% of my gross which is another $9500. I do pay about $150/month for my family health insurance. Not sure how it is for other new grads out there but this my current happy situation.

[2bNurseNik]

Wow, this is really good. Hopefully I can say the same some day.

[jen123321]

yeah that does sound really good! can't wait!

[CRNA2007]

There are a lot of jobs out there like this for CRNAs. Hopefully everyone that aspires for the profession will get the privilege to be a CRNA someday.

Wow, this is really good. Hopefully I can say the same some day.

[mycatmax]

holy crap

[amiandjim]

Just a quick question....I have always wondered with those jobs in rural areas with only 2 CRNAs....how do you take 6 weeks vacation if you have to be available every week (one week is your primary week and the next is your secondary week, right?). Does the hospital hire locums to cover you for 12 weeks out of the year? Thanks for the info!

[chrissyRN]

are you hired directly by the hospital or by a group that hires the crna and places them? I live in south Florida and I think most hospitals down here aren't staffed by the hospital directly but

[CRNA2007]

usually we just cover for each other if we need a 2nd CRNA we will get from agency or a lochums from a nearby town will usually cover.

Just a quick question....I have always wondered with those jobs in rural areas with only 2 CRNAs....how do you take 6 weeks vacation if you have to be available every week (one week is your primary week and the next is your secondary week, right?). Does the hospital hire locums to cover you for 12 weeks out of the year? Thanks for the info!

[CRNA2007]

I am hired directly by the hospital as a W2 employee

are you hired directly by the hospital or by a group that hires the crna and places them? I live in south Florida and I think most hospitals down here aren't staffed by the hospital directly but

[chrissyRN]

That sounds like an ideal job! I hope I am as lucky when I get out of school in 2010 and working in South FLA!!! Thanks for sharing!

[pkohm]

As amazing as that is Pay/Benefit wise... I just personally don't know how i'd feel about "rural Iowa" lol.. Not meant as an insult or anything, i know a lot of people like small towns. but i think there are too many people out there that don't which is why it's so beneficial to work in one. I mean i know you could work there (with probably a rediculously low cost of living making your paycheck even greater than it seems as compared to a large city) for a few years and leave somewhere else with great savings, but I just think i'd be too bored working so little and having nothing around to do.

Regardless though.. Nice job, i would be bragging too lol.

So, i guess my only question is, aside from the pay, how are you enjoying yourself so far?

[schway]

How did you feel going straight from school to a CRNA only group? Also, do you feel that you might be missing out on the big cases that help develop new CRNAs when fresh out of school? I ask because I might be in the same boat as you in a year....