What's it like being a CRNA?

Editorial Team / Admin · Jan 1, 2015

I'm not a CRNA, so the only question I'll address is #2. No, it's not necessarily easy, and there is a lot more to providing anesthesia care than "Just stick the needle full of anesthesia in and monitor the patient". You have to know so much about your patient; their illnesses and body habitus affect how much anesthesia is needed/safe; side effects such as nausea/hypotension/etc have to be treated; drips must be initiated and titrated. There's a reason ICU experience is required- these patients are completely dependent on the assessment, treatment, and intervention skills of the person providing their anesthesia. If it were as simple as you make it out to be, an advanced degree wouldn't be necessary. The fact that it is speaks to the needed skills and knowledge base.

mh0712, MSN, RN · Jan 1, 2015

Hi, i'm a junior in High school that likes to plan ahead. I was thinking about becoming a CRNA . Before you say I should shadow, I will, however I haven't found the time to do so yet so I wanted to know from you guys what it's like. Here are my specific questions:
1: Is it fun or boring
2: Is it easy? I mean to me it doesn't seem so hard, Just stick the needle full of anesthesia in and monitor the patient. Sometimes I have anxiety that it'll be too hard for me and i'll mess up on a patient
3: Have you regretted becoming a CRNA?
4: Are CRNA schools THAT hard to get into and what do you recommend for me to get in easier
So far my plan is 4 years of BSN . Become a RN. 1-2 years of ICU. 2-3 years of CRNA school
Please be straight forward with your responses, Thankyou.

First off I am a CRNA student and I am NOT in clinicals yet; however, I have shadowed a lot and know a ton of CRNAs so let me start off answering them one by one.

1. I do not know a CRNA that thinks their job is boring. Reason being is every day is different, and at any moment an emergency can happen. As the anesthesia provider you are keeping the patient alive, and to me that is not boring

2. Easy? If it were easy everyone would do it. No it is not easy, in fact anesthesia is one of the most complicated specialties you can get into. You have to do a lot of medication calculations, decide which drugs to give based off of the entire picture of the patient (Vital signs, patient problems, surgery, history, and much more), plus you have to be quick at it because most places want you right back into the OR doing the next case as soon as you drop your current patient off.

3. Out of all the CRNAs I have talked to, none have said they regretted becoming a CRNA. One did say that he would not do it again, only because he said it was the hardest thing in his life and he equated it to walking through fire...needless to say I did not go to that school.

4. They are difficult to get into, but not impossible. Most schools have 5-20 applicants per spot, meaning that you have to be above average to get in. I do not recommend doing anything the easy route, but the best route to be prepared is to get good grades in all your classes, especially the science classes. Then become an RN and go get some awesome ICU experience. At this point you can start taking the GRE and looking at what schools you want to apply to.

Remember with all of this that you are young and have plenty of time. Goals are great and there is nothing like choosing one to work toward. If CRNA is what you want then I suggest studying hard and pushing forward in your education, it will take awhile, but it is SO worth it.