Why so Interested????

stanman1968 · Apr 26, 2009

1. money as you said

2. It is a natural progression for those who are experienced ICU nurses, unlike Pharm, ATC, etc. etc.

3. It is a great job with a lot of autonomy and challenging, you learn something every day.

4. Sense of satisfaction, I know I make a difference in peoples lives. I work in a small town and people will come into the hospital and thank me for the work I have done for them and even request me for their next anesthetic or their children's anesthetic.

I started for reason 1, but the other three are the reason I do it know, I cannot imagine doing anything else.

tuxedo_1 · Apr 26, 2009

First, the situation is not saturation...it's hospitals cutting back on staff due to the economy. We are working short because of this And the field is not tight and narrow....there are jobs across the country and in a variety of settings...large city, small hospital, independent contracting, CRNA only group...right now, it may seem like jobs arent' abundant, but it's just right now. Not even 6 months ago, I couldn't work the hours that were being offered to me...not enough time in the day. It will change. In addition, if you did some research on the babyboomers, who are on the short path to needing much health care, you will find that our system is in no way ready for that onslaught of numbers. Someone compared it to a garden hose (being the normal flow of people through the system) with a football coming through it (the babyboomers). There are not enough CRNA's in the country to handle this.

And depending on where you live, as you stated, the numbers are just average. With the ability to make OT, then the income goes up significantly. I think CRNA's are a focus because many people have the urge to help people, hence the nursing aspect. And, it's a great, complex, health-related career.

As far as the other careers you listed, perfusionists are needed but to what extent? Only hospitals that do open-heart...so that narrows the field down greatly, in comparision to CRNA's. Plus, how many are really needed at each hiring hospital? I just don't think the volume of job market is out there for them. As far as pharmacists go, I think people looking at CRNA jobs would think being a pharmacist would be boring. Most looking at CRNA school usually have a type A personality...and want some exicitment and variation. The nursing director positon is another topic. CRNA's are everywhere in nursing administration and education!! I think if someone really wants to go that route, they can become a CRNA, make some great money, do patient care, and still be affiliated with a university....be an instructor or lecture, or even a coordinator for the school. And if you're really motivated, you can get your doctorate and become a program director. It's all there.

markuskristian · Apr 27, 2009

I think it's because those who are nurses actually are attracted by not only the money, but the autonomy and the challenge.

Those that have only heard about it, maybe pre-nursing or high school students, they might have the misconception that all a CRNA does is sedate.

Screen name · Apr 27, 2009

Thanks for the info guys (and gal )!

You can never get enough good info, but remember, the main question... don't nit-pick at me for a side comment a I made :)

Keeeeep 'em comin!

"But if people are only interested in the money why is NA a target? Why the interest when there are so many other things in healthcare that make around the same money for about the same time in school?"

Not even particularly nursing... just "healthcare majors / pre-majors" to begin with...

My_brain_hurts · Apr 28, 2009

Because it's like the ULTIMATE bedside nursing job, one nurse with one pt, you see the pt though the procedure and get to focus all you attention to that one job. That's one of the big reasons I wanted to be one. I'm just fascinated by monitoring and intervening (when needed) in my pt's physiological processes in the ICU so I can't wait to start CRNA school.

I do not get the same excitement when thinking about a management position. But hey, if you like management or something like that, go for it. I'll be in the OR if you need me :)

allthemadmen · May 7, 2009

I am just a lowly nursing student, but the reasons I want to become a CRNA are 1) absolutely insatiable fascination with the chemistry of anesthesia, 2) the continuity of care, and 3) the autonomy. The latter two also work well with those who aspire to midwifery.

Lately I hear from my classmates that they either want to become CRNAs because of the money or that they can't understand why anyone would want to do that because "it looks so boring!" :icon_roll

RedCell · May 10, 2009

Why is everyone so interested in Nurse Anesthesia? I'd say 70% of the time when I hear someone talking about CRNA's in nursing school it's related to the money, and that's why they want to do it.
I'm not here to debate money doesn't equal happiness, or don't do it for the money, or anything else...
But if people are only interested in the money why is NA a target? Why the interest when there are so many other things in healthcare that make around the same money for about the same time in school?
All of the following were taken from the same website and I used national mediums just to try and keep error to a minimum:
CRNA ~ $120,000
Perfusionist ~ $106,000
Pharmacist ~ $105,000
Nursing Director ~ $107,000
However, I have not spoken to one person in any of these fields who are making anywhere near this amount (all of them are significantly higher, mainly the first two, followed closely by the last two). I'm sure there are dozens more, I just wanted to start off the convo with some examples...
Even Air Traffic Controllers can now make into the $130's (Obama just helped them out).
Is it just because CRNA's are becoming "mainstream". Everyone has heard of them, everyone knows what they are about...
So again, why would anyone who is just going into it for the money compete against so many people in a tight and narrow field that is already beginning to show signs of "saturation"?

I was not interested in nurse anesthesia for the reasons you cited above. I went into it for the opportunities to place large lines, block various nerves and temporarily modify poor protoplasm with superior pharmacology.

Anesthesia pays well because it is a procedure rich field, and because a CRNA/Anesthesiologist/AA will make the hospital money.

I disagree that 'everyone' knows about nurse anesthetists. The majority of the posters on this website (nurses!) have no clue what a CRNA can or cannot do as evidenced by the responses posted by individuals all throughout this board.

I also disagree with the nurse anesthesia field showing "signs of saturation". Take a look at a bell curve chart showing the average age of a nurse anesthetist. Then take a look at the number of CRNAs practicing today. You will find that the majority of CRNAs are older than your parents (assuming your parents are between the ages of 55-60). The majority of CRNAs today are close to retirement, which means more business and opportunity for the new guys.

Finally, I do not actually believe that people become a CRNA just for the money. You might hear buddies in nursing school saying that, however passive talk and conviction are not usually the same thing. From personal experience, it is too damn hard to get through school losing 3 years of your life, ignoring your family, spending countless hours in the OR and missing out on surf, fishing, beer etc...just to be, "in it for the money". There are countless other methods to make a hell of a lot more than a CRNA that are much easier to accomplish.

Try asking some actual anesthesia dudes why they went to school to do what they do today. You will probably hear some different responses than the stereotypical statement you have come to believe.

paindoc · May 10, 2009

The number 1-3 reasons are: 1. money 2. money 3. money. The position is for the most part that of a technician since anesthesia has become so very safe due to advances in monitoring, medications, and understanding of the physiology. Virtually 99% of the time, one can give virtually identical drugs to a patient and have an identical outcome. Most of the time it can be terribly boring, but I have known many CRNAs that read journals, newspapers, crank up rock music on their iPods, etc in order to reduce the tedium. There is very little patient interaction compared to a ward nurse, and many CRNAs like it that way (patients who are under general anesthesia rarely complain about their bowel function, their family mistreating them, etc). Oh, and by the way, $120K is less than the 10th percentile for CRNA salaries in most markets. Some CRNAs make $200-250K.

keithjones · May 10, 2009

I am a male pre-nursing student and have already decided on CRNA for my specialty. My decision is based on the money and the job satisfaction. The posts I've read on this board about all the NPs who went CRNA but almost none going the other way speaks volumes to me. I havent heard from anyone who has done it and not been extremely happy about it.

k_r_ah · May 11, 2009

I'm still a student but I became interested in becoming a CRNA after my endo and OR observation experiences. I've always been interested in surgery and i definitely like the autonomy and skill involved.

foraneman · May 11, 2009

Believe it or not, CRNAs actually LIKE giving anesthesia.