Job of a Nurse Anesthetist

Providing anesthesia or administering anesthesia to patients to reduce their pain is one of the most important jobs in the medical field.  This job requires plenty of skill, experience and patience.  Ideally, a registered nurse who has an expertise in administering and providing anesthesia to patients before the medical procedure starts and after is called a Certified Registered Nurse anesthetist (CRNA).  There is a great demand for CRNA professionals in various places like hospitals, health centers, in the offices of dentists and private doctors and military health centers.

Usually, the dosage of anesthesia, administered to patients depends upon the degree of pain a patient experiences and also depends upon the type of medical procedure.  For example, a patient with a tooth problem may require a very little amount of anesthesia to be injected in to his gum and the nurse would be able to administer this little amount of anesthesia with the help of the needle itself.  Whereas, in the case of a major operation, a patient may be required to inhale an appropriate amount of anesthesia in the gaseous form.  This job is done carefully by the nurse anesthetist.  This form of anesthesia, which essentially constitutes of nitrous oxide, is administered to the patients to prevent pain and provide sedation during the surgical process.

The role of the nurse anesthetist just does not end with administering anesthesia.  These nurses are required to strictly monitor the patients before administering anesthesia and after.  This is done in order to ensure the safety of the patients and to mainly prevent overdosing or under dosing.  In certain medical surgeries, the patients have to be administered continuous anesthesia and therefore the nurse anesthetist is required to work along with the surgeons inside the operation theater.  Even after the surgery is over, the nurses need to ensure that the patient is looked after well and if necessary, administer anesthesia in case the patient experiences pain.  At times, when they are not performing their nurse anesthetist duties, the nurse performs the retinue functions of a registered nurse.

How to become a nurse anesthetist?

In order to pursue a career as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, there are certain qualifications to be acquired.  First and foremost, an individual is required to receive a master’s degree in either anesthesia or nursing.  In addition to acquiring a degree, he or she must have passed a certification test that is nationally accredited, should have practiced in a hospital as a nurse for at least a year and should have a license for practicing as a registered nurse.  Prior to enrolling for a masters program in anesthesia, he or she must have successfully completed the bachelors degree in nursing which usually takes around four years to complete.  The masters program usually takes around two years to complete and in certain cases may extend up to three years.  In the masters program, students receive in depth training in anesthetist functions as well as general nursing duties.  All these skills are imparted through proper practical and classroom training.  CRNAs receive much higher salaries compared to registered nurses.

Nurse Practitioner Salaries

The salary of registered nurses (RNs) has always been a much talked about subject and statistics indicate that it is indeed a lucrative profession.  The salaries of registered nurse practitioners also depend a great deal on the kind of jobs they perform.  It is obvious that a registered nurse who performs advanced functions and one who is highly qualified will definitely be paid more.  In addition to the job functions, the salary of nurse practitioners also depends upon other factors like the qualifications and work experience of the nurses, the place where they work and the place where they reside.

The demand for registered nurses, hence their salaries depend on locations  also the state and city in which they are residing.  In certain cities and states, the cost of living is very high and therefore the registered nurses have to be paid a high salary.  In most cases, the salary of the registered nurse also depends upon the duration of the day and nurses working during nights and attending emergencies tend to get paid more.

As discussed earlier, the registered nurses performing the toughest tasks tend to get paid more.  For example, a nurse working in an elementary school will draw a much lower salary than the registered nurse working in the delivery and labor department.  A nurse working in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital is well paid due to the complex and intense functions performed by them.  In the same way, nurses working in the houses of patients are paid much less than the nurses working in city hospitals.

One of the main reasons for RNs drawing high salaries is due to the shortage of nursing staff.  The nurses are able to negotiate a better deal and the hospitals are also willing to pay well for the qualified candidates.  At many places, the registered nurses are offered a high bonus of ten thousand dollars while signing the appointment letter.  At some places, the bonus offered during the time of signing the appointment letter stands at a whopping fifty thousand dollars.

Registered Nurse Salaries by State

Let us now take a look at the salary structure of  RNs in some of the states.  It has been reported that the base salary stands at a whopping $75,000 for a registered nurse in California.  For the state of Indiana, the base salary is a good $55,000.  According to a reliable source, in Boston, the registered nurses earn anywhere between $70,000 to a high $83,000., and in the southern states, the average salaries of registered nurses is marginally lower than their counterparts in Boston and California.  For the southern states of Georgia and Atlanta, the average salary of nurse practitioners was put at $64,000.  The average salary of a registered nurse in Mississippi was reported at $53,000.  For the states of Nebraska and Omaha, the average salary of a RN stands at an impressive $60,000.

Types of Career Degrees in Nursing

The health care industry is having a growing requirement for nurses.  Nursing, with two million jobs is amongst top 10 occupations that have largest number of new jobs. As there is already a shortage of qualified nurses world wide the opportunities seem extremely good.  The salary of a nurse is above average.  This is especially true in the case of advanced nurses having additional training and education.

Many degrees are available in the field of nursing which can be pursued with the help of a nursing school or nursing program.  This can be done on campus and can also be done online. Here are some of the degrees you can consider if you want a career in nursing.

CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant)

A CNA training class is easy and quick to complete and the requirements are lesser.  It is an entry level position and is considered a stepping stone towards becoming a LPN.  It gives you an exposure to every facility and environment you might find after becoming a nurse.  You will work under and perform tasks under the directions of a nurse.

ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing)

This involves -3 years of study and is available at a lot of community colleges.  On its completion you will be able to give RN care in different settings.  After completion you can become a LPN or an RN depending on the license examination type.

BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

This is a four years course and is also sometimes known as a Baccalaureate degree.  It is offered at the California State University and also in some private colleges.  You will be able to give  RN care on completion.  You can also move to leadership and administrative positions with the help of this.

Masters Entry Level Program in Nursing

This program is for those adults who already possess a degree in some other field and want to become RNs.  It takes about 1-2 years.  The time period varies in terms of nursing course pre requisites that you may have already completed.  It is considered a Masters Degree.

APRN (Advanced Practical Registered Nurse)

An APRN specializes in complex nursing care. Most of the APRN licenses require you to have studied four years and are having  a bachelor’s degree.  Also  a bit of post graduate study. Some may even require a Masters degree.

You may or may not find a campus program close to your home depending on the type of degree you opt for.  You can consider going in for online degree and courses if you are unable to.  These are available for almost all areas and specialties although they might limit you from clinical experience.

After completion of your nursing degree you will be required to send a nursing application to your states ‘Board of Registered Nursing’.  Your transcripts will need to be sent by your Nursing School as well.  Your final requirement will be to clear the’ National Council Licensing Examination’.

The salary and job responsibility of a person will depend on the education and training received.  Hence if you have a higher degree you have more opportunities in securing a job of your choice.  With some consideration and good thought one can enter into a nursing level of their capabilities and be satisfied with a rewarding career.