What is a CRNA?

What is a CRNA?

Welcome to The Financial Cocktail, a blog written by a CRNA for CRNAs and aspiring CRNAs. The profession isn’t a common one. I didn’t know much about it when I decided I wanted to become one. Heck, I didn’t even know what a CRNA did before I began nurse anesthesia school.

No one talked about it in high school. And only a few members of my nursing class had aspirations to pursue such a profession. But none of us really knew what we were getting into.

Here is an opportunity to receive information straight from the source, a practicing CRNA. Someone young enough to recall the high school and college years, but far enough along to have become CRNA practicing to the top of the scope of practice.

Leave your comments and questions below. I have a lot to cover for aspiring CRNAs, but let’s start at square one.

 What is a CRNA?

A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist, formerly known as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, provides anesthesia to patients across the country. Anesthesia, according to the Oxford dictionary, means insensitivity to pain. Ologist means an expert in a given field. The name change is appropriate as CRNAs are experts in the field of anesthesia. 

CRNAs practice in every setting including hospitals, surgical centers, dental offices, and the military. Some even own their own practices which may include ketamine infusions or pain injections. 

CRNAs work in all 50 states. In urban areas, CRNAs typically work in an anesthesia team setting. In rural areas, CRNAs provide the majority of anesthesia services completely independently. Both settings offer safe, patient-centered anesthesia care. 

Regardless of the setting, the entire healthcare team collaborates. The primary difference from urban to rural settings (for this discussion) is the number and availability of anesthesia providers. 

CRNAs are advanced practice nurses meaning a provider with a nursing background and degree who continued their education. Other APPs include nurse practitioners and nurse midwives.

What does a CRNA do?

I don’t want to share too much on this now because it truly deserves its own entry. In short, CRNAs are responsible for ensuring patient safety throughout the surgical process. CRNAs evaluate a patient’s surgical readiness and speak with them prior to a procedure.

The CRNA creates an anesthetic plan customized to a patient’s specific health condition and procedure. This plan is then executed during surgery. After surgery, the patient moves to the recovery room (aka post anesthesia care unit – PACU) where they are cared for by PACU registered nurses under the direction of an anesthesia provider.

CRNAs also provide consultation to other areas of the hospital such as obstetrics, intensive care, and the emergency department.

The exact role and responsibilities vary depending on setting. More on this in a different entry.

History of CRNAs

Nurses, not physicians, were the original providers of anesthesia nearly 150 years ago. Since then, a great number of changes have taken place. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist became a recognized title and profession in 1956. As the years passed, a variety of factors influenced the profession to make it as it stands today.

CRNAs maintain contact with their nursing roots, hence the “RN” part of CRNA. This includes a holistic approach to patient care. For this reason, I do not foresee the requirement of a nursing background leaving any time soon.

Becoming a CRNA

I’ll provide an additional post with far greater details about the path to become a CRNA. For now, just know one must hold a baccalaureate or graduate nursing degree and Registered Nurse licensure. From there, one must work for a minimum of 1 year as a registered nurse in a critical care unit. The average is closer to 2.5 years of nursing experience.

At this point, one qualifies to apply for a nurse anesthesia program. These are doctoral level programs lasting 3+ years. There is a mix of didactic and clinical work during this time. Achieve the requirements to graduate and you are cleared to sit for boards.

All CRNAs must pass a certifying exam to obtain licensure. When you hear providers boast about being "board certified," well, all CRNAs are board certified.

And now one joins 60,000+ other CRNAs as an anesthesia provider.

Thanks for reading The Financial Cocktail!