Nurse Anesthetist Career Guide: Role, Education & Outlook

Job Description and Scope of Practice

Nurse anesthetists have been providing anesthesia to patients — relieving the pain of childbirth and surgery — for over a century in America. The role requires administering anesthesia before, during, and/or after surgery, and it demands that practitioners remain ready and competent to handle a wide range of intense clinical situations, making this career path more intensive than many other fields in nursing. These professionals deliver anesthesia in coordination with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other healthcare providers.

The scope of CRNA practice is heavily nuanced and includes the following responsibilities: conducting preanesthetic assessments along with all relevant consultations and diagnostic studies; obtaining preanesthetic medications; and securing informed consent for anesthesia. The nurse anesthetist is responsible for developing the entire anesthetic plan, initiating the anesthetic technique, and performing all noninvasive and invasive monitoring. This includes managing the patient's airway and pulmonary status, facilitating recovery from anesthesia through appropriate medications and ventilator support, and ultimately discharging the patient from the post-anesthesia recovery area. The nurse anesthetist also implements chronic pain management modalities and must be prepared to respond to emergencies with immediate and focused action (AANA, 2010).

Code of Ethics for Nurse Anesthetists

The code of ethics governing this rigorous profession is equally demanding. One of the foremost responsibilities of a nurse anesthetist is unwavering commitment to patients — the CRNA must function as an ally to the patient above all else (AANA, 2013). The certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) must provide quality anesthesia regardless of the patient's gender, religion, age, or economic status, and must actively protect the patient from harm by acting as an advocate for the patient's overall welfare (AANA, 2013).

The CRNA must ensure that valid informed consent for anesthesia has been obtained, and must avoid any conflicts between personal interests and patient rights. The CRNA is also obligated to protect patients from incompetent healthcare providers or others who might cause them harm, and must maintain the strictest level of patient confidentiality. Beyond individual patient care, the CRNA carries a broader responsibility to society and to research conducted within the field (AANA, 2013).

Education, Certification, and Registration

Becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist requires completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or a comparable baccalaureate degree. Candidates must also hold a current registered nurse license and have at least one year of professional experience as a registered nurse in an acute care setting. After meeting those prerequisites, the candidate must graduate from an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program — programs that typically range from 24 to 36 months in length — and then pass the national certification examination.

For recertification, CRNAs "must obtain a minimum of 40 hours of approved continuing education every two years, document substantial anesthesia practice, maintain current state licensure, and certify that they have not developed any conditions that could adversely affect their ability to practice anesthesia" (AANA, 2014). Sample programs, such as those offered by the New Britain School of Nurse Anesthesia and a comparable university program, carry tuition costs of approximately $28,125 and $29,546, respectively (crnaschools.com, 2014). Graduates earn a master's degree and the CRNA credential — Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.