Although just about every job category in the medical field is in high demand, the need for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) is higher than ever. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the specialty will grow by more than 30 percent in the next decade.
CRNAs are advanced-practice nurses who evaluate patients prior to administering anesthesia and follow up on patient recovery after anesthesia. CRNAs work in partnership with doctors in hospital settings, in military settings, and in private practices. In some cases, such as remote rural hospitals, CRNAs are the sole providers.
Becoming a CRNA is a multi-step process that will take you about seven to eight years to complete. The qualifications for entrance into a CRNA program require that you’re licensed as a registered nurse and have acute care clinical experience.
Step 1: Earn Your Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing
The first step is to earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. It takes an average of four years to earn a BSN.
Step 2: Get Your Registered Nurse License
After earning a BSN, the next step is to obtain a registered nurse (RN) license. In order to qualify to sit for the RN exam, you must have first earned a BSN.
Step 3: Work as an Acute Care Nurse
Next, before applying to a CRNA program, you’ll want to get experience in an acute care setting. Most CRNA programs require that you have more than a year of experience, although every CRNA program has its own guidelines that specify what qualifies as acute care.
Generally, CRNA programs define acute care as working in a coronary care unit, an emergency room or in an intensive care unit. Because CRNA programs differ, you’ll want to research the requirements of your preferred CRNA programs before accepting a position in an acute care setting.
Step 4: Complete CRNA School
When you’ve met all the requirements above, it’s time to apply to CRNA schools. Depending on the school, a nurse anesthetist program is two to three years long. CRNA programs teach through classwork and through hands-on clinical opportunities. After you complete your CRNA program, you must then pass the National Certification Examination.
CRNA Timeline
In total, it takes six to seven years of education to become a CRNA. In addition to the education requirements, a minimum of one year of acute care clinical experience working as a registered nurse is required before a person qualifies for entrance into a CRNA school program, which means it takes seven to eight years to become a CRNA.
5 Reasons Being a CRNA Rocks
CRNAs are well paid (the average CRNA salary is more than $160,000 per year), and because of this, gaining admission into a CRNA education program has become highly competitive. Registered nurses who desire to become CRNAs sometimes find that more than one year of acute care clinical experience is required to successfully gain entrance into a CRNA program, which means it can sometimes take more than eight years to become a CRNA. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) reports that the average acute care experience of RNs entering CRNA programs is 2.9 years.