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Nurse Anesthetist
The Nurse Anesthetist is an essential member of the surgical team. He or she is a skilled and highly educated specialist who, under the direction of a physician, administers anesthetics to patients for all types of surgery. They also practice in the obstetrics department, with psychiatric patients, in the respiratory therapy department, the emergency room and in dental offices. Attention to vital signs and changes in the patient's condition is one of the important functions of the Nurse Anesthetist.
This is a field in which the nurse-patient relationship is critically important; the Nurse Anesthetist must be able to apply physiologic and psychologic principles with sensitivity while at the same time employing technical skills and theoretical knowledge. Nurses who want to enter this field should have demonstrated a certain degree of superiority and be of good standing in the profession. They must be prepared to meet challenging demands and willing to be on call around the clock when necessary.
To enter an accredited program of nurse anesthesia, the student must possess a BSN degree or other appropriate baccalaureate degree, hold an RN license and have a minimum of one year experience. The nurse anesthesia program ranges from 24 to 36 months and encompasses an academic and clinical practicum. The length of the nurse anesthesia program varies according to institution.
There are a number of accredited educational programs in nurse anesthesia all over the United States. All offer a Master's degree in such areas as nursing, allied health, and biological and clinical sciences. Once a student has completed his/her educational work, the nurse is eligible to take a national certification examination and become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Mandatory continuing education is also required every two years for recertification.
Employment opportunities exist in every setting where anesthesia is administered. Typical employers include hospitals, doctor's and dentist's offices, ambulatory surgery centers, health maintenance organizations, military and veteran's administration hospitals. Some Nurse Anesthetists contract their services independently to various
health care providers.
$113,000
*NATIONAL MEDIAN SALARIES CITED COURTESY OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SOURCES:
- UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- 2003 ASHA Omnibus Survey
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