For graduate students seeking a demanding and advanced field of study, anesthesiology may be an excellent choice. To familiarize you with the career field, this article will discuss the prerequisites for nurse anesthetist school, help you choose the best school for you, orient you to the required coursework, and familiarize you with job prospects following graduation from nurse anesthetist school. These are key factors in determining whether career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, or CRNA, would be right for you.
Prerequisites For Nurse Anesthetist Schools
All Nurse Anesthetist School programs are graduate level studies, meaning applicants will have had to receive a Bachelor’s degree prior to admissions. Some schools also require an undergraduate degree GPA of 3.0 or better. Before applying for a program, it should also be noted that the average CRNA applicant has 5-7 years of experience as a Registered Nurse. For applicants without this level of experience, a minimum of one year experience in the field (excluding emergency room and operating room experience) is mandatory. Intensive Care Unit experience is preferable, as applicants will already be familiar with vaso-active drips, ventilators, and other applicable methods and mechanisms.
It is always a good idea to contact the program administrator prior to applying, as some institutions may be more lenient. Finally, prior to acceptance, some schools will require you to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and will have a minimum score requirement. This entrance exam should not be taken lightly, nor should you take the GRE without extensive practice. While you are able to retake the test if you do poorly on the first, both scores are still reported to the school that you are applying with.
Choosing One Of The Best Nurse Anesthetist Schools
In choosing a school, most applicants lean towards the cheaper, low hanging fruit. This may not always be the best option, lots of the same government no interest as well as lower interest loans for undergraduates are available to graduate students. There are also quite a few companies that specialize in loans to medical students that cover tuition, books, school, and day-to-day expenses. Once you successfully complete your schooling, many employers offer loan repayment options, and the average CRNA income is three times that of annual salary of a staff nurse.
With costs no longer a consideration, new applicants should look at location and the length of the program. Also consider if these nurse anesthetist schools are accredited, as only accredited schools can be trusted to provide you with the education you will need to pass the certification exam. A good institution should also provide for its graduates long term success. Therefore, choose institutions with post-graduate job assistance programs already in place.
Typical Nursing School Curriculums
The standard nurse anesthetist school program is a front-loaded 12 to 36-month curriculum. Topics covered will include advanced anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. Deeper aspects of anesthesia practice and the pharmacology of anesthetic agents and adjuvant drugs will be discussed, and future practitioners will be expected to communicate intelligently on specifics. Pharmacology, statistics, and Gross Anatomical Dissection may also be thrown in the mix. In addition to core coursework, students are typically required to conduct individual research, attend clinical correlative conferences, and extra-curricular related conferences.
Courses may vary by school, so it is important to interview current students and obtain a sample syllabus from the institution prior to applying. As with any course, knowing what’s coming will enable you to prepare ahead of time and anticipate future rough spots. Upon completing your school’s curriculum, you should be confident in your ability to pass the GRE, utilize a variety of anesthetic modalities including general and regional anesthetic techniques to patients of every age group (from infant to elderly), and conduct the equipment checks, positioning, and administration of anesthetics while adapting plans based on patient response and surgical considerations.
Job Prospects Following Nurse Anesthetist Schools Graduates
The employment prospects for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are fantastic. There is currently a shortage of nurse anesthetists in the United States and abroad, with more and more anesthetists reaching retirement age every year. Statistically, most program graduates are employed in the field within 60 days of graduation, according to the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Association.
The average salary for an entry level anesthesiologist is $110,000 to $140,000. Additionally, benefits may include school and professional loan repayment, full health and dental care (for both the practitioner and his or her family), generous retirement benefits, overtime pay, malpractice insurance, life insurance, and paid vacations. When you are selecting a place of employment, these benefits should play a major role in your decision, as they may substantially increase your income.