The path to becoming a CRNA

After being asked, What is a CRNA? The next question I often hear is okay, so how do you become a CRNA? The answer is not that simple as there are many pathways to becoming a CRNA and the requirements and schooling has change drastically over the years. All CRNAs share their RN roots and critical care background. As critical care nurses, we become good at managing vital signs, dealing with specialty equipment like ventilators, and critical thinking and decision making. This background serves us well as we enter the OR!

 

In early years of nurse anesthetists, nurses were trained on the job to provide as safe anesthetics and later evolved into diploma programs, then master's program, and now doctoral programs. Many health care organizations are embracing the push to train advanced practice nurses on the doctoral level including AANA (The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists).

 

So here are some steps:

1) Become a RN

2) Complete Requirements for Admission to CRNA school: Usually 1-2 years of critical care experience, ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification), PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse), & Completion of a Bachelor's Degree. These are some of the most common requirements, but anesthesia programs have become quite competitive and often require some level of leadership experience (charge nurse/preceptor/MRT/etc)

3) Complete CRNA school: many programs are now doctorate programs and require approximately 3 years of additional training (both clinical and didactic)

4) Pass Anesthesia board certification exam

Here is a look at the courses I will be taking over the next three years -- We are currently in Spring I!

Notice the hour requirements for some courses -- These are hours we will spend in the hospitals supervised by certified CRNAs and MD-Anesthesiologists learning anesthesia on real people!