Anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists use anesthetics to prevent patients from feeling pain during medical procedures. This process improves doctors’ efficiency in patient care and helps patients in distress.
If you’re a registered nurse or nursing student unsure of what subfield to specialize in, anesthesiology could be a great option. This article explores how to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist, including educational and certification requirements.
What Is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist?
Nurse anesthetists are medical personnel who provide anesthesia—otherwise known as pain management care—to patients before, during and after medical procedures like surgery, biopsies, birth and dental procedures. A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) specializing in anesthesiology or pain management.
The primary role of a CRNA is to keep patients comfortable during and after medical procedures. Other daily responsibilities include:
- Performing pre-anesthetic evaluation
- Taking patients’ medical history to detect possible contraindications with anesthesia
- Reporting medical history details to supervising anesthesiologists
- Preparing equipment for the administration of anesthesia
- Providing emergency pain management services
- Administering regional or general anesthesia
- Monitoring patients’ vital signs and response to anesthesia
- Providing post-anesthesia care
Nurse anesthetists work in hospitals, emergency rooms, surgical clinics, outpatient care centers and the military. Their shifts might include nights, holidays and weekends.
How To Become a Certified Nurse Anesthetist
Follow these steps to launch a career as a certified nurse anesthetist.
Earn a B.S.N.
While undergraduates can become registered nurses (RNs) with only an associate degree in nursing (A.D.N.), CRNA programs typically require prospective students to hold a nursing bachelor’s degree. B.S.N. programs introduce aspiring nurses to the foundations of nursing science and patient care.
The time required to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing depends on your prior academic qualifications. If you already hold an A.D.N. and RN licensure, earning a B.S.N. through a bridge program can take as few as 10 months. Undergraduates without prior degrees, however, typically complete the B.S.N. program in four years of full-time study.
Regardless of how you earn your B.S.N., it’s important to choose an accredited nursing school. In addition to institutional accreditation—which qualifies you for federal student aid and verifies that a school meets standards of academic quality—look for programmatic accreditation for your nursing program.
Programmatic accreditation ensures your degree’s curriculum will prepare you for a nursing career, and some states require programmatically accredited degrees for nursing licensure.
Major accrediting bodies for nursing degrees include:
- The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- The Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA)
Obtain RN Licensure
You must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to qualify for an RN license. Each state’s nursing board sets specific requirements for initial licensing and renewal, so investigate these stipulations for the state where you intend to work.
In addition to passing the NCLEX-RN, some jurisdictions require other stipulations like a criminal background check, paying a licensing fee and completing board-approved continuing education.
Gain Clinical Experience
APRN programs generally require applicants to earn one to two years of clinical experience in qualifying nursing specialties. For prospective nurse anesthetists, subfields like critical care, where patients frequently need pain management services, can provide valuable clinical experience.
Working in critical care wards—such as the emergency unit, ICU or labor and delivery unit—allows you to learn basic anesthesiology practices and determine if the field is the right specialty for you.
Earn Your D.N.P. in Nurse Anesthesia
Multiple schools in the U.S. offer nursing graduate degrees with a concentration in nurse anesthesia. Though most APRNs need only a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), by 2025, all new nurse anesthetists will need a Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) to qualify for licensure.
Eligible B.S.N. holders can qualify for CRNA positions through B.S.N.-to-D.N.P. bridge programs. These bridge programs take about three years to complete.
The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) offers programmatic accreditation for CRNA programs. As you search for schools, verify each CRNA program’s accreditation status through the COA directory.
Pass the National Certification Exam
After completing your graduate degree in nursing, you must pass the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)’s national certification exam.
NBCRNA offers free tutorials to help you prepare for this test. After initial certification, you must recertify through the organization’s continued professional certification program every four years to maintain your credentials.
Certified Nurse Anesthetist Salary and Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nurse anesthetists earned a median annual salary of $203,090 in 2022. Salaries vary based on factors like location, experience and employer. For example, in 2022, nurse anesthetists in California earned an average annual salary of $246,510, while CRNAs in Florida earned $174,390 on average.
The BLS projects employment opportunities for nurse anesthetists to increase by 9% from 2022—32, which is faster than the projected growth rate for all careers. This data signals continuing demand for these professionals.
Certified Nurse Anesthetist Specializations
The nurse anesthesia field is complex, as it involves pain management care for all kinds of patients, regardless of their ailment or age. CRNAs can specialize their skills toward specific demographics or parts of the body.
Specialties for nurse anesthetists include neurosurgical anesthesia, perianesthesia nursing, respiratory care, perinatal anesthesiology and ambulatory anesthesia. To specialize in any nurse anesthesia subfield, you can earn additional certification after completing your graduate degree.
Certifications for Nurse Anesthetists
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
The CRNA designation is a credential required for advanced practice registered nurses to practice as nurse anesthetists.
To earn this certification, applicants must graduate from an accredited nurse anesthesia program and pass a national certification exam from the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists. The test measures the knowledge and competencies of prospective nurse anesthetists. It consists of 100 to 170 questions and takes three hours.
CCRN® Certification
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) offers certifications to RNs and APRNs who specialize in acute, critical and progressive care. Because nurse anesthetists typically work with critical care patients, they can earn the critical care nursing certification in categories like adult, pediatric or neonatal.
To qualify for the CCRN credential, a valid RN or APRN license is required. Other requirements include verifiable clinical experience and an application fee. AACN members pay $250, while nonmembers pay $365.
Professional Organizations for Certified Nurse Anesthetists
As a nurse anesthetist, you might consider joining one of the following professional organizations for career support and continuing education opportunities.
American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA)
AANA was founded in 1931 to support and advance nurse anesthesiology. The organization’s journal, published bimonthly, contributes to the dissemination of trends and discoveries in nurse anesthesiology. AANA currently represents over 61,000 nurse anesthetists throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN)
Founded in 1980, this organization represents more than 60,000 nurses specializing in pain management. It advances the profession by advocating for its members and providing opportunities for continuing education, research and professional development.
Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA)
The Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia aims to promote high ethical standards and foster research in ambulatory care. SAMBA advocates for patient safety above all else during ambulatory procedures. Since its establishment in 1985, SAMBA has grown its membership to over 1,500 anesthetists. Members of SAMBA receive access to new research in ambulatory anesthesia, mentorship and guidelines for professional development.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
What is the fastest you can become a nurse anesthetist?
Earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing can take up to four years of full-time study. Nurses who already hold an associate degree and RN licensure—a process that typically takes two to three years—can complete an RN-to-B.S.N. program in as little as 10 months.
Aspiring nurse anesthetists then need a Doctor of Nursing Practice. B.S.N.-to-D.N.P. bridge programs typically take three years. These professionals must also complete licensure and certification exams, which can take additional months of preparation.
Is becoming a CRNA hard?
Becoming a CRNA can prove challenging. The job requires graduate-level education, a certification exam and professional experience. Working in pain management can also prove emotionally taxing. However, the career offers benefits like lucrative salaries, strong growth projections and opportunities to change lives.
Is a CRNA higher than an RN?
A certified registered nurse anesthetist is an advanced practice registered nurse with specialized training and a graduate-level nursing degree. RN licensure requires only an associate degree. Due to their advanced qualifications, CRNAs rank higher and typically earn more than RNs.
