An anaesthesiologist nurse is a nurse who specializes in the practice of anaesthesia. The person aspiring to be an anaesthesiologist nurse should complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing with a science background. Then the nurse should have a year’s practice in an intensive care unit or a medical setting. Following the acute care experience, applicants apply to a Council on Accreditation (COA) accredited program of nurse-anesthesia. Education is offered on a master’s degree or doctoral degree. The program spans from 24 to 36 months. The certification and recertification process is governed by the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA). Today, nurse anesthetists practice in all 50 United States and administer approximately 32 million anesthetics each year (AANA). Approximately 65% of CRNAs practice in collaboration with anesthesiologists, in what is termed the “Anesthesia Care Team.” However, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) are educated to work independently or with anesthesiologist supervision. CRNA practice varies from state to state, and is also dependent on the institution in which CRNAs practice. The following paragraphs clarify CRNA practice.
CRNAs practice in a wide variety of public and private settings including large academic medical centers, small community hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, pain clinics, or physician’s offices, either working together with anesthesiologists, CRNAs, or in independent practice. They have a substantial role in the military, the Veterans Administration (VA), and public health.
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