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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists – CRNAs
Nurse Anesthetists have been providing anesthesia care to patients in the U.S. for nearly 150 years. They first provided anesthesia to wounded soldiers during the Civil War. Since World War I they have been the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military men and women on the front lines. More interesting facts about CRNAs include:
- The CRNA mean compensation reported in 2008 ranged from $138,000 to $158,000 per year depending on the region of the U.S. where they were practicing.
- There are 39,000 CRNAs and 40,900 Anesthesiologists practicing in the U.S.
- Approximately 44% of the CRNAs are male, compared to less than 10% male in the nursing profession as a whole.
- CRNAs administer 30 million anesthetics to patients in the U.S. each year.
- CRNAs provide 2/3 of anesthesia care in rural America. In some states, CRNAs are the sole providers in nearly 100% of the rural hospitals.
- CRNAs practice in traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; the military, public health services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.
- In 1986 Congress passed legislation that made CRNA the first nursing specialty to be accorded direct reimbursement rights under the Medicare program.
- According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, approximately eight CRNAs can be educated for the cost of one Anesthesiologist.
- Between 1,300 and 1,700 student CRNAs graduate each year from one of the 109 accredited Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs. There are 1,800 affiliated clinical sites in the U.S.
- Education requirements for CRNAs:
- Bachelor's of Science in Nursing or other appropriate baccalaureate degree
- Current license as a registered nurse
- At least one year of experience in an acute care setting
- Graduation from an accredited graduate school of nurse anesthesia (programs range from 24–26 months depending on university requirements and offer a master’s degree)
- Clinical training in university-based or large community hospitals
- Must pass a national certification examination following graduation
- Obtain a minimum of 40 continuing education credits every two years
Like many physician specialties, there is a shortage of CRNAs. Some facilities fill their positions with locum tenens CRNAs until permanent nurse anesthetists can be recruited. For more information regarding CRNAs or assistance recruiting a permanent or locum tenens position, please contact us.
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