Nurse Anesthetist Schools Guide

Finding the best nurse anesthetist schools is imperative for your training and for your success. Before you make a list of the schools you want to attend, there are some things you will first need to know about the program and what is expected of you.

• Nurse anesthetist programs reward graduates with a Master of Science in nursing degree.
• A good score on the GRE
• A minimum number of years where you spent time in acute nursing and acute nursing care. This amount of time is usually 1 year.
• Complete course work in subjects such as chemistry, anatomy, research, statistics and quite possibly physiology.
• Go through a pre-admission interview
• Letters of recommendation professionally and academically
• A written statement explaining why you want to pursue a nurse anesthetist program.

If you are a RN without a BSN degree, you can pursue a career as a nurse anesthetist. You must first complete the RN to BSN requirements and complete the courses that are required for a nurse anesthetist license. You must also have the clinical experience as a nurse working in anesthesia.

A non-nursing student with a bachelor degree can choose to go through a second degree BSN program. You must also meet all of the undergraduate level course requirements. These courses must also include those required for a nurse anesthetist.

After completing the requirements, receiving a BSN and experience, RNs and non-nursing students can then go apply for a program to be registered as a nurse anesthetist.

Becoming A Nurse Anesthetist

Here are some things required of you to become a registered nurse anesthetist

• The student will have to complete 24 to 36 months of graduate courses and study.
• You must be highly trained and experienced in acute care nursing.
• You must pass a national certification exam.

The following is an extensive list of the course work you will be taking or will need to take to become a nurse anesthetist.

• Basic and advanced anesthesia practices
• Anatomy for the nurse anesthetist program.
• Professional and personable
• Health assessments for advanced nursing
• Integrative physiology
• Pathophysiology
• Research methods

Along with these courses of study, you must also follow a clinical practicum of study for a nurse anesthetist. You will also more than likely work hands on administering anesthesia to patients in surgical situations.

Careers As A Nurse Anesthetist

Certified Nurse Anesthetists may work in a variety of settings. They make work as a team including an MD and an anesthesiologist. They may also be independent contractors who arrange to administer anesthesia as needed to patients. This is a very complicated and serious profession and it is not to be taken too lightly. Some of the areas of work in which you can focus as a nurse anesthetist.

• Trauma
• Injuries
• Critical care (such as brain and heart)
• Pediatrics

It has been determined that approximately 8 certified nurse anesthetists can be trained for the same amount as one anesthesiologist. Because of the extremely high level of skill they come in great demand but at a lower cost. Not only is nurse anesthesia a challenging career to go into, it is often the choice of a hospital to hire one as a cost-effective option to an anesthesiologist.