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Facts About Nurse Anesthesia |
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What is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)? |
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Nurse anesthesia is an advanced clinical nursing specialty. As anesthesia specialists, CRNAs administer approximately 65% of the 26 million anesthetics given to patients in the United States each year. |
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How Does a Nurse become a CRNA? |
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A nurse attends an accredited nurse anesthesia education program to receive an extensive education in anesthesia. Upon graduation, the nurse must pass a national certification exam to become a CRNA. For additional information on the universities around Ohio that offer these programs, visit that section of our website. |
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What are the Requirements for Admission to a Program? |
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The requirements for admission are:
- A bachelor’s of science in nursing or another appropriate baccalaureate degree. (Each program determines "appropriate" degrees and "approved" programs.)
- A license as a registered nurse.
- A minimum of one year of acute care nursing experience. (Each program determines what constitutes "acute care" nursing.)
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What is the Role of An Individual CRNA? |
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A CRNA takes care of a patient’s anesthesia needs before, during and after surgery or the delivery of a baby by:
- Performing a physical assessment
- Participating in preoperative teaching
- Preparing for anesthetic management
- Administering anesthesia to keep the patient pain free
- Maintaining anesthesia intra-operatively
- Overseeing recovery from anesthesia
- Following the patient’s postoperative course from recovery room to patient care unit.
CRNAs provide services in conjunction with other healthcare professionals such as surgeons, dentists, podiatrists, and anesthesiologists. |
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Where do CRNAs Practice? |
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CRNAs practice in a variety of settings in the private and public sectors and in the U.S. military, including traditional hospital operating rooms, ambulatory surgery centers, pain clinics, and physicians’ offices. They practice on a solo basis, in groups and collaboratively. Some CRNAs have independent contracting arrangements with physicians or hospitals. |
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What Employment Opportunities Exist for CRNAs? |
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CRNAs are in demand and therefore have many opportunities for general or specialty practice throughout the United States. Visit the job postings section of this website for additional information on current opportunities. |
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