The miracle of anesthesia made pain-free surgery a reality. Nurse anesthetists, the first healthcare providers dedicated to the specialty of anesthesia, have their roots in the 1800s, when nurses first gave anesthesia to wounded soldiers on the battlefields of the Civil War.
Today, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are master’s prepared advanced practice nurses who enjoy a high degree of autonomy and professional respect. CRNAs provide anesthetics to patients in every practice setting, and for every type of surgery or procedure. They are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly all rural hospitals, and the main provider of anesthesia to the men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
It takes 7-8 ½ years of coursework and clinical hours for a student registered nurse anesthetist (also known as SRNA, nurse anesthesia resident, nurse anesthesiology resident) to attain a master’s or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia; during that time the SRNA will, on average, amass nearly 9,400 hours of clinical experience. The average experience of RNs entering nurse anesthesia educational programs is 2.9 years. CRNAs are the only anesthesia professionals required to attain clinical experience prior to entering an educational program.
Requirements
The requirements for becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) mainly include having a bachelor's degree in nursing (or other appropriate baccalaureate degree); Registered Nurse licensure in the U.S., its territories or protectorates; a minimum of one year critical care experience (for example, ICU) in the U.S. its territories or a U.S. military hospital outside the U.S.; and the successful completion of both an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program and the national certification examination.
CRNAs: We are the Answer
For more information about the nurse anesthesia programs in Texas see below:
