One of the fastest-growing professions in the healthcare industry is a CRNA. If you’re considering becoming a nurse or looking for a change in your career, here’s why you should consider a career as a CRNA.
What a CRNA Does
Before you can consider a career as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), you’ll need to know what their duties are. A CRNA has a vital job as they work directly with patients and are responsible for managing the patient’s pain during and after surgery with anesthesia and medicine. Essentially, they make sure you get through the surgery without pain and are comfortable afterward.
A CRNA helps prep the patient for surgery, answers questions, ensures the anesthesia is safe, and monitors patients during and after surgery. CRNAs are critical in the healthcare industry, especially for surgeries requiring anesthesia.
Benefits of Being a CRNA
Work Closely With Patients
According to many current and former CRNAs, one of the best benefits is getting to build a rapport and help patients directly. CRNAs answer a patient’s questions about the upcoming surgery and put their mind at ease. They can see first-hand how their work helps ease patients’ pain and suffering, which is as rewarding as it gets.
Well-Paid
CRNAs have an essential role and get paid for their professional responsibility, skills, and liability. Every year, CRNAs are one of the best-paid careers in nursing. The pay rate can vary depending on the state, with less populated states offering more, but almost anywhere you go to work will provide above-average income for your services.
In-Demand
One of the reasons CRNAs receive such high payments is because they’re in high demand. Industry figures say that between 2014 and 2024, the CRNA position will grow by 30 percent, one of the most significant growth rates in health care. With so many opportunities and such demand for CRNAs, finding a placement that fits your wants and is somewhere you want to live won’t be hard.
Flexible Scheduling
Another benefit of being a CRNA is that there are various options for scheduling. Because of the high demand, many facilities accept part-time, on-call, and contract CRNAs along with full-time positions. As a CRNA, you can choose how often you want to work and plan around your life.
Variety of Settings To Work In
Whether you want to work in a large hospital in a big city or a smaller facility in a rural environment, CRNAs can work in various facilities. Practically any hospital facility that performs surgeries, from metro hospitals to dentist offices, needs CRNAs, so you can choose a facility that best aligns with the work environment you prefer.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you should consider a career as a CRNA. Whether you enjoy working hands-on with patients and helping people or want a job that pays well and offers flexibility, becoming a CRNA can be the career you’ve always wanted.
Christina Duron is a writer living in the Chicagoland area. Her passion for writing and health helps create thought-provoking and engaging pieces and hopes to use them to empower readers to play a more active role in their personal healthcare journey.