Nurse Anesthetists
What is a Nurse Anesthetist?
A Nurse Anesthetist, also known as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), is a highly specialized advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) responsible for providing anesthesia care to patients undergoing surgical, obstetrical, or other medical procedures. They are trained to administer anesthesia, monitor patients' vital signs, and ensure patient safety before, during, and after anesthesia is administered. Nurse Anesthetists often work independently or in collaboration with anesthesiologists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals in a variety of settings, including hospitals, surgical clinics, and pain management practices.
Tasks
- Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
- Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
- Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
- Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary.
- Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.
Technology Skills
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Medical software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- MEDITECH software
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Word processing software
- Microsoft Word
Tools Used
- Electronic stethoscopes
- Gas anesthesia apparatus or machines
- Anesthesia inhalers or inhaler units
- Cardiac output CO monitoring units
- Pharyngeal airways or airways kits
Knowledge
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Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
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Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
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Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
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Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Skills
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Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
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Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Abilities
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Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation?
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Doctoral degree
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Master's degree
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Professional degree
Awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession
Work Activities
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Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
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Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
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Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Detailed Work Activities
- Implement advanced life support techniques.
- Administer intravenous medications.
- Treat medical emergencies.
- Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
- Prescribe medications.
Work Interests
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Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
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Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
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Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
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Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Job Outlook
Projected salary and job growth
This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.
Assessment
Related assessments and tests
No assessment available.