Becoming A CRNA: What Are The Requirements?
The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) lists three requirements that must be met for acceptance into a nurse anesthesia training program. These are:
Be licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in at least on state.
Completion of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or other appropriate baccalaureate
degree.
Have a minimum of one year experience working as an RN in an acute care setting.
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The requirements for licensure as an RN are governed by the Board of Nursing (BON) within the state that you will be working as an RN. These requirements include the successful completion of a nursing program approved by the board and passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Most states also require the completion of a criminal background investigation.
The nursing program may either grant an Associate's or Bachelor's degree upon completion. Before applying to a nursing school, verify that it is approved by the state that you wish to be licensed.
If you are planning on becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) or other Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), I would recommend attending a program that is accredited academically by a regional accrediting body and that the nursing program is accredited by either the National League for Nursing (NLN) or the (CCNE).
This will give you the greatest flexibility should you need to transfer to a different school and when choosing a graduate program.
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The BSN degree is accepted by all of the nurse anesthesia training programs. While some of the schools accept other baccalaureate degrees, they are usually limited to the basic sciences (such as biology).
If your degree is other than a BSN, there will be other specific class requirements that will need to be completed. These most often include science classes beyond the introductory level and will have an associated lab component.
Anatomy and physiology, chemistry, biochemistry and microbiology are some examples that fall into this category.
Once you have completed your nursing degree, passed the NCLEX-RN exam, and are licensed as an RN, you will need to get a minimum of one year experience working in an acute care setting. Acute care areas are usually defined as any of the intensive care units.
These can include surgical and medical, coronary, and neurologic intensive care units. These areas allow you to gain experience working with critically ill patients, vaso-active medications, mechanical ventilation, and invasive monitoring equipment.
Becoming certified as a critical care nurse (CCRN), will demonstrate your advanced training and skills in the acute care area. Frequently, you will need to work in a general nursing unit to gain experience before being allowed to work in a more intensive care area.
While this covers the three general requirements for application to a nurse anesthesia training program, each of the more than one hundred currently accredited programs, has more specific requirements.
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To determine the specifics that are relevant to you, contact the schools that you plan to apply to. Then set-up your plan to meet these requirements and a timetable for their completion.
The CRNA school application process can be translated to many of the APRN programs. First, determine the requirements for certification from the certifying agency and obtain a list of schools that provide the necessary education.
Then, contact the school to determine their specific requirements and which you need to complete. Assess where you stand in completing these requirements, and set your goals to meet these requirements.
Remember, a goal without a deadline is just a dream, so stop dreaming and start doing. In up coming articles, I will discuss ways to laser focus your application and improve your chances of succeeding in your growth to becoming a CRNA or other ARNP.
