How to Become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
If you are interested in learning how to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist, you should know that it will not be a quick and easy path. But if you are up to the challenge, though, you could have a rewarding, fulfilling and lucrative career ahead of you.
First you'll need to complete a four-year bachelor's degree program, then you'll need to complete a two to three-year master's degree program and finally you'll need to become certified. If you can complete all the requirements, you will be rewarded, as CRNAs can earn upwards of $100,000 a year with full benefits.
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Many people begin thinking about their careers as early as their first or second year in high school. Students with this kind of foresight take as many health, math and science classes as possible during high school to prepare for acceptance to a good Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at a reputable college or university. You will also need to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA during your undergraduate program because the field of certified registered nurse anesthetists is highly competitive.
After completing a BSN degree and completing the licensing requirements to become a registered nurse, you will probably want to get some experience in the field, as many of the CRNA master's degree programs require at least one year of intensive care experience.
You will also need to get a good score on the Graduate Record Exam before applying to a nurse anesthesia program. The application process will be difficult. You will want to apply to several schools because the competition is so fierce, and you may need to interview with the selection committee at some or all of these schools.
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You will need to study hard and get good grades during graduate school, because just having a master's degree in nurse anesthesia is not always enough to secure the best paying jobs - there may always be someone else out there with better grades to boost their resume.
After graduate school you will also need to pass the national certification test for CRNAs administered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists. Then you'll be ready to begin your career.
