What You Need to Know About Nurse Anesthetist
Occupation Description Administer anesthesia, monitor patient’s vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Life As a Nurse Anesthetist: What Do They Do?
- Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
- Request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests.
- Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients.
- Disassemble and clean anesthesia equipment.
- Instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses.
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What Every Nurse Anesthetist Should Know
These are the skills Nurse Anesthetists say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Senior Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Senior CRNA)
- Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)
- Chief Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Chief CRNA)
- Professor/Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Anesthetist
Job Demand for Nurse Anesthetists
There were about 41,800 jobs for Nurse Anesthetist in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 16.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6,800 new jobs for Nurse Anesthetist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,800 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Nurse Anesthetist are Utah, California, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Hawaii, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Anesthetists make between $116,820 and $208,000 a year.

Nurse Anesthetists who work in Montana, California, or Wisconsin, make the highest salaries.
How much do Nurse Anesthetists make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $161,780 |
Alaska | $187,690 |
Arizona | $144,670 |
Arkansas | $186,970 |
California | $212,210 |
Colorado | $172,700 |
Connecticut | $190,480 |
Delaware | $187,860 |
Florida | $177,390 |
Georgia | $151,070 |
Hawaii | $192,580 |
Idaho | $143,270 |
Illinois | $190,500 |
Indiana | $156,580 |
Iowa | $209,130 |
Kansas | $159,600 |
Kentucky | $172,780 |
Louisiana | $159,370 |
Maine | $170,300 |
Maryland | $191,160 |
Massachusetts | $191,320 |
Michigan | $180,560 |
Minnesota | $188,130 |
Mississippi | $163,320 |
Missouri | $159,080 |
Montana | $246,370 |
Nebraska | $189,030 |
Nevada | $163,220 |
New Hampshire | $171,800 |
New Jersey | $189,150 |
New York | $191,130 |
North Carolina | $178,250 |
North Dakota | $197,860 |
Ohio | $174,380 |
Oklahoma | $176,780 |
Oregon | $205,730 |
Pennsylvania | $171,250 |
South Carolina | $164,480 |
South Dakota | $188,360 |
Tennessee | $150,880 |
Texas | $158,510 |
Utah | $161,300 |
Virginia | $187,320 |
Washington | $195,610 |
West Virginia | $183,080 |
Wisconsin | $204,820 |
What Tools do Nurse Anesthetists Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Nurse Anesthetists:
- Microsoft Word
- MEDITECH software
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
- eClinicalWorks
- e-MDs software
- SOAPware EMR
- Allscripts Professional EHR
- ChartWare EMR
- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
- Cerner Millennium
- SynaMed EMR
- Texas Medical Software SpringCharts EMR
- MicroFour PracticeStudio.NET EMR
- Medscribbler Enterprise
- Amkai AmkaiCharts
- StatCom Patient Flow Logistics Enterprise Suite
- Skyscape AnesthesiaDrugs
- AetherPalm InfusiCalc
- Drug database software
How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist
What education is needed to be a Nurse Anesthetist?

What work experience do I need to become a Nurse Anesthetist?

Where do Nurse Anesthetists Work?

Below are examples of industries where Nurse Anesthetists work:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those who work as a Nurse Anesthetist sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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