Become a CRNA

The miracle of anesthesia made pain-free surgery a reality. Nurse anesthetists, the first healthcare providers dedicated to the specialty of anesthesia, have their roots in the 1800s, when nurses first gave anesthesia to wounded soldiers on the battlefields of the Civil War. Today, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are master’s prepared advanced practice nurses who enjoy a high degree of autonomy and professional respect. CRNAs provide anesthetics to patients in every practice setting, and for every type of surgery or procedure. They are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly all rural hospitals, and the main provider of anesthesia to the men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

For more information about nurse anesthetists, see:
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Fact Sheet

See AANA's Public Service Announcement:
CRNAs: We'll Be Watching
(This link will take you to YouTube.com)

Requirements

The requirements for becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) mainly include having a bachelor's degree in nursing (or other appropriate baccalaureate degree); Registered Nurse licensure in the U.S., its territories or protectorates; a minimum of one year critical care experience (for example, ICU) in the U.S. its territories or a U.S. military hospital outside the U.S.; and the successful completion of both an accredited nurse anesthesia educational program and the national certification examination. For more information about the nurse anesthesia profession and its requirements, please read the information below.

Accredited Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs

What Potential Students Need to Know about the Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program Interview Process

Best Kept Secret in Healthcare Video

A Day in the Life - Stories about real-life CRNAs in their own words.

Education of Nurse Anesthetists in the United States

Frequently Asked Questions

Focus on the Profession

News Archives: AANA Announces Support of Doctorate for Entry into Nurse Anesthesia Practice by 2025

Oregon Association of Nurse Anesthetists:
"I Am a CRNA" (YouTube video)

Podcast

Former AANA President Sharon Pearce on The Nursing Show, Episode 324. President Pearce's segment begins at the 8:20 mark in the show.

Qualifications and Capabilities of CRNAs

Questions and Answers: Career Possibilities in Nurse Anesthesia

Why I Became a CRNA
Read why some pretty amazing nurse anesthetists decided to become a CRNA!

Further Reading

Advanced Degrees and Certifications: What You Need to Succeed
Minority Nurse magazine

CRNA Career Choice More Than A-B-C
RNCentral.com

Guide to CRNA Admission
Minority Nurse magazine

Yes You Can (Succeed in Nurse Anesthesia School)
Minority Nurse magazine

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