Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist – Career and Education Profile

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Certified registered nurse anesthetists go through training to specialize in anesthesia, so they can assist medical teams when a patient needs a procedure that requires short-term blocked sensation.

Job Responsibilities

As a certified registered nurse anesthetist, you’ll likely work as part of a team of anesthetists and other nurses to develop and administer an anesthesia plan for a patient who needs a procedure where it is best to block pain. This could range from small-scale, localized anesthesia to numb specific areas of the body to use that is more difficult to manage, such as anesthesia during a very long operation. Your certification also allows you to work without the direct supervision of an anesthetist, though specific tasks you are and are not allowed to do vary by state.

Salary and Career Options

Certified registered nurse anesthetists, on average, make the highest salaries of all advanced practice nurses. The exact amount you’ll make depends on your employer, your location, and a number of other factors, but on average, nurses in this field make about $130,000 annually. Along with working in a clinical setting as a nurse, you can also take on an administrative or management role, become an educator, or work in anesthetics research.

Educational Requirements

The first step to becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist is to earn a bachelor of science in nursing, or BSN, which you can do through an LPN to RN program or a typical RN program. You’ll then need to earn a master’s degree in the field through an accredited university, which entails both classroom learning in areas such as pain management and anesthesia administration and hands-on training in a clinical setting. After you earn your degree, you’ll need to take your state’s certification exam to receive your nurse anesthetist license and begin working in this field.

LPN to RN College Programs

With some additional schooling, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can become a registered nurse (RN), opening doors to more job opportunities and higher salaries. The following is a list of schools with the best online LPN to RN degree programs offered by accredited colleges. You can request information by clicking the college's logo.

LPN to RN (BSN)	Indiana State University—ISU’s LPN to BSN degree program is the only online LPN to RN training program in the United States. LPNs and LVNs who complete this program can earn their NLNAC-approved Bachelor of Science degree in nursing entirely online. Upon completion, graduates should meet all of the prerequisites for becoming an RN. Read an in-depth review of Indiana State University.
LPN to RN LPN to ADN LPN to BSN	The College Network—Earn your LPN to RN (ADN) degree completely online with no campus attendance and no wait list. Learn from the convenience of home at your own pace, and earn an NLNAC-accredited associate’s degree in less time and for less money than traditional campus programs. Read an in-depth review of The College Network.
	Select a subject and degree level, then click "Find My Degree" to browse 100+ online nursing schools offering relevant accredited programs.
BS in Nursing RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Education MSN in Nurse Informatics MSN in Nurse Management	Walden University—Founded in 1970, Walden University is dedicated to providing education for a higher purpose. The Nursing School confers degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s level, which provides further study in health informatics, nursing education, and nursing leadership/management. Walden is one of the biggest providers of online master and doctorate programs with over a hundred degrees offered at each level.
RN to BSN MS in Nursing (MSN) MSN in Adult Health RN to MSN in Nurse Education Accelerated RN to MSN	South University—South University’s College of Nursing offers numerous degree programs for aspiring nurses. Those looking for a BSN degree can enter into the RN to BSN and complete it within 18 months. South also offers the following master’s degree-level programs: MS in Nursing (MSN), MSN in adult health nurse practitioning, MSN in nurse education, and an accelerated RN to MSN.
RN to BSN RN to MSN MSN in Nurse Administration MSN in Nurse Education	Kaplan University—Kaplan University’s RN to BSN and RN to MSN programs feature curriculums that provide registered nurses with the tools to graduate with BSN and MSN degrees. The MSNs in Nurse Administration or Nurse Education feature curriculums that teach methods in management and education in order to prepare students for leadership and educator positions with in the nursing field.