How to Become a CRNA: Path to Nurse Anesthetist

Becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is challenging, but many driven students find the effort it takes to enter the role worth it. These advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) specialize in anesthesia care, working with patients and fellow health care professionals in surgery and pain management. To become a practicing nurse anesthetist, you need to earn a registered nurse (RN) license, gain clinical experience, go back to school to earn an advanced degree, and gain certification.

Marquette University’s Second Degree Direct Entry MSN program could be the perfect step toward a nurse anesthetist career. Our rigorous Master of Science in Nursing curriculum combines nursing theory coursework with clinical simulation in learning site labs and clinical courses under instructor supervision in top area health care facilities.

Our DE-MSN program can be completed in five or eight semesters, depending on whether you want to take coursework on campus or online. We emphasize developing leadership qualities while preparing to practice according to nursing’s high standards and evidence-based practice model. Learn what makes nurse anesthesia such an appealing advanced practice nursing role, see what a career in this practice area looks like, and discover how to become a CRNA after first becoming an RN.

What is a Nurse Anesthetist?

A nurse anesthetist is a type of APRN who specializes in anesthesia and perioperative care. CRNAs take on responsibilities including:

• Administering anesthesia
• Developing anesthesia plans
• Evaluating patients before procedures
• Monitoring vital signs
• Providing pain management services
• Treating complications during and after procedures

CRNAs practice in health care settings like hospitals, surgery centers, and pain clinics. There is a federal requirement that CRNAs must be supervised by a physician, but states and territories have been allowed to opt out of this requirement since 2001. Currently, 25 states and Guam have opted out.

Prescriptive authority for nurse anesthetists varies by state. Some states allow CRNAs full prescriptive authority with no physician involvement, some allow prescriptive authority with rules around physician involvement or controlled substance schedules, and others do not allow independent prescriptive authority.

How Much Do Nurse Anesthetists Earn? What Are CRNA Career Prospects?

Nurse anesthetists are high earners. According to U.S. News & World Report, nurse anesthetists earn a median annual salary of $223,210. These professionals are, on average, the highest-earning nurses in the profession. This role is also growing rapidly, with a 40% increase in the total number of CRNAs expected in the next decade.

Aside from their skills and experience, independence of practice contributes to why nurse anesthetists can be such high earners. Taking note of prescriptive authority across states is important when starting to plan out your career. In many rural settings, CRNAs are the primary anesthesia professionals. In some hospitals, they could even be the sole qualified anesthesia providers.

If you decide to become a CRNA, you will have an in-demand skillset and access to lucrative opportunities for the rest of your career.

How Long Does It Take to Become a CRNA?

The path to become a CRNA requires years of study, multiple academic degrees, and time in professional nursing practice.

You need to first earn an RN license, which comes after earning a nursing degree. A traditional undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing program usually takes four years. You must then gain one to three years of critical care RN experience before spending three years in a Nurse Anesthesia DNP program, like the one that Marquette offers, before taking the certification exam and gaining CRNA licensure.

Starting from no college education, it could take over 10 years to become a nurse anesthetist. If you already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, Marquette’s Direct Entry MSN program could mean a faster way into this career path.

Steps to Become a CRNA

How do you become a CRNA? A nurse anesthetist career requires dedication. From earning a degree and becoming a nurse to completing a doctoral program, let’s examine each step.

1. Research Nursing Programs and Apply

You should find the right nursing program to begin your path toward earning a nursing license and then later becoming a CRNA. If you do not have previous college credits, you will most likely need to enroll in a traditional four-year nursing program. However, with a previous non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you can apply to a direct entry MSN program like Marquette’s.

Our program curriculum delivers a master’s-level education in five or eight semesters, depending on program format. This means an MSN degree can be earned faster than a traditional BSN degree. An MSN degree may be required by some doctoral programs, so earning this degree can ensure that your options stay as open as possible. Our admissions advisers can work with you throughout the admissions process to make your path smoother.

2. Earn a Nursing Degree and Attain Licensure

Earning a nursing degree, especially an MSN on an accelerated timeline, is a challenge that requires commitment and dedication. Program format and location determine if nursing coursework will be completed in person or online. Students enrolled at our main Milwaukee Campus will complete our five-semester option with predominantly in-person coursework. Those at our Pleasant Prairie program site can enroll as five-semester or eight-semester students and complete nursing theory coursework through an e-Learning platform.

Skills and simulation labs take place in person regardless of program format. They involve practicing nursing skills in a simulated clinical environment and responding to mock clinical scenarios under instructor supervision. Clinical rotations are learning experiences that allow you to work in supervised top area health care facilities.

After graduation, you can take the NCLEX-RN with the aim of earning nursing licensure.

3. Build Experience in Critical Care Settings

After gaining RN licensure, you need to build your experience responding to critical care situations. Typically, the best place to do this is the ICU. Consider also earning a CCRN certification during this time to demonstrate your aptitude for critical care (a requirement for some programs).

CRNA programs will require at least one year of full-time critical care RN experience. Requiring two to three years of experience is not uncommon, and more time spent gaining critical care experience will make your application more competitive, even if not strictly required.

4. Complete an Accredited Doctoral Program in Nurse Anesthesia (DNP or DNAP)

After gaining critical care experience, you can finally enroll in an accredited doctoral program in nurse anesthesia. This could be a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program or a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP). Both degrees are similar and prepare you to practice as a CRNA, but a DNP includes a wider nursing theory focus, which may offer more career flexibility in the future.

Marquette also offers a Nurse Anesthetist DNP program for students who have completed critical care experience, guided by world-class faculty contributing to research in the nursing field.

5. Earn CRNA Licensure

After earning your doctoral degree, you can finally apply to the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) and sit for the National Certification Examination (NCE). You can take the NBCRNA’s Self-Evaluation Examination (SEE) beforehand to determine if you’re ready. You can consult the NBCRNA’s NCE resources to learn more about the exam.

Work Toward Your CRNA Future With Marquette

The path to nurse anesthesia is long, but it can be worth it if you want an in-demand career delivering vital care. With more knowledge of how to become a CRNA, does it sound like the right choice for you? Contact us today to speak with an admissions adviser. They will consult with you on your goals and academic history and speak about Marquette’s DE-MSN program.