A wide range of career opportunities is open to registered nurses. Many nurses choose to specialize once within the field of nursing. One specialized field that nurses can go into is nurse anesthesia. As anesthesia specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists administer more than 65% of the twenty-six million anesthetics given to patients each year. They have licensed and certified registered nurse anesthetists in all fifty states. To become a nurse anesthetist, it is necessary to first become a registered nurse.

There are four ways to become a registered nurse. It is possible through a two-year community college, earning an associate's degree in nursing, or through a three-year hospital based nursing school, earning a diploma. Other possible ways include a four-year university program, resulting in a Bachelor's of Sc

The nurse anesthesia programs range from twenty-four to thirty-six months in length and encompass an academic and clinical practicum on a college degree level. The classroom curriculum emphasizes anatomy, physiology, pathophysilolgy, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and pharmacology as they relate to anesthesia. All programs must offer a Master of Science degree or higher beginning in 1998. All programs require a four-year college degree in science or nursing, and at least one year of acute car nursing experience before entry. Schools usually define acute care as intensive care, coronary care, and emergency/trauma care. Once a student has completed their educational work, the nurse is eligible to take a national certification examination and become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Laws also require continuing education every two years for recertification.

Reflecting the amount of responsibility, nurse anesthetists are one of the best paid nursing specialities. The reported average salary in 1997 was approximately $86,000. The middle 50 percent earned between $74,700 and $90,300. An article in the September 21, 1992, issue of Fortune magazine included nurse anesthetists among the top 20% of income earners in America.

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