How To Become A CRNA

How To Become a CRNA
Becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) can be rewarding for a

number of reasons, including personal satisfaction, benefits to society, and relatively
generous compensation. CRNAs perform similar work to anesthesiologists including
giving local and general anesthetics; performing epidural, spinal and nerve blocks;
providing twilight sedation; and facilitating pain management for patients. Currently,
hundreds of self-reporting nurse anesthetists have given their profession a perfect
score in job satisfaction in a Payscale (2017) report. It is easy to see why working as a
nurse anesthetist can be a competitive and highly desirable line of work.
So how does someone become a nurse anesthetist? According to the American

Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), it generally takes a minimum of seven
years postsecondary education and experience to become a certified registered nurse
anesthetist (CRNA). An average student will complete approximately 2,500 clinical
hours and administer 850 anesthetics before obtaining his or her certification. The
general requirements and more detailed steps to becoming a nurse anesthetist are
presented below.
Steps to Becoming a Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse anesthetists require several years of experience and schooling prior to

becoming certified. The AANA provides one possible path to become to becoming a
CRNA:
Step 1: Pursue a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or a similar degree – 4

years *** part time in Ngee Ann poly
https://naa.edu.sg/bachelor-nursing-honours/
The road to becoming a certified nurse anesthetist typically begins as an

undergraduate. Students take courses such as physiology, anatomy, pharmacology,
pathophysiology, and health assessment. Although a BSN is not required for
becoming a RN, students who complete these undergraduate programs may have an
edge in the highly competitive application process to accredited nurse anesthetist
programs. Students are also required to complete clinical rotations in major health
departments such as women’s health, surgery, and pediatrics. While pursuing a BSN
or other qualifying degrees, it is advisable to get good grades. The accredited nurse
anesthetist programs often require applicants to have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or
higher, particularly in science courses. This criteria and the application prerequisites
are covered in more detail below.
Step 2: Obtain a license as a registered nurse (RN) – less than 1 year
After completing an undergraduate program, registered nurses must become licensed.

These requirements may vary by state, but they generally involve passing an approved
training program and the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered
Nurses (NCLEX-RN). These exams are given by the National Council of State
Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), and cover topics such as health assessment,
physiological integrity, and infection control. Since requirements and licensure may
vary by state, it is important to check with local NCBSN Member Boards prior to
registering for the exam.
Step 3: Get experience as an RN in an acute care setting – 1-3 years
Prior to applying to an accredited nurse anesthesia program, candidates typically

complete at least one year of work in a clinical setting such as an intensive care unit
(ICU), cardiac care unit (CCU), or emergency room (ER). At this phase, some RNs
choose to pursue a Critical Care Registered Nurse Certification (CCRN), a
specialization that may improve one’s chances of getting acceptance to a nurse
anesthetist program. Eligibility for a CCRN includes having a valid RN license,
passing an exam, and completing at least 1,750 hours of direct critical care within the
previous two years. Other prospective CRNAs choose to shadow a practicing nurse
anesthetist, an experience that some programs advise prior to applying for admission.
Step 4: Gain admittance to an accredited nurse anesthesia program – less than 1

year
The AANA estimates that as of August 2018, there were 121 accredited nurse
anesthesia programs and more than 1,799 active clinical sites. Admission to these
programs can be highly competitive. For example, the nurse anesthetist program at
Kansas University has the following requirements for applicants:
 Two years of experience as an RN

 One year of full-time ICU experience
 Proof of valid RN license
 Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline
 Completion of prerequisites: chemistry (2 courses), human anatomy, physiology,
microbiology, and statistics
 3.0 overall GPA in college coursework
 3.0 GPA in 5 science prerequisites
 Graduate-level writing abilities
 Shadow experience with a CRNA or an anesthesiologist
 Three references
 College transcripts
 ACLS/BLS/PALS certifications
 Resume
 Goal statement (personal essay)
 Background check (after admission)
Prior to applying to nurse anesthetist programs, review the admission requirements

carefully. The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs (COA) has the
most up-to-date list of accredited programs for nurse anesthetists.
Step 5: Graduate from the accredited nurse anesthesia program – 2-3 years
All nurse anesthetists must complete an accredited program which generally takes
24-36 months. While these students graduate with a minimum of a master’s degree, a
growing number of the 115 programs across the U.S. award a doctoral degree. All
nurse anesthesia programs have courses such as:
 Anesthesia pharmacology
 Geriatric anesthesia
 Obstetric anesthesia
 Pain management
 Anesthesia biology
 Anesthesia pathophysiology
Additionally, nurse anesthesia programs include clinical practice in university-based

or large community hospitals where students are exposed to a range of procedures
requiring anesthesia such as pediatric, plastic, and open-heart surgeries.
Step 6: Pass the National Certification Examination through the National Board
of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) – less than 1
year
Upon completion of an accredited program, nurse anesthetists must pass the National
Certification Examination (NCE) to become a CRNA. This computer exam typically
takes three hours. Each student must answer between 100 and 170 questions. The
responsive design of the exam adjusts the tested material depending on the test-taker’s
answers to previous questions. For the complete information about the exam, visit the
NBCRNA Exam Handbook.
Step 7: Get a job as a CRNA
After certified nurse anesthetists graduate from an accredited program and pass the
exam, they are eligible for entry-level employment. Some employers seek individuals
who can work among several major departments, whereas others seek CRNAs with
more specialized qualifications and experience to work in specific departments such
as obstetrics, pediatrics, or endoscopy.
Step 8: Maintain certification – recertify every 4 years, retest every 8 years
Finally, as mentioned above, CRNAs who certified or recertified in 2016 are now a
part of the NBCRNA’s Continued Professional Certification (CPC) program,
comprising two four-year cycles. To maintain their certification, CRNAs must
complete 100 units of continuing education every four years in several areas: airway
management techniques, applied pharmacology, human physiology and
pathophysiology, and anesthesia technologies. Additionally, they must pass a
comprehensive examination every eight years
http://medicine.nus.edu.sg/nursing/education/masters-of-nursing-admission.html
Upon successful completion of the 18-month MN programme, graduates are
eligible to apply for APN provisional license with the Singapore Nursing
Board (SNB) to continue a 12-month supervised practice and be certified
as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN).
***NUS
2yrs part time degree >> 1.5yrs MN

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How To Become a CRNA

Becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) can be rewarding for a

So how does someone become a nurse anesthetist? According to the American

Steps to Becoming a Nurse Anesthetist

Nurse anesthetists require several years of experience and schooling prior to

Step 1: Pursue a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or a similar degree – 4

The road to becoming a certified nurse anesthetist typically begins as an

Step 2: Obtain a license as a registered nurse (RN) – less than 1 year

After completing an undergraduate program, registered nurses must become licensed.

Step 3: Get experience as an RN in an acute care setting – 1-3 years

Prior to applying to an accredited nurse anesthesia program, candidates typically

Step 4: Gain admittance to an accredited nurse anesthesia program – less than 1

 Two years of experience as an RN

Prior to applying to nurse anesthetist programs, review the admission requirements

Additionally, nurse anesthesia programs include clinical practice in university-based

Step 7: Get a job as a CRNA

Step 8: Maintain certification – recertify every 4 years, retest every 8 years

2yrs part time degree >> 1.5yrs MN

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