There’s a lot of training and education that goes into becoming a nurse anesthetist. If you’re considering this career path, here are the steps you’ll need to take.
Step One: Earn your degree.
CRNAs must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and be a registered nurse (RN). WGU has options for current registered nurses to obtain their BSN, as well as options in limited areas for nursing hopefuls to earn their BSN and be prepared to become an RN.
Step Two: Gain experience.
Once you’ve become a nurse and obtained your degree and registration, you’ll need at least one year of experience as an RN before you can continue with your education. This will likely need to be in an acute care setting, like the ER or ICU, in order to have the experience necessary to progress toward becoming a CRNA.
Step Three: Earn an advanced degree.
After gaining experience, earn a master's degree from a nurse anesthesia educational program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. This usually takes two to three years.
Step Four: Become certified.
After you’ve obtained your master’s degree, you’ll need to take and pass the National Certification Examination through the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) in order to be licensed and eligible to work as a CRNA. Every two years, you’ll have to prove that you’ve had 40 hours of continuing education in order to keep your CRNA license.