Helen Said:

what do you know about a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)?

We Answered:

Growing up in poverty, I understand your need (or desire) to have a good paying job that's very secure. You're definitely looking in the right place. There's nothing wrong with knowing what's important to you and going for it.

Just to clarify your understanding of the progression of the nursing career, first, you need to become an RN (Registered Nurse) and get at least a year experience before you can become a travel nurse. Travel nurses DO make more money than regular nurses, but from what you've said, you're looking for stability... the life of a travel nurse is not exactly stable. If you love moving every 6 months to two years and trying new things and adapting to new environments, you may enjoy being a travel nurse. Otherwise, it may be exhausting and not worth the money.

If you become a CRNA (which is the highest paying advanced practice nursing profession there is), you'll need 1-5 years experience in an ICU setting (as an RN), then complete 2-3 years in a master's CRNA program.

Here's a summary of the nurse anesthetist profession: Average U.S. salary is $163,000 per year. CRNAs that work in rural hospitals make more than those that work in major cities.

If you can get accepted into a school (there are anywhere from 4-12 applicants for every one class opening), and pass the CCNA exam at the end (Average first time pass rate is 93%) you are just about guaranteed a job for life. The demand for CRNAs is incredibly high and that won't change for at least the next 20 years (it's a combination of the baby boomers hitting retirement and hospitals looking for a cheap alternative to MD anesthesiologists).

The career favors introverts. All of your patients are "asleep" the whole time you have them, so there's very minimal patient interaction. Some outgoing people don't handle that very well. You do have your Operating Room nurses to interact with... CRNAs are fairly laid back and mellow people. The majority of your time you're watching monitors making sure your patient doesn't crash. Every once in a while, they do crash and you need to be able to stay calm and think/ act quickly under pressure.