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Shonda Badayos
Joan Robinson
ENG 101.4017
7 November 2016

My Desired Profession
As a child, I always had dreams of helping people. No matter what profession I was
going to end up choosing I knew itd be in the medical field or anywhere in which I get to help
people. Just recently I decided I am going to pursue nursing, not just an RN but a nurse
anesthetist. A nurse anesthetist all in all does what an anesthesiologist does but only in all but 12
states in America. As stated in the nurse anesthetist article on explorehealthcareers.org, CRNAs
are advanced practice nurses that provide anesthetics to surgical, obstetrical and traumatic care.
The main reason I have chosen this career was due to my lack of confidence in myself my whole
life. My entire life Ive done nothing but doubted and underestimated myself and my abilities.
This career provides the financial security and job security I am searching for all while helping
others in the medical field as I have always wished for.
There are many intricate details that are involved with this specific profession. The
setting of the workplace usually involves just about any healthcare facility. A CRNA can work in
a dental facility, hospital, plastic surgery facility, podiatrist: the list goes on. The rate in which a
CRNA is needed is very successful and continuously growing. For anyone who chooses this
career can be located anywhere theyre needed and possibly anywhere they desire to be. The
equipment that is used daily is abundant. CRNAs will learn to work with monitors to keep up
with the patients vitals, possible tracheotomy and airway sets, needles/tubes, other monitors for
the patients health and most importantly anesthesia. Anesthesia can be given to a patient in
many ways: it can be inhaled through a breathing mask, it can be given by an insertion of a tube

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in the vein or it can be given through a tube that is inserted in the patients windpipe. Anesthesia
itself is used to relax the muscles, numb the pain and take away the consciousness of the patient
who receives the sedative. There are multiple anesthetics that can be used depending on the
patients needs. According to hopkinsmedicine.org, there are three main types of anesthesia:
local, regional and general. Local anesthesia is given to temporarily stop pain in a specific area
of the body. For this specific anesthetic, the patient remains conscious and is given the sedative
with an injection on site. Regional anesthesia is used to numb the only portion of the body that
receives the surgery. It is usually given by injection in the nerves in the general area receiving the
procedure. There are two types of regional anesthesia that is given: there is a spinal anesthetic
and an epidural anesthetic. The spinal anesthetic is used for the areas located in the lower
extremities of the body starting from the lower abdomen. Epidural anesthetic is very like the
spinal anesthetic and is used for taking pain away from the lower body during child labor and
birth. General anesthesia is most common during surgery due to the sedative taking
consciousness away from the patient.
There are upsides to having this job when it comes to hours worked and pay. The shifts
that this job handles are anywhere from 8 hour shifts to 24 hour shifts. This job requires
anywhere from 40-50 hours a week depending on uncontrollable factors. Being a nurse
anesthetist, you are needed throughout the entire procedure and needed post procedure as well. A
CRNA as well as an anesthesiologist is liable for the patients consciousness and liable for the
patients vitals if anything happens due to the anesthesia. This career may be considered a highrisk job due to the responsibility of ones life. The plus side of being liable of ones life everyday
pays off with financial security. The average CRNA makes six figures a year with just about
$137,000. The entry level pay can be anywhere from $87,000-$173,000 depending on bonuses,

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overtime and other factors. All people looking for job security and financial security are in luck.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook states, This profession is predicted to grow 31% from
2014-2024.
For those who enjoy school but not enough to get their PhD, this profession would be a
good contestant. The years of school required post high school graduation are usually 6-7 years.
You are only required your masters degree of science in nursing as well as a passed exam to be a
certified nurse to pursue this career. More than likely you will use your first four years of college
to become an RN then use the next two to become an advanced nurse. That is how you will
receive the title of a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). Luckily, there is only one
year of internship and residency required. Both are completed at the same time usually right after
your masters degree graduation. Volunteer work can include the internship since the internship
is hands on training with actual patients. For those who dont appreciate going to school, the
amount of time needed to become a CRNA can be a drawback. Another drawback many include
the possibility of killing a patient due to too much anesthesia or an allergic reaction which can be
caused due to a lack of knowledge in client medical history.
With the research I have done about this profession, I have come to realization that are
many things I need to consider. I have learned many things I did not know and educated myself
during the process of this research. Gladly, I am up for the challenge and obstacles that this
career should offer. I have always aspired to be someone important and with this job I am exactly
that. The next step of my journey starts with the next two years ahead of me with getting my
bachelors degree and becoming an RN. I was always one to doubt myself, Im happy to say that
is no more.

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Works Cited
Nurse Anesthetist. Explorehealthcareers.org, 17 Oct. 2016,
http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/80/Nurse_Anesthetist
Types of Anesthesia and Your Anesthesiologist. Hopkinsmedicine.org, 6 Nov. 2016,

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/surgical_care/types_of_anesthesia_and
_your_anesthesiologist_85,P01391/
Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. Occupational Outlook
Handbook, 6 Nov. 2016, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nursemidwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm