Any truth to this.............?

Question

I work at a hospital and am in pursuit of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. I was just informed that in the year 2012 a mandate will be in forced changing the requiring amount of years from 6(MS) to 8(phd) and this would also affect nurse practitioners. Has anyone heard about this, any truth to this?

Answer 1

I would really re-think your career plans if you are already not an RN and you want to work in anaesthesiology. Where I live (Canada), RNs are NOT allowed to be anaesthetists. Only MDs.

While nursing is a great profession, I think that if you want to work as a anaesthetist, going for your MD only makes the most sense.

You will get better pay for an amount of similar education, opportunities to work in other countries that don't recognize CRNAs, and more freedom for movement within the field with less limitations.

Although I generally don't like to pit nursing against medicine (they are two distinct fields each with their own pros and cons), in this case, I think you may have to see it that way.

If you generally love the idea of nursing, and medicine doesn't appeal to you, then by all means go for your CRNA program or become an RN. But I personally would do some research and contemplating.

As for NPs, they are actually making it *easier* to obtain the designation, due to the doctor shortage (at least where I live). In general, 6 years is the standard requirement, with no immediate plans to up that number. Some on-going training may be required after that, but not full time education.

Either way, good luck in whatever you choose!

Answer 2

No.

Here is a better source of information.  It's a nursing forum, that is free..all it requires is registration.

It has a large CRNA forum that addresses that very issue.

www.allnurses.com