Nurse Anesthetist
Quick Facts
Median Salary$181,697
Most Common EducationMaster's degree
Projected 10-Year Growth+24.92%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A Nurse Anesthetist specializes in administering anesthesia to patients undergoing surgery or other medical procedures, and provides anesthesia-related care. Performs work that requires higher qualifications than an anesthesia technician. Works in a hospital, directly under a physician, surgeon or anesthesiologist.
Core Tasks:
- Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
- Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
- Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
- Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary.
- Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.
- Perform or manage regional anesthetic techniques, such as local, spinal, epidural, caudal, nerve blocks and intravenous blocks.
- Assess patients' medical histories to predict anesthesia response.
- Develop anesthesia care plans.
- Obtain informed consent from patients for anesthesia procedures.
- Perform pre-anesthetic screenings, including physical evaluations and patient interviews, and document results.
- Prepare prescribed solutions and administer local, intravenous, spinal, or other anesthetics, following specified methods and procedures.
- Calibrate and test anesthesia equipment.
- Administer post-anesthesia medications or fluids to support patients' cardiovascular systems.
- Evaluate patients' post-surgical or post-anesthesia responses, taking appropriate corrective actions or requesting consultation if complications occur.
- Select and prescribe post-anesthesia medications or treatments to patients.
- Perform or evaluate the results of diagnostic tests, such as radiographs (x-rays) and electrocardiograms (EKGs).
- Select, order, or administer pre-anesthetic medications.
- Insert peripheral or central intravenous catheters.
- Insert arterial catheters or perform arterial punctures to obtain arterial blood samples.
- Discharge patients from post-anesthesia care.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
- Request anesthesia equipment repairs, adjustments, or safety tests.
- Instruct nurses, residents, interns, students, or other staff on topics such as anesthetic techniques, pain management and emergency responses.
- Disassemble and clean anesthesia equipment.
What to expect as a Nurse Anesthetist
1Earn a Master's degree
17% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Nurse Anesthetist related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
3275 openings for Nurse Anesthetists
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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