Nurse Anesthesia an exciting career option for African Americans

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are anesthesia professionals who safely administer approximately 27 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States.  As advanced practice nurses, CRNAs practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect in every setting where anesthesia is delivered, from hospital delivery rooms to physicians’ offices to the front lines during wartime.  More than 40 percent of all CRNAs are men.

“The percentage of African Americans in the U.S. population continues to grow,” said LTC Henry Talley, CRNA, PhD, APN, director of the nurse anesthesia program at Michigan State University College of Nursing in East Lansing, Mich.  “A more culturally diverse nurse anesthesia workforce would better reflect the population we serve, while exposing current minority healthcare providers to a career with a high degree of responsibility, autonomy, and personal satisfaction.” 

Information provided by the Minority Fellowship Program of the American Nurses Association (ANA) supports Talley’s comments.  According to the ANA website, “The ethnic minority population maintains a greater disease burden, has less positive treatment outcomes, experiences more disabilities, and has a shorter life expectancy.  A more culturally diverse workforce is seen as essential for addressing the physical and mental health needs of the population.”

Currently there are 2.9 million registered nurses in the United States, with African American nurses comprising about 4.9 percent of that workforce, or approximately 133,041 providers.   In nurse anesthesia, 2.2 percent of the nation’s 36,000 nurse anesthetists are African American, according to the 2004 AANA membership survey.  In order to apply to any of the nation’s 106 accredited nurse anesthesia educational programs, an individual must have a bachelor of science in nursing or other appropriate baccalaureate degree, a current license as a registered nurse, and at least one year of experience in an acute care setting. Nurse anesthesia programs range from 24-36 months, depending upon university requirements.  Upon graduation with a master’s degree, student nurse anesthetists must pass a national certification examination before they are allowed to practice as a CRNA.

An Attractive Career Choice
There are abundant reasons why choosing nurse anesthesia as a healthcare career is a smart move, including opportunity, flexibility, stability, and compensation.   According to the 2006-07 edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the demographic changes forecast for the next five years are a  strong indicator of which direction  the job market is heading—and which careers  individuals should look into for  long-term stability and satisfaction.   Healthcare ranked among the top two professions.

In 2002, CRNAs were among Allied Health Care’s Top 10 Recruited Specialties. An aging population of nurses in many markets was cited as a key factor in the high vacancy rate for this specialty nurse.  Additionally,  while CRNAs are paid very well, their  compensation levels do not compare with those of physician anesthesiologists, making CRNAs a more cost-effective option for providing anesthesia services, especially in small hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, critical access hospitals, and office settings.

CRNAs carry a heavy load of responsibility and are compensated accordingly. In 2006, the average annual salary for a nurse anesthetist was $140,000.

“The nurse anesthesia profession has been virtually untapped by African Americans and other minorities,”said Goldie Brangman, CRNA, who celebrated her 90th birthday in October. Brangman was the AANA’s first African American president, serving 1973-74.  “Now is a great time for African Americans to consider a profession that is in extremely high demand and one that can take their careers in so many exciting directions.”

To learn more about the nurse anesthesia profession, the education and experience required to become a CRNA, or to locate an educational program near you, visit www.aana.com. 

About the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA)
Founded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ill., the AANA is the professional organization for more than 90 percent of the nation’s CRNAs.  As advanced practice nurses, CRNAs administer approximately 27 million anesthetics in the United States each year.  CRNAs practice in every setting where anesthesia is available and are the sole anesthesia providers in more than two-thirds of all rural hospitals.