Nurse Anesthetists

Administer anesthesia, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.

What you'd actually do

• 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.
• Assess patients' medical histories to predict anesthesia response.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Master's degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly; time pressure is a real part of the job; it rewards working independently; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 3.9% of nurse anesthetists are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are people-focused, hands-on and analytical.

Related careers

• Family Medicine Physicians
• General Internal Medicine Physicians
• Pediatricians, General
• Physicians, All Other
• Dentists, General
• Pharmacists

Quick questions

How much does a nurse anesthetist make?

The median pay is $113.75 per hour — roughly $236,500 a year, with the real range running from about $74.64/hr (10th percentile) to $163.22/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a nurse anesthetist?

The typical entry-level education is: Master's degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).

What does a nurse anesthetist actually do all day?

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.