Anesthesiologist Assistant Vs. Crna
Anesthesiologist assistants and Certified Registered Nursing Anesthetists (CRNAs) are healthcare professionals who work with anesthesia, which is the process of reducing or eliminating the pain of patients during surgical procedures.
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Two Types of Assistants
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Both anesthesiologist assistants and CRNAs act under the supervision of anesthesiologists, who are responsible for the care of surgical patients and the administering of pain relief.
Role
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The role of anesthesiologist assistants is narrowed to aiding anesthesiologists. CRNAs, on the other hand, are Registered Nurses (RNs). Thus, they perform other health care duties away from the operating room.
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Work Environment
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Most anesthesiologist assistants and CRNAs can be found in hospitals, physicians’ offices, outpatient care centers, and nursing care facilities.
Education
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While anesthesiologist assistants are required to have a Master of Science degree from an anesthesiologist assistant program, CNRAs usually have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Salary
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts CRNAs as part of the RN category. They made an average annual salary of $65,130 in 2008. Anesthesiologist assistants are included as part of the physician assistants category, with an average annual salary of $81,610 that same year.
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References
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Comments
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This is inaccurate information. CRNAs must have a BSN and a master's degree and have more income and more autonomy than AAs
