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Summary: To become a nurse anesthetist, complete a four-year degree in nursing followed by course work and experiences in an acute care setting. Find out the qualifications to become a nurse anesthetist with tips from a medical administrator in this free video on career information.
Mark MacBayne, with a Master of Public Health degree, is a practice manager at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. MacBayne is in charge of interviewing and...read more
"A nurse anesthetist is an advanced practice nurse that functions much as an anesthesiologist would. To become a nurse anesthetist, you must first obtain a nursing degree. Now in this case whereas you can obtain a two-year Associates degree in nursing and become a registered nurse, you'll actually need to complete a four-year degree and obtain a Bachelor's in nursing. Most nurse anesthetist programs require a minimum of a year experience working in an acute care setting before you apply to the graduate program to become a nurse anesthetist. It is the equivalent of a Master's program, and in fact you will receive a Master's degree as part of your formal training to become a nurse anesthetist. During that time, you will be trained in the administration of anesthesia which can be sedation all the way up to general anesthesia for surgical procedures. Upon completing your formal coursework, you will need to pass the licensing ex or certification exam. And you are then ready to enter into practice as a nurse anesthetist working with the surgical team to provide clinical care for patients."
eHow Article: How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist