CRNAs go above and beyond while their patients are under. Learn more in Northwell Health’s CRNA Fact Sheet:

Jan 24, 2019/in Nursing /by

CRNAs go above and beyond while their patients are under. Learn more in Northwell Health’s CRNA Fact Sheet:

CRNAs are invaluable members of our patient care teams. Every year, they safely administer more than 45 million anesthetics to patients in the U.S. through a safe and cost-effective way. Explore this fact sheet and learn more about this noble profession:

What is a CRNA?

CRNAs are advanced practice nurses who’ve earned the credential of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist after passing a certification exam. They have over 2000 hours of advanced clinical training. CRNAs work with healthcare providers, ranging from surgeons and anesthesiologists to dentists and podiatrists and administer anesthesia to all surgical cases.

Where do CRNAs practice?

Wherever anesthesia is being delivered, CRNAs are there, caring for patients. Inside private practices, surgical suites, specialty offices, Obstetrics and U.S. military sites, CRNAs are caring for millions of people around the world each day.

What makes CRNAs so important to health care?

CRNAs are also a cost-effective alternative to anesthesiologists, making a huge difference for patients and insurance companies fighting against rising healthcare costs. CRNAs aren’t just important to save on healthcare costs, in many rural communities of the U.S., they’re vital as they are the primary anesthesia care provider. In many states, nearly 100% of rural hospitals rely on CRNAs as the sole providers for anesthesia care, meaning that without CRNAs, surgeries would be impossible.

What education is required to become a CRNA?

The minimum education and experience required to become a CRNA include:

● Baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing or other applicable major

● Valid registered professional nursing license and/or APRN

● Minimum of one-year full-time work experience, or its part-time equivalent, as a registered nurse in a critical care setting within the United States, its territories, or a U.S. military hospital outside of the United States.

● Graduation with a minimum of a master’s degree from a nurse anesthesia educational program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs

What is a CRNA program like?

Depending on the university, nurse anesthesia programs can vary from 24-51 months. Most programs have gone or are in the process of offering the DNP as the entry to practice terminal degree. After 7-8.5 years of study, professionals leave fully prepared for their position, graduating with immense clinical experience that averages to 9,369 clinical hours. All of this work culminates in a master’s or doctoral degree from a program that’s accredited by the Council of Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.

As an acknowledgment of CRNAs’ growing importance and educational expectations, by 2025 all CRNAs will receive a doctoral degree. Once they receive a degree, a CRNA graduate they must also pass the National Certification Examination before they can start practicing on their own.

What are the career opportunities for CRNAs?

CRNAs are highly regarded advanced practice professionals who enjoy real autonomy and incredible professional respect in their roles. Since they’re are solely responsible for the anesthetic care of their patients, their compensation reflects that immense responsibility. Beyond their degrees, some CRNAs utilize their fellowships to specialize in areas of anesthesiology like chronic pain management.

How do I become recertified as a CRNA?

We’re excited that you want to become recertified as a CRNA! You can enroll in the Continued Professional Certification Program, an eight-year program that’s dividing into two four-year cycles. Administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, the CPC is based on four components: traditional continuing education, professional development, core content modules, and a comprehensive exam.

Are you Made for a career as a CRNA? Learn more about CRNA opportunities at Northwell Health.

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We’re celebrating CRNA Week! Meet Michael Greco who is spearheading big changes for CRNAs at Northwell Health

Jan 20, 2019/1 Comment/in Nursing /by

We’re celebrating CRNA Week! Meet Michael Greco who is spearheading big changes for CRNAs at Northwell Health

It’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) week and at Northwell Health, we’re celebrating all week long. CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses who provide anesthesia care to patients. These hardworking advanced practice nurses are responsible for patient safety before, during, and after anesthesia.

To start off our celebrations, we spoke with Michael Greco, Ph.D., DNP, CRNA who is the director of the Nurse Anesthesia Services at Northwell Health. It’s noble work that he feels privileged to be a part of, “my favorite part of being a CRNA is that there’s no other profession where you’re going to meet your patient for the first time and that patient is going to give you all of their trust to maintain their care and keep them comfortable when they’re at that most vulnerable. I am lucky to get to develop that instant relationship, to make the patient and their family feel comfortable, and deliver the high-quality care that they deserve.”

Through Northwell’s collaboration with Columbia University, Michael was introduced to Northwell and then offered the opportunity to lead and expand the nurse anesthesia practice and direct the Northwell Health nurse anesthesia program as it is being developed. The position was directly in line with his professional values to develop his students, staff and himself professionally and clinically. Now, he’s pushing the anesthetics services and agenda even further. Michael says, “I’m a firm believer of risk-taking, so I took a risk to leave a job I was comfortable in because I saw that there was an opportunity to further my professional mission.”

Working toward a mission is a sentiment Michael learned in his over 10 years of service as a nurse anesthetist in the military. He served in Iraq, Italy, Germany, and throughout the continental US including West Point Military Academy. Michael says his military service was invaluable to his growth, “No school, no seminar, and no course could equip me with the skills that I gained from serving in the United States Army.” Now, he’s using those skills to lead four CRNA teams, two in Staten Island and two in Manhattan.

Leading four teams is a lot of work, and Michael’s dedication to the various responsibilities in his role makes him a truly inspiring asset to Northwell Health. As a director of the Nurse Anesthesia Services, he oversees the education of CRNAs, holds training seminars, accredited by the national association of Nurse Anesthesia, to help educate staff and grow their knowledge on certain anesthesia principles. He supervises CRNAs practicing within their scope and ensures standards are met. Michael works closely to make sure operating rooms have enough coverage to run fluidly and no cases are delayed. He performs clinical appraisals and hires CRNAs. He’s responsible for employee oversight and is in constant communication with the staff in regards to compliance and best practice, as well as any employee issues that may arise. Simply, Michael is a huge asset to CRNAs at Northwell Health.

Michael is working to develop a robust CRNA program and increase the numbers of staff while also building partnerships with other schools like Rutgers University and Columbia University to bring students into the operating room and train the next generation of CRNAs. “I live by the standard that if I’m not developing my staff, I’m not doing my job. A career in Nurse Anesthesia requires a commitment to life-long learning, each and every staff member is on a continuous journey to pursue education – if not to return to school the journey is to read and appraise the literature with a scholarly mindset. This allows my staff to deliver the most current and evidenced supported care in their practice” With that mindset, Michael plans to take his staff into the simulation lab to look at high-risk situations, so they’re equipped with the skills and experience to provide care when complications arise.

“It’s an exciting time because the practice of being a CRNA at Northwell is evolving. Where else would you want to be? As the program evolves, opportunities will present themselves to further grow your career. There’s no better time to be part of the nurse anesthesia profession in this department than now.”

CRNA week is a great time to get out there and educate not only our nurses but the public on the importance of CRNAs. We’ll be using this week to put nursing at the head of the table. Every breath, every beat, every second, CRNAs are there providing top-notch care to their patients. Learn more about our CRNA opportunities here.

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