As a registered nurse (RN), you have many options in terms of advancing your practice.
One of those options is becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA.
A CRNA assists anesthesiologists with administering anesthesia, and sometimes even works independently, especially in rural areas with small medical facilities.
Specializing as a CRNA can open up your job opportunities and greatly improve your salary.
But how do you become a nurse anesthetist in Nevada?
Isn’t it very complicated?
Although becoming a CRNA will involve A LOT of time and effort, the process itself is pretty straightforward as long as you have a guide.
And that’s exactly what we’re giving you today!
We’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to become a nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in Nevada in 5 steps.
After that, we’ll answer a few FAQs.
So, if you’re interested, keep on reading!
How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in Nevada in 5 Steps
If you want to become a nurse anesthetist in Nevada, you need to follow five simple steps:
- Become an RN and Gain Experience
- Graduate from a CRNA program
- Apply for your national certification
- Obtain a CRNA license in Nevada
- Renew your license as needed
This may sound a bit overwhelming, but we’ll break each step down for you in the following sections.
Step #1: Become an RN and Gain Experience
The first step to becoming a nurse anesthetist or CRNA is to become a registered nurse!
To do this, you must undergo rigorous studying and training at a college or university that offers nursing degrees.
However, do make sure that you study at an accredited institution, otherwise your education may not be recognized.
It’s also best to go for a BSN instead of an ADN since this is what most CRNA schools require.
After you graduate, you need to take the NCLEX-RN and apply for your license from the Nevada Board of Nursing.
To learn more about how to become an RN in Nevada, you can read our simple guide.
Once you receive your RN incense, you should seek employment in an acute or critical care setting.
CRNA programs require AT LEAST one year of experience in these types of settings.
But more than just a requirement for admission, the experience will also give you the skills and poise to handle life-and-death situations and other high-stakes demands.
Step #2: Graduate from a CRNA Program
The next step you must take is to graduate from a CRNA program.
First, you will need to look for an accredited institution and educational program.
The institution that is in charge of accrediting CRNA education is the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. If an educational program is not accredited by them, your education will not be recognized.
Unfortunately, there are no accredited CRNA schools in Nevada right now. But there are several options in nearby states in which you can enroll.
CRNA programs include classroom instruction and clinical, hands-on experience under the supervision of a qualified physician or CRNA
Clinical experience is particularly important, considering that anesthetic care is a very delicate practice. Because of this, it’s good to find a school that partners with clinics in Nevada so you can easily get experience within your state.
For now, a master’s degree in nurse anesthesia is accepted. But by 2025, a doctorate will be required for aspiring CRNAs.
Step #3: Apply for Your National Certification
After getting your CRNA degree, you can then apply for your national certification.
For CRNAs, the national certifying body is the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).
You will have to take and pass the national certification exam (NCE) offered by NBCRNA to become certified.
Since their guidelines can change with time, you can read more about their application process on their website.
The idea of a CRNA national certification exam may seem daunting, but NBCRNA offers an exam tutorial to help you prepare.
This exam tutorial has interactive examples of the five-question formats that are used in the National Certification Exam (NCE), including 20 examples with basic instructions. It can also be taken as many times as you want, to help you prepare for the real thing.
Finally, the NBCRNA also offers a student handbook with all of the information on their National Certification Exam that you would want to know.
Step #4: Obtain a CRNA License in Nevada
Once you have your National Certification, you can apply for your Certificate of Recognition in Nevada.
To do this, you will need to complete the Application for Initial Certification – Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist found on the Board of Nursing website.
To do this, you will also need to:
- Pay a $200 processing fee
- Call 1-888-590-6726 to receive fingerprint cards, instructions, and a submission form
- Submit your completed fingerprint cards
- Send a notarized copy of your certificate of completion or diploma from the CRNA program you graduated
- Submit documentation of your current AANA or NBCRNA certification
- Have your CRNA educational institution send your official transcript to the Board of Nursing
- Hand in all required documents and fees to the Nevada State Board of Nursing, 5011 Meadowood Mall Way, Suite 300, Reno, NV 89502-6547.
If you need temporary approval to practice as a CRNA, you can also contact the Board of Nursing for how to apply. However, you will only be able to practice under the supervision of a physician.
Step #5: Renew Your License as Needed
Once you become a certified nurse anesthetist, you will need to renew your certificate to maintain your title.
In general, your CRNA certificate will expire whenever your registered nurse (RN) license expires.
Renewal for an RN license is $100 every two years, and CRNA certificate renewal is $200.
Be sure to renew on time, since there is a late fee of $100 as well.
For more information on licensure renewal requirements, you can go here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Nurse Anesthetist in Nevada
Are There Any CRNA Schools in Nevada?
Unfortunately, as of this writing, Nevada does not have any state schools that offer CRNA programs.
This means that, if you want to study to be a CRNA, you will have to go to a nearby state. Nearby states with CRNA schools include California, Arizona, Utah, and Oregon.
What Is the Average Salary of a CRNA in Nevada?
According to Incrediblehealth.com, nurse anesthetists in Nevada earn an average of $223,680 per year, which is 10% higher than the national average.
Conclusion
And that covers everything you need to know about how to become a nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in Nevada!
Although the path certainly isn’t the easiest – or the shortest, for that matter – becoming a CRNA will be worth it.
With hard work and a lot of patience, you’ll soon be able to leverage your specialization to get job opportunities with the salary and position that you want.
Just follow our guide and take it one step at a time.
Wherever your career leads you, we hope this article helps you!