The CRNA field is so specialized you might think there would be little difference among CRNA jobs.
But though your duties to provide patients with the safest and least painful care possible will
remain essentially the same wherever you work, every CRNA job is still unique.
A Wide Range of CRNA Jobs
According to the AANA, the range of CRNA job sites is indeed
significant: "CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is
delivered: traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical
delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical
centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists,
plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; and U.S. Military,
Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare
facilities."
CRNA recruiters will usually specialize in linking nursing
professionals with specific kinds of employers. So, when choosing a
recruiter to hook you up with your next CRNA job, it is important to
choose one who works with the kinds of employers you want to work
for. American Healthcare only works with hospitals, specialized
medical centers such as ambulatory surgical centers, and
anesthesiology groups that provide services to these larger healthcare
providers.
Because of the wide range of settings in which CRNAs practice, it's
important to spend time thinking about where you want to be working,
and what kind of patients you want to see. Of course, in your CRNA
jobs search, you will be at an advantage when applying to work in
settings where you have experience--that is, the same kind of place
you're working already. However, as a CRNA, you still have a freedom
of movement in your job search that is unparalleled among healthcare
professions. Think hard about whether you are really happy at your
current workplace, and what might be the things you don't like,
because now is the time to make a change if you are not happy in your
current CRNA job.
CRNA Jobs: Satisfaction Issues
Despite their high degree of professional specialization, CRNAs are
definitely individuals. Each CRNA will have his or her own job
satisfaction issues. When discussing your career plans with colleagues
or a recruiter, it's important to focus on the issues that mean the
most to you, and not arbitrary standards of CRNA job satisfaction or
prestige. Some issues to consider when looking at CRNA jobs are:
Call packages. How often do you want to be on call?
Do you care about being on call at night, or only on weekends?
Or would you prefer never to be on call at all? If this is at all
important to you, you should communicate this to your recruiter.
Different jobs have a variety of call package options. Call packages can often
be negotiated by a skilled recruiter. Your willingness to go on call might
affect your pay options, but it also might not. Talk to your recruiter before
making any assumptions.
Shift. It goes without saying that third shift usually pays better
than second, and second shift better than first, because of their perceived
desirability. But what do you desire? Particularly if you're a single person,
second shift, or even third shift, might be more convenient than first shift.
Then again, if you're a single parent, it might be a nightmare. As a CRNA, you
get to decide.
Work Environment. Of course, this is not as big an issue for
CRNAs as for RNs and nurses in general, since CRNA job duties are essentially
the same across workplaces. Yet, for instance, if having a daily connection
to your professional network is important for you, you might want to go with a
hospital that has a number of other CRNAs, rather than a small practice.
Geographical location. CNRAs provide virtually all anesthetic
services in many rural areas, though of course, most CNRAs still work in urban
and suburban areas. If you've always wanted to experience country life, or move
to a new city, the current high demand across CNRA job markets means that now is
the time to make your move--or stay where you are, if that's where you want to be.
Types of patients. Working in a children's hospital or plastic
surgery practice will of course mean that you see certain kinds of patients with
particular needs, while working in a general hospital will mean a broader spectrum
of patients. This would seem to go without saying, but there is always the danger
that the allure of a prestigious practice and/or fantastic money will make you
forget the satisfaction of working with patients with whom you relate well.
The bottom line: if you don't like kids, you shouldn't apply to work in a children's
hospital, no matter what kind of package they're offering.
Anything else that's important to you. Do hot-pink scrubs make you
not want to go to work? That may be a little superficial, but if something is
truly affecting your job satisfaction, it's important enough for you to consider
it as a factor when choosing a job, and to mention it to your recruiter.