Being a CRNA is great if you reside in California and are considering taking the steps towards becoming a CRNA, there are many different types of CRNA programs available in your state. California is a beautiful place with a nice climate and could also be an enticing place to attend CRNA school if you live out of state but are interested in moving there. This page will give you some details about CRNA schools and jobs in California and will help you understand the training process for becoming a CRNA more fully.
The Basics of CRNA Education
Many CRNA schools are looking for individuals who have met specific education and experiential goals before applying to a CRNA program. Some of these general requirements include having a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing, holding a valid license as an RN, having had a minimum of one year of employment experience working in a critical care facility, and having a specific set of GRE scores and a GPA of 3.0 or above in undergraduate coursework. Some schools may also require letters of recommendation and have their applicants complete an intensive interview process before they make their final enrollment decisions.
Applying for and getting accepted into a CRNA program can be a nerve-wracking and competitive experience. CRNA programs are often known for being very intense and rigorous. Administrators and faculty review a lot of applications and need to be assured that the students they choose for enrollment will be able to handle the coursework and high level of dedication and self-motivation required to become a successful CRNA graduate.
Once a student completes all of his or her CRNA classes, he or she is then able to take the NCE (National Certification Examination) which is conducted by the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists. A passing score on the exam grants the title Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
CRNA Jobs California
California is a diverse state with a variety of employment options for CRNAs. According to the California Association of Nurse Anesthetists (CANA), CRNAs working in California may perform a variety of anesthesia-related tasks. Some of the tasks they are authorized to perform include: performing pre and post-operative anesthesia evaluation, selecting and administering the anesthetic drugs used during a procedure, and administering either regional or local anesthesia through injection or through general anesthesia. The CANA also states that CRNAs in California do not require supervision by a physician and can practice under their own individual licenses as licensed independent practitioners.
The fact that CRNAs are not required to work under direct supervision gives them more freedom in what types of work they perform and where they work in California. For example, a CRNA could work as an independent practitioner in a dentist office, plastic surgery center, or podiatrist’s office providing anesthesia and pain management services for the wide variety of procedures and surgeries that may be performed in these locations. A CRNA could also work in California as a member of an anesthesia care team in a larger facility such as a hospital or medical center. Usually, in that type of setting, an anesthesiologist or several anesthesiologists would oversee a group of CRNAs. There are many options available for different types of employment as a CRNA in California.
CRNA Salary California
According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020), the annual mean wage for a CRNA in California is $217,630. The average annual wage range for CRNAs in California is between $173,129,250 and $217,630. A career as a CRNA in California offers the same average annual wage range as several other states around the country including Washington, Texas, and New York. While salary is certainly not the only factor that will affect your choice of where to attend CRNA school, it is good to be able to compare and contrast the potential future earnings in your chosen field between different states as it may assist you in making a final decision.
List of CRNA Schools in California
Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia- California State University Fullerton Department of Nursing
100 South Los Robles, Suite 501
Pasadena, CA 91188
Loma Linda University School of Nursing- Nurse Anesthesia Concentration
11262 Campus Street
Loma Linda, CA 92350
National University Fresno Nurse Anesthesia Program
20 River Park Place West
Fresno, CA 93720
Samuel Merritt University Program of Nurse Anesthesia
3100 Summit Street, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94609
University of Southern California Program of Nurse Anesthesia Department of Anesthesiology Keck School of Medicine
1540 Alcazar Street CHP #205
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Texas Wesleyan University- Distance Program (Requires some time on-campus in Fort Worth, Texas, however, the main locations in California are Riverside, Loma Linda, and San Diego.)
Graduate Programs of Nurse Anesthesia Building
1201 Wesleyan Street
Fort Worth, TX 76105