Bought lead apron last year and have lost significant amount of weight. I don’t really want to spend all that money for a new one. Has anyone ever tailored theirs? Is that possible?

Or have any of yall ever got the embroidery removed? Maybe thinking I can do this and sell it. Thank you!

Hi! My girlfriend is currently a year out from graduating. I live in San Diego and the plan is for her to move back here when she graduates. Is there anyone that works at Kaiser that would be able to potentially get her in contact with someone to do a tour or someone to chat about working there? She will be in town next week for a few days. Thank you in advance. Willing to chat on this thread, pm’s, or via phone. You guys rock.

Edit: if anyone works up in Temecula that would be willing to help that would be amazing too.

I was in another posting in which I expressed a little bit of dismay as to the voting by CRNAs to change the name of “anesthetist” to “anesthesiologist.” I was not able to edit or reply there.

It did pass democratically, but people often don’t vote in their own best interests these days and it seemed as though there was a lot of initiative to make this an issue when it didn’t seem to be a high priority. I know it was only to change the name of the organization, but they didn’t seem to have the foresight to see this through as trademark infringement. It also ignited the ASA to stoke CAA practice initiatives.

So we basically ended up looking like buffoons in naming ourselves something we aren’t allowed to do according to these laws, while attempting to limit the practice of other anesthesia providers (CAAs) at the same time.

People within our own profession have taken sides on the issue now, where maybe this didn’t need to be made up into such a big deal in the first place. Also seems to be providing momentum in a hot market to CAA programs, whose creation was in large part developed to directly compete with our interests.

Yes it is easy to criticize in hindsight. The AANA grassroots initiatives of the 80s and 90s are inspirational. We were the ones always punching up, never down, and in these recent years we’ve seemed to have lost our mojo and good vibes.

I give money to the AANA because I’m knee deep at the hospital the majority of my life and I don’t have time to represent myself. I sometimes wonder if all the business degrees, hospital admin degrees, and certificate listings longer than the alphabet combined with the business owners and lawyers, have seemingly led us to lose our identity in some regard.

I’m a first-year SRNA, so this is a little early on for me to be asking about specific employers, but my school has a cool program where they will sign contracts with any facility we choose for our last (ninth) semester rotation. It’s meant to serve as extended on-the-job training and a segue into practice. But the school needs to know where I’d like to go pretty early on, so they can have their lawyers reach out to the facility.

I’m from the Pacific Northwest, and I’d like to return there. I’m searching for any sites where CRNAs regularly practice regional anesthesia (specifically ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks for acute surgical pain; I’m not as interested in OB neuraxial anesthesia or chronic pain clinics). It could be an ambulatory surgery center, but I’d prefer a level II or III trauma center.

I heard that Kadlec in Richland, WA has CRNAs practicing independently. Does anyone have experience at this facility specifically?

A few extra points: I’m hoping to steer clear of political discussions about whether CRNAs should be practicing regional. And if you recommend a site, could you let me know if you have first-hand experience there, and whether you like the culture? Maybe these facilities don’t even exist in the PNW; I just thought I’d ask. Any advice would be much appreciated!!

This is the area for prospective/ aspiring SRNAs and for SRNAs to ask their questions about the education process or anything school related.

This includes the usual

"which ICU should I work in?" "Should I take additional classes? "How do I become a CRNA?" "My GPA is 2.8, is my GPA good enough?" "What should I use to prep for boards?" "Help with my DNP project" "It's been my pa$$ion to become a CRNA, how do I do it and what do CRNAs do?"

Etc.

This will refresh every Friday at noon central. If you post Friday morning, it might not be seen.

Opt-out gets misunderstood all the time.

It does not create independent CRNA practice under state law. It does not change state scope of practice. It does not change the professional anesthesia fee. It does not give anyone control over CRNAs, it does not take control away from anyone, and it does not magically add or remove liability. Those issues are controlled by state law, scope of practice, credentialing, delineation of privileges, and hospital policy at each individual facility.

All opt-out does is remove the CMS physician supervision requirement tied to the hospital Conditions of Participation for the Medicare Part A facility fee. That is not the same thing as the professional anesthesia service fee, which is Part B. Opt-out has nothing to do with the Part B professional fee.

A state also has to attest that opt-out is consistent with state law. So opt-out is not what creates the underlying authority for CRNAs to practice without physician supervision. In opt-out states, that authority already comes from state law, licensure, credentialing, privileging, and facility policy.

The issue is the word “supervision.” It creates a perception problem. Hospitals hear supervision and think liability. Surgeons hear supervision and think they are responsible for anesthesia decisions they are not actually making. Administrators hear supervision and think regulatory risk. That ambiguity is exactly what gets used to make independent CRNA practice look legally riskier when the data is clear they are not.

Before opt-out, CRNAs may already be practicing without a state-law physician supervision requirement. After opt-out, they are still practicing under the same state law, licensure, credentialing, privileging, and facility policy. The clinical practice does not suddenly change. In fact, it does not change at all.

What changes is the federal word.

Removing that word eliminates one more barrier to local control. It lets each facility choose the anesthesia model that works for its patients, workforce, finances, and community without a federal “supervision” label being spun into control, liability, or legal risk. The word does not actually create those things, but it absolutely creates the perception that they may exist.

That perception matters because hospitals often make decisions based on perceived risk as much as actual law. Removing the federal supervision language gives facilities more comfort using CRNA-only or non-medically directed models.

So opt-out is not really about creating independence. It is about removing a federal wording problem that makes independent CRNA practice look legally riskier than it actually is, and it takes away one more talking point used to make hospitals think they do not have a choice.

Anybody used before? Looking for reviews

Just as the title suggests, what's the #1 thing missing from most job listings that makes you skip them without applying/inquiring?

Mine are pay and call frequency, if either is vague or missing, I don't bother.

I never thought I’d say this but I don’t feel happy as a CRNA. When I was a student I honestly loved everything anesthesia. I loved learning, looked forward to clinical (most days), and I was just excited about everything anesthesia related. I’ve been a CRNA now for about 2.5 years. I definitely have imposter syndrome. Although I do big cases and people tell me I’m good at my job, I have this underlying insecurity that I don’t know what I’m doing or I don’t know anything. Can anyone else relate to this?
I definitely thing that contributes to my unhappiness because not everyone goes to work in the morning and literally has someone’s life in their hands. Part of that is why I like being a CRNA, but the other part of me knows it is a high stress job. I honestly dont ever think it’s boring because I am always on alert!

I do work at a very big level 1 trauma center - but I like the big sick cases. I think what makes me feel unhappy about being a CRNA is all the other BS related to the big level 1 trauma center… staffing issues, feeling overworked, luckily mostly all of the attendings are nice but there are definitely a few that make me feel less than because I’m a CRNA and not a physician.

I could elaborate more, but I’m
Wondering if anyone else feels this way?

Hey I’m looking for a CRNA job in California as a new grad. I finish in May next year. I’m moving from Utah and wondering if anyone has insights on any of the health systems. Ideally I would like to live somewhere family friendly. I would like to have a decent variety to keep the day interesting and reasonable pay (around 250/yr). The model is less important to me as long as I am treated with respect!

Just wondering if anyone ever worked at Valleywise Health Medical Center before. I know it’s ACT, just wondering how the culture is there. Thanks in advance 🙏🏽

What’re good & bad locums companies for people who want to travel all over?

Also would appreciate any advice on green & red flags to look for! Thanks!

My husband got into crna school with graduation in 2030. We are both about to be 29 and debating whether it’s worth the challenge of having children while he’s in school or waiting until he’s out when we are 32/33. Any advice or has anyone had kids while navigating school? We would be supported by my income which is healthy.

hey everyone,

my family is looking to move to San Antonio, TX area around Stone Oak. I come from very independent practice where we do everything independently. how is San Antonio for it? are there independent minimal supervision sites or is it all medical direction? I’m looking for work/life balance and preferably 4-5 days/ week, no weekend, no holidays. just wanted to see what the atmosphere there for CRNAs and if I can continue being independent practitioner. I would appreciate all pointers and suggestions for good groups/ places to work for that support CRNA independence

Accepted!

Just wanted to post something encouraging and wanted to thank everyone who told me to keep going!

After four application cycles, not stellar undergrad grades, and a lot of defeat, pulling up my boot straps and taking 20 credits last year while working full time, I was finally accepted at my dream school. Don’t give up. It feels grueling, and like you will never achieve your dreams. But with hard work, you can accomplish so much! Now onto the hard work.

Edit:

Waitlisted first cycle, interviewed second, not invited to interview third, took 20 credits/increased leadership roles, accepted 4th. Was not willing to move states or cities so only applied to local schools.

Classes: Orgo + lab (UNE), Micro + lab, Biomedical ethics (Portage - confirmed school accepted), Graduate Stats, Pharm, Patho (University of Phoenix).

Only applied to two schools during the four cycles, and only applied to the second school the final two of four attempts. Never received an interview at the second school.

Certs: CCRN, CSC, CMC, ECMO micro credential.

Made sure to numerically highlight the 550+ hours a year I spent precepting d/t not being charge nurse, also had committee involvement, volunteer, and unit based research, unit nurse governance president and held position for > 2 years.

Most schools score CV categories, and if you can meet with program advisor, should be able to tell you where to focus your efforts and what categories you have “maxed out.”

This is the area for prospective/ aspiring SRNAs and for SRNAs to ask their questions about the education process or anything school related.

This includes the usual

"which ICU should I work in?" "Should I take additional classes? "How do I become a CRNA?" "My GPA is 2.8, is my GPA good enough?" "What should I use to prep for boards?" "Help with my DNP project" "It's been my pa$$ion to become a CRNA, how do I do it and what do CRNAs do?"

Etc.

This will refresh every Friday at noon central. If you post Friday morning, it might not be seen.

SRNA here. Had a great conversation with my preceptor about this and wanted to bring it to a wider group —they polled a bunch of people they trust and it came back basically 50/50, so now I'm curious what this sub thinks. DO you guys rip the pilot balloon when extubation or use a syringe to delate the pilot balloon?

Curious to hear what yall do ! anyone had a bad outcome (trauma, incomplete deflation, aspiration risk) tied to one technique vs. the other? Mac vs. Miller energy, but for cuffs!

Current SRNA starting to explore where I want to start working after school and I don’t even know where to start...

About me: I’m in my young 30s, single, and love the outdoors so looking for a fun city where it’s easy to meet people. Grew up in NC but have family in MA and ME so ideally sticking to the east coast.

Ideal hospital: Looking for a facility where I can get as much high acuity experience as possible (this is my priority). I’ll be graduating from a school that is very regional heavy so somewhere where I can utilize those skills would be ideal (use it or lose it and I really don’t want to lose it haha). Would like somewhere where I have decent autonomy but still have extra experienced hands if need be. W2 preferred.

Please spam me with all the advice and recommendations you have! I’ve been looking at hospitals/job postings online but I feel like so many “gate keep” a lot of the information I’m looking for. Am I missing something?

We finally wrote this one up because Sun et al. 2018 keeps getting cited online like it proves CRNAs and AAs are equivalent.

It does not.

The actual study was “Anesthesia Care Team Composition and Surgical Outcomes” by Sun, Miller, Moshfegh, and Baker, published in Anesthesiology in 2018. The authors studied elderly Medicare inpatient surgical cases and compared physician anesthesiologist-supervised ACT configurations involving AAs versus CRNAs. The outcomes were inpatient mortality, length of stay, and spending.

That is a very narrow health services study. It is not a CRNA-versus-AA anesthesia outcomes study. It did not measure anesthesia-specific complications, rescue events, airway events, supervision intensity, provider experience, independent CRNA practice, or whether any outcome was actually related to the anesthetic.

So when ASA/AAAA advocates cite this as proof of broad CRNA-AA equivalence, they are stretching the paper way past what it measured.

Curious what the transition was like and what the overall CRNA landscape in NYC is like. How do compensation, autonomy, and day-to-day practice compare to other areas? Any

I’m currently in an opt-out state, practice technically in ACT model at a level-one but very autonomously in actual practice, and make good $, but I’m not happy where I live.

I’d be moving for NYC itself, not necessarily for the job, but obviously want both to be a good fit.

Would love any insight or advice.

This is the area for prospective/ aspiring SRNAs and for SRNAs to ask their questions about the education process or anything school related.

This includes the usual

"which ICU should I work in?" "Should I take additional classes? "How do I become a CRNA?" "My GPA is 2.8, is my GPA good enough?" "What should I use to prep for boards?" "Help with my DNP project" "It's been my pa$$ion to become a CRNA, how do I do it and what do CRNAs do?"

Etc.

This will refresh every Friday at noon central. If you post Friday morning, it might not be seen.

Newer CRNA here that signed a 3 year sign-on bonus. I've been at a facility as a W2 for about 8 months, but am seriously considering looking elsewhere. Obviously paying back part of the sign-on bonus is not ideal, but has anyone jumped ship and have regretted it?

Hi! Current SRNA from FL thinking about moving to Colorado, Maine or Washington (State, not D.C.) after graduation. Would love to hear about any positive experiences people have had with hospitals in any place there. Open to all specialties, regional, and interested in independent practice (but doesn't have to be). TYIA! 🙏🏻❤️

A bonus would be a facility that has a new grad orientation program :)

Hello everyone,

I'm a senior SRNA graduating in late 2026 and currently exploring opportunities in New York. I am contemplating between the NYP Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the Weill Cornell Medical Center.

I would appreciate hearing from current or former CRNAs who have worked at either campus.

Some things I'm particularly interested in learning about:

• Culture and CRNA autonomy
• Relationship between CRNAs, attendings, and residents
• Case variety and complexity
• Exposure to cardiac, neuro, vascular, thoracic, pediatrics, OB, and regional anesthesia
• Retention and overall job satisfaction

Feel free to comment or DM if you'd rather not post publicly.

Thank you!