Interview Date: October 14th, 2010
Person Interviewed: Brett Maxfield (CRNA) Idaho
Method of Interview: Telephone
The following responses are not interviewee quotations but rather a paraphrased version regarding responses...
How did you decide to do what you are doing now?
The first time I was introduced to anesthesia was in the 8th grade in a career exploration class. I went to nursing school later with the intention of going to medical school. After finishing nursing school and while working in the hospital, some of the doctors that I spoke with encouraged me to become a nurse anesthetist because I was already a nurse. I tool their advice.
What do you do during a typical day?
My day starts between 4:30 - 5:00 am and usually goes until 4:30 - 5:00 pm. My job is to make sure my patient is stable, amnesic (loss of memory/consciousness), and analgesic (absence of pain) during the surgery. Before surgery, however, I am responsible for performing a patient evaluation and after surgery I am responsible to ensure adequate pain control for the patient.
What do you like most about your job?
1) I get to help people.
2) I have a stable job.
3) Am an independent contractor - able to be my own boss.
What are the disadvantages of your work?
Time away from my family because of erratic hours. It is also a high stress job because as a CRNA you literally hold your patients life in your hands. It's like being an airline pilot. Taking off and landing the plane is the most stressful time when you have to be on the alert for potential problems. Once in the air though things usually run pretty smoothly but you may encounter some turbulence.
What was it like to work at your job when you first began?
My first job was very structured and slow-paced since I was working under an anesthesiologist. I didn't like it that much. It was a good learning experience though to work closely with an experienced anesthesiologist.
What is it like to work at your job now?
I feel a lot more comfortable with my work. I am able to see trends and I have some experience to know how to fix problems that arise and how to respond.
How does your job affect your life-style (family life, leisure time, social life, vacations, material possessions, personal happiness, etc.)?
I enjoy my job. The family life is good and bad; sometimes I have to work long/erratic hours. My lifestyle is nice; I have toys and I get 6 weeks off a year and will be able to get up to 8 weeks off with more experience. I also have weekends off.
What opportunities exist for advancement in terms of money, responsibility, or personal growth?
As far as advancement goes I am an independent contractor so I can control how much I want to make by how hard I work; I could make between 50K - 70K more a year depending on how much I want to work. There are also opportunities to become an invested partner in a hospital. Also a lot depends upon where you work; in some states you get payed better than others.
What type of training is best for this job?
Must have at least 1 year of intensive care experience at a hospital. You must have a bachelors degree (will change to a Doctorate degree/DAP in 2025). I attended an accelerated 24 month CRNA program which was very time consuming. I had hardly no time to spend with my family or do much of anything for those two years.
How do people find out about openings in this work?
There are websites like www.gaswork.com where there are national listings for all anesthesia professions. I posted my resume there and thats how I got my first job. There is also the national website www.aana.com.
If you were to hire someone to do your job, what qualifications would you look for?
Well they would have to be very motivated and be a hard worker. They would have to be able to work well in a team, have some experience, maybe speak Spanish but that wouldn't be required. They would also have to be able to deal well with stress.
What are some related jobs that you could do with your training?
I could work work at a high school and teach a basic Biology or other basic science course. I could teach nursing classes at the university level. I could also be a lobbyist in Washington D.C. or work more on the business side of things on a staffing group to fill positions. There are also opportunities to work with dentists, plastic surgeons, podiatrists, etc.
If you had to do it over, would you make the same career choice? Why?
I would make the same choice. I like the lifestyle; Anesthesia school was the most miserable experience of my life though. The job is great though.
How many years have you worked at this job?
18 months.
