Nurse Anesthesia vs Pharmacy?

[cocacolah]

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Hello all! I've been reading about the controversy on pharmacy vs nurse anesthesia for quite a while but I still can't find the main points that I need...
I only ask and created this new thread because I have a school specifically specified for nursing and then onto a nurse anesthesia program around the area, and also a school that offers the PharmD degree.
The sad thing is that I can see myself doing both or either careers 10 years from now since they both very much interest me.

I'm a recent high school graduate and am just finishing my first fall semester at a local university because I am so undecided on what to do. (so i take pre reqs for cheaper here)

I understand that it takes 6 years to complete your PharmD degree and we have an accredited school for that. (Xavier University of Louisiana) And also a good nursing school with LSU Health and Sciences center for Nurse Anesthesia.
PharmD would take 6 years to complete while I heard that they're changing the Master's for nursing to a Doctorate degree really soon. So all in all,
Pharmacy = 6-7 years
Nurse anesthetist = 9+ years (due to 4 years for your bachelors, 1 year of Critical care experience, then 4 more years of schooling(doctorate))

So I ask for insights on both careers.
My worries rely in
1. Job opportunities and salaries within 20-30 years from now
2. Liability
3. Competitiveness
4. Work schedule
5. Also, which would be a better "two birds with one stone" kind of choice? As in would it be better if I went for pharmacy pre-reqs then could go to nursing if I decided to change my mind after without a hassle? Or going for nursing pre-reqs, then switching to pharmacy using their pre-reqs without much of a hassle?

I apologize in advance if I provided any wrong information above. Please feel free to correct this post if so. Once again, I enjoy learning BOTH careers and can see myself doing EITHER careers. Asking about the salaries 20 years from now only because I know that they're changing Nurse Anesthesia to a doctorate degree and have been hearing rumors about the pharmacy graduates overflowing.

Insights, comments, opinions please. Much is appreciated, thank you.

 

[owlegrad]

Hmm, as far as prereqs go, how similiar are they? Look for the specific prereqs required at the schools you are interested in attending and see what the overlap is. Take those classes first to delay your choice making.

Deciding what to do for the rest of your life is hard. 🙁
Pharmacy seems like it might provide more variety/choices FWIW.

 

[cocacolah]

Thank you owlegrad. I will definitely do that.
Yeah.. I hate how I love both careers and can't stick to one. I feel as if someone has to decide for me, but I'd like to hear the personal pros/cons of each.

What's your look on pharmacy, owlegrad?

 

[DrYoda]

Asking about the salaries 20 years from now only because I know that they're changing Nurse Anesthesia to a doctorate degree and have been hearing rumors about the pharmacy graduates overflowing.

Unfortunately no one can predict salaries and the job market that far into the future. We'd all like to know it, but it's a big unknown that hovers over everyone's career choice. My personal opinion on the masters-->doctorate issue is that it won't increase pay, but I'm a med student so I'm admittedly not well attuned to the issues surrounding either profession.

As far as CRNA vs. PharmD, the biggest thing I'd think about is how hands on do you want to be? CRNA is a fairly procedural career and pharmacy isn't which is what I see as the biggest discrepancy between the two.

Good luck making your decision.

 

[owlegrad]

What's your look on pharmacy, owlegrad?

If you mean what do I think of pharmacy outlook, I think it is great. The profession is only going to keep expanding. The model of healthcare where the MD is God is all but gone. Pharmacists are medication experts and that is where the profession is going to continue to move. The shortage is over, but that is not the end of the world.

If you mean my take in terms of how the work is, that's hard to say. My observation is it makes a huge difference depending on the setting. That is one nice thing about pharmacy, there are many different settings.

CRNA is a fairly procedural career and pharmacy isn't which is what I see as the biggest discrepancy between the two.

I think that is a fair statement. I am not really familiar with CRNA but it seems like there would really be no variety at all in the daily work. Plus pharmacy is the shorter route. And we have the best parties. 😀

OK that last part might be a lie (it's not), but OP I think shadowing and/or work experience may be the only way for you to make an informed choice.

 

[cocacolah]

What really makes me second guess being a CRNA sometimes is the fact that I hear some get sued.. whereas pharmacy you don't have as much liability as a CRNA.
Thank you guys for your info

 

[BadgerPharm]

I know this is kind of off-topic, but does anyone think that a pharmD should be able to be trained and certified in anesthesiology?

 

[R2pharmD2]

I know this is kind of off-topic, but does anyone think that a pharmD should be able to be trained and certified in anesthesiology?

Since we already have the drug knowledge, it seems to me that some type of midlevel "bridge" program in anesthesiology could be a natural extension of a pharmacist's skill set. Admittedly, I don't know enough about anesthesiology yet to say that for sure, and I do realize there's a lot more to it than just knowing the drugs.

 

[cocacolah]

Anyone else?

 

[desklamp]

What really makes me second guess being a CRNA sometimes is the fact that I hear some get sued.. whereas pharmacy you don't have as much liability as a CRNA.
Thank you guys for your info

that doesn't really seem like a good deciding factor for choosing a career unless the numbers for CRNAs being sued are just astronomical.

pharmacists have a decent amount of liability as well depending on where you work. if you fill the wrong drug, don't catch an error, etc, you hold just as much liability to screwing over the patient.

i guess i'm not sure if you just don't want to pay a high malpractice insurance premium or are you really that worried about harming patients already?

here's the biggest difference i see between CRNA and pharmD, and maybe i am totally off.

what are your job options as a CRNA? i assume if your degree title has the word "nurse anesthetist" in it that's probably what the degree is tailored for. what are your job options as a pharmD? pharmD does not necessarily equate "pharmacist". there are fellowships that allow you to expand on research (clinical or otherwise). you can be a professor, work in various career paths in big pharma (and have a cushy, well paying 9-5 job), work in public health, work at a hospital doing anything from amb care to acute care.

pharmDs are trained in a broad array of subjects from pharmacokinetics/dynamics to medicinal chemistry to therapeutics.
i can't really speak as to what CRNA's are trained on. maybe someone else can elaborate.

 

[dreamweaver1988]

Anyone else?

Just my two cents, as a pre-med who has observed what CRNAs do and has a pre-pharm sister.

CRNAs and pharmacists aren't competing for the same jobs. They are not qualified for each other's jobs.

CRNAs work under the supervision of anesthesiologists in a medical setting, e.g. a hospital. For example, a CRNA will administer anesthesia during a colonoscopy; an anesthesiologist will stop by every once in a while to make sure things are going okay.

Pharmacists for the most part work independently (so if you're into that...). That's about all I know, really.

I think salaries are comparable...CRNA salary is in the low $100s.

 

[Daggum]

Personally, I wouldn't go into nursing if all you wanted to be is a CRNA because like you said, it's really time consuming and to be realistic, very few hospitals are going to hire you straight to the ICU (or any other floor with critical patients) without any floor experience prior. It amazes me how many people say they want to become nurses just so they can become CRNAs...

 

[cocacolah]

I apologize if it made it seem like I am going for nursing solely to become a CRNA, but that is not entirely true. I do want to become a CRNA because I find anesthesia medicine intriguing. I also love working with people and have been very involved with my community the past 4 years. I enjoy seeing people smile and I enjoy taking care of disabled people til they are better on their own. I've had prior experience in a retirement home, so I know how nursing would be like.

 

[432921]

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[cpht15]

im a tech in a pharmacy now (as well as a prepharm student) and i think i really made the right decision. Im really into it, and the job doesnt seem bad at all (most of the time). At my store there is 1 staff pharmacist, 2 floating pharmacists, and the pharmacy manager. The staff and manager are the two who are consistently at my store and split the most days in half as well as rotate evey weekend and holiday, and the floaters only come when someone is taking vacation time. They are both single induviduals and live in nice houses and have multiple cars though, so they are pretty well off as far as i can tell!

As far as anesthesia, i did consider and research it too, but i was turned off by the nursing aspect of it. i have a huuge amount of respect for nurses and know that i could not do what they do. In my research though, CRNA's still only needed the 2-3 year "masters" program; i had not heard much about the transition to a doctorate degree (i assume the DNP?). So that would be 4 years Nursing/BA degree, 1 year acute care, and 2-3 years in CRNA school. One of my closest friends father is an anesthesiologist and I do know they have a pretty decent lifestyle and schedule(probably nicer than pharmacy in a lot of peoples opinions). And salaries seem to start higher than pharmacists usually ever get near to! Id say starting at a MIN of 100k and can work into the 200's in special instances.

But all this is just me. Take it all with a grain of salt (plus you probably already knew most of it if youve been researching!)
There is another similar option ive seen coming about too. The Anesthesiologist Assistant position has been more prominent recently. From what ive read they act as a specially trained PA in anesthesiology who does not function with all the freedoms of a PA, or the general knowledge that allows them to have a PA license. Theres a couple schools around but overall it just seems like the profession is in its developmental stages.

 

[ValeRx]

Is this a real question? Don't go pharmacy or you'll be regretting it due to lack of employment opportunities in the near future.

 

[owlegrad]

Is this a real question? Don't go pharmacy or you'll be regretting it due to lack of employment opportunities in the near future.

The funny thing is, he didn't have to read the question to get the answer. 😉

 

[cocacolah]

Thank you cpht15 for your input.

However, anesthesiologists are MUCH different from CRNAs. Are the pharmacists you work with completely satisfied with their job? For example, even if they were getting paid as much as teachers, would they still enjoy their job without all of the luxury? I'm seeking job satisfaction, salary comes after.

 

[deleted435584]

I think salaries are comparable...CRNA salary is in the low $100s.

Truth: CRNA salary is pretty much equal to family physician's.

 

[apbuchanan]

How hands on do you want to be? CRNA's require a BSN+ 1-2 years ICU experience, then acceptance to CRNA school which can vary from 2-3.5 years. It is very competitive and very intense, but you will graduate school earning $150-200k. The job outlook is probably better for CRNA's, but as others have mentioned, you won't have as much autonomy as a PharmD. CRNA's work long hours in cold ORs. Is that something you would enjoy? Probably best to shadow both if you need to make a decision soon. The two jobs really aren't very similar, minus the drugs.

 

[SHC1984]

Nurse Anesthesia b/c of better salary and more job opportunities in the future.

 

[xtsukiyox]

Nurse Anesthesia b/c of better salary and more job opportunities in the future.

👍

Y'know, they opened it up from just doctors as anesthetists & created the Nurse Anesthetist programs because of a shortage in the field. This has helped ease it, but there's still a pretty big shortage, from what I understand (the compensation is case in point).

From what I understand, one of the only downsides to nurse anesthetist is that you are sometimes on call. But you do make bank, and you are in demand.

It's like comparing apples to kittens. 😉

 

[PharmhopefulNC]

I think you also need to consider whether you will be happy as an RN if you don't get into CRNA school. As with all advanced health care degrees, the programs are extremely competitive. If you go through 4 years for the BSN, work as an entry level nurse until you gain enough experience to work in a qualifiying ICU, finally get ICU experience, and then don't get into a CRNA program will you still be happy? Shadow an RN as well as the CRNA and PharmD, just to be sure that your time wouldn't be wasted should not not get in to the CRNA program... For me, RN would just never be for me. CRNA would be very interesting, but I have no interest in the path that it takes to get there (time not considered), end of story.

As a side note... I work with a girl that is trying to get into nursing school so that she can become a CRNA. She already has a Bachelor's degree. She has been turned down by her first choice nursing school once, and is now trying to re-take some pre-reqs to improve her application. She currently works along side of me - we are both CT technologists (computed tomography). She can barely stand the 15 minutes that we have to spend with a really gory patient (poopy, pukey, you get the picture...), yet she thinks she can take this RN path to get to the CRNA. RN's have TONS of hands on patient care responsibilites, which last the entirety of their shift - especially in the ICU. It's not for the faint of heart... I don't see my coworker ever making it.

 

[Rx MPLS]

I think you also need to consider whether you will be happy as an RN if you don't get into CRNA school. As with all advanced health care degrees, the programs are extremely competitive. If you go through 4 years for the BSN, work as an entry level nurse until you gain enough experience to work in a qualifiying ICU, finally get ICU experience, and then don't get into a CRNA program will you still be happy? Shadow an RN as well as the CRNA and PharmD, just to be sure that your time wouldn't be wasted should not not get in to the CRNA program... For me, RN would just never be for me. CRNA would be very interesting, but I have no interest in the path that it takes to get there (time not considered), end of story.

...It's not for the faint of heart...

PharmHopeful nailed it.

This comparison only makes sense if you could actually stomach being an RN and all that entails. I have huge respect for nurses, but I would never want to do their job (I can't handle the gross-out parts). My guess is most pharmacy students wouldn't either, which is why they were drawn to pharmacy in the first place.

 

[apbuchanan]

PharmHopeful nailed it.

This comparison only makes sense if you could actually stomach being an RN and all that entails. I have huge respect for nurses, but I would never want to do their job (I can't handle the gross-out parts). My guess is most pharmacy students wouldn't either, which is why they were drawn to pharmacy in the first place.

I'm an ICU RN applying for a PharmD program...there's only so many bodily fluids a person can take!

 

[wildspuds]

I currently work as a pharm tech at a hospital which also employees CRNA's. CRNA's make comparable wages to RPh. CRNA's at my hospital are contracted, so they have to run their own business. This has its ups and downs. They can lose their contract, but at the same time are their own bosses. They have to carry their own mal practice INS. I think the nursing field is a lot more competitive than pharmacy field, which would mean getting into CRNA school quite difficult.

Pharmacists can work retail, for a chain or private, clinical in a hospital, for any number of drug distribution companies, or a number of other possibilities. A few of the differences said above are incorrect, for example smaller hospitals have pharmacists on-call as well. Also, my understanding is most CRNA's are going to work in smaller hospitals where they can not afford to pay an anesthesiologist what they deserve. Really, the best advice I have heard on here is shadow... shadow pharmacists in as many settings as you can, RN's, volunteer in the ER, shadow in scope rooms, shadow in OR's, just see more stuff with your own eyes. Both career paths are honorable and make a livable wage, the rest is up to personal preference. Good luck with your choice.

 

[DolceVita7408]

Is there a way to become a CRNA without first becoming an RN? I'm from California so it's required to be a RN before becoming a CRNA.

 

[Jake760]

I've been lurking here for a while and, even though this thread is old, I wanted to clear up some misinformation posted. I work as a CRNA so my response is from personal experience having worked in the field for 6 years.

Hello all! I've been reading about the controversy on pharmacy vs nurse anesthesia for quite a while but I still can't find the main points that I need...
I only ask and created this new thread because I have a school specifically specified for nursing and then onto a nurse anesthesia program around the area, and also a school that offers the PharmD degree.
The sad thing is that I can see myself doing both or either careers 10 years from now since they both very much interest me.

I'm a recent high school graduate and am just finishing my first fall semester at a local university because I am so undecided on what to do. (so i take pre reqs for cheaper here)

I understand that it takes 6 years to complete your PharmD degree and we have an accredited school for that. (Xavier University of Louisiana) And also a good nursing school with LSU Health and Sciences center for Nurse Anesthesia.
PharmD would take 6 years to complete while I heard that they're changing the Master's for nursing to a Doctorate degree really soon. So all in all,
Pharmacy = 6-7 years
Nurse anesthetist = 9+ years (due to 4 years for your bachelors, 1 year of Critical care experience, then 4 more years of schooling(doctorate))

So I ask for insights on both careers.
My worries rely in
1. Job opportunities and salaries within 20-30 years from now
2. Liability
3. Competitiveness
4. Work schedule
5. Also, which would be a better "two birds with one stone" kind of choice? As in would it be better if I went for pharmacy pre-reqs then could go to nursing if I decided to change my mind after without a hassle? Or going for nursing pre-reqs, then switching to pharmacy using their pre-reqs without much of a hassle?

I apologize in advance if I provided any wrong information above. Please feel free to correct this post if so. Once again, I enjoy learning BOTH careers and can see myself doing EITHER careers. Asking about the salaries 20 years from now only because I know that they're changing Nurse Anesthesia to a doctorate degree and have been hearing rumors about the pharmacy graduates overflowing.

Insights, comments, opinions please. Much is appreciated, thank you.

It actually takes upwards of 11 + years to become a CRNA if you haven't yet earned a bachelors degree. 4 years for BSN, plus a minimum of 2 year's experience as critical care RN just to get accepted into a CRNA program (BUT, you need to have at least one year experience...and often more these days with the RN market so flooded...just to be able to start working in a critical care position). And then average 2 to 3 years for the CRNA program itself. So you're realistically looking at a min. of 11 years to actually become CRNA. In that time, you could pretty much finish med school and become an actual anesthesiologist. Had I known all of that before I started on this path to be a CRNA years ago, I would've gone that route or chose something different completely.

What really makes me second guess being a CRNA sometimes is the fact that I hear some get sued.. whereas pharmacy you don't have as much liability as a CRNA.
Thank you guys for your info

In most positions, your malpractice insurance is paid by your employer.

I know this is kind of off-topic, but does anyone think that a pharmD should be able to be trained and certified in anesthesiology?

No, just like an anesthesiologist isn't qualified to work as a pharmacist. There's much more involved with anesthesia than just putting the patient to sleep, just as there's more to being a pharmacist than putting pills in a bottle.

Personally, I wouldn't go into nursing if all you wanted to be is a CRNA because like you said, it's really time consuming and to be realistic, very few hospitals are going to hire you straight to the ICU (or any other floor with critical patients) without any floor experience prior. It amazes me how many people say they want to become nurses just so they can become CRNAs...

Actually, you must have floor experience just to get into a CRNA program, so that shouldn't be a factor.

I currently work as a pharm tech at a hospital which also employees CRNA's. CRNA's make comparable wages to RPh. CRNA's at my hospital are contracted, so they have to run their own business. This has its ups and downs. They can lose their contract, but at the same time are their own bosses. They have to carry their own mal practice INS. I think the nursing field is a lot more competitive than pharmacy field, which would mean getting into CRNA school quite difficult.

Pharmacists can work retail, for a chain or private, clinical in a hospital, for any number of drug distribution companies, or a number of other possibilities. A few of the differences said above are incorrect, for example smaller hospitals have pharmacists on-call as well. Also, my understanding is most CRNA's are going to work in smaller hospitals where they can not afford to pay an anesthesiologist what they deserve. Really, the best advice I have heard on here is shadow... shadow pharmacists in as many settings as you can, RN's, volunteer in the ER, shadow in scope rooms, shadow in OR's, just see more stuff with your own eyes. Both career paths are honorable and make a livable wage, the rest is up to personal preference. Good luck with your choice.

I make a little over 135K a year before taxes. How many pharmacists make that (aside from those who own their own pharmacy)?

Is there a way to become a CRNA without first becoming an RN? I'm from California so it's required to be a RN before becoming a CRNA.

No. Hence the title CRNA= Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

All of that being said, I wouldn't recommend this field to anyone unless you like having to endure the same emotional and mental stress that the MD anesthesiologists go through, only at half their pay and respect. You still get looked at as a "nurse" by the MD's. There is really no advantage that I know of to being a CRNA vs. anesthesiologist. I know this is the case in most professions where "the grass is greener on the other side" but to me, being a pharmacist seems like a more rewarding career.

 

[StallionRx]

To above poster...

What is the avg salary for a CRNA? Ive heard ranges all over the place...is ~200k the norm?

Also, what area of the county are you? NE, NW, S, etc?

 

[cpht15]

Thank you cpht15 for your input.

However, anesthesiologists are MUCH different from CRNAs. Are the pharmacists you work with completely satisfied with their job? For example, even if they were getting paid as much as teachers, would they still enjoy their job without all of the luxury? I'm seeking job satisfaction, salary comes after.

Sorry for such a late response!

My apologies, I didn't mean to compare nurse anesthesia and anesthesiolgy. Just trying to share what I know. I did notice that someone above said crna's have to work under anesthesiologists, but I do not believe that is neccessarily true. I know in most cases they do, but since it is a nursing profession, with no medical licensire, they can practice independently if needed.
As far as the pharmacists I work with, I believe they are pretty satisfied for the most part. I do work in retail in a somewhat .."lower class" neighborhood and we encounter problems with patients, doctors and medicines everyday. It is a bit tougher job and you will really need a backbone if you plan on staying there. So I would say no, if my pharmacists or most for that matter, had to do their job for say a teachers salary they would not be very satisfied. It would be more comparable to a general retail store manager; having to deal with all the grumpy customer problems except you occassionally use some pharmacy knowledge 😉

I'm happy with my choice of pharmacy mainly because of the knowledge base. It is a great set of skills and luckily there is a variety of ways to use this knowledge