Nurse anesthetists can use a number of intravenous drugs and inhaled gasses to administer general or regional anesthesia, so surgeons and other physicians can complete procedures with little to no discomfort to the patient. Modern anesthesia has come a long way from the chloroform administered by the first nurse anesthetists in the Civil War. "Anesthesia is safer today than it’s ever been," says Frank Gerbasi, a certified registered nurse anesthetist and executive director of the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.

You might wonder what the difference is between a nurse anesthetist and an anesthesiologist. One way of answering is education. Nurse anesthetists are registered nurses who specialize in anesthesiology with at least one year of critical care experience and, as of 2025, must have at least a doctorate, which takes at least three years to attain. Current nurse anesthetists with a master’s degree will be grandfathered in and will not be required to return to school.

Anesthesiologists are physicians, and their education track includes four years of medical school and years of experience that include an internship, residency, and sometimes an additional fellowship. "Both anesthesia specialists use the same techniques and procedures to safely deliver the same types of anesthetic drugs for every type of procedure that requires the patient to receive anesthesia," Gerbasi says. 

Gerbasi also describes nurse anesthetists as cost-effective providers because they offer their patients a high quality of health care at a reasonable price. Several factors, including health care reform and the aging baby boom population, are precipitating the demand for more health care providers.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 9.0% employment growth for nurse anesthetists between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 4,500 jobs should open up.

To become a certified registered nurse anesthetist, professionals must have a bachelor’s degree and their registered nurse licensure, which involves taking and passing the National Council Licensure Examination. Additionally, these professionals must have a minimum of one year of experience in a critical care setting. They will then have to complete an accredited graduate-level nurse anesthesia program and the national certification exam.