Why I Became a CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are special people: compassionate, vigilant in their responsibilities, protective of and advocates for their patients. They dedicate themselves to one patient at a time, watching over them and seeing that the patient is pain free during surgery.

What makes someone want to dedicate their careers to the nurse anesthesia profession? Read about these amazing healthcare professionals in their own words.

Why did you become a CRNA? If you are a CRNA and would like to have your profile posted here, see the submission Guidelines.    

Why I Became a CRNA: Submission Guidelines

The questions below are just to get you thinking. You do not have to answer any of them, you are free to write a short narrative (500 words) about why you became a CRNA on your own. However, if you are more comfortable responding to the questions below, feel free to do so. These profiles will be placed in the Becoming a CRNA section of the AANA website to encourage those interested in the profession to see why others have become CRNAs. Please return your profile to: Cathy Hodson, Public Relations Manager, chodson@aana.com. If you have any questions, contact her at 847-655-1147. Thank you!


If you have a photo to accompany your profile, please email it to the above email address. The photo should be in .jpg format, and of you only. Please send a photo of you in professional dress (scrubs) or formal business clothes (suit or dress) – a portrait, in other words. If your photo is larger than 1 MB in size, please mail the photo on a CD to: Cathy Hodson, AANA, 222 S. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge, IL 60068. 

Questions to Consider

  • In what year were you first certified as a CRNA?
  • How did the idea first come to you to pursue a career as a nurse anesthetist?
  • Did someone inspire you to become a nurse anesthetist?
  • What is it that appealed to you about joining the profession?
  • What do you like best about being a CRNA?
  • Where has your career as a nurse anesthetist taken you? (professionally, geographically)
  • How have these achievements strengthened your dedication to your profession?
  • What has been the most unexpected aspect of being a CRNA during your career? What has surprised you most?
  • What would you recommend to a nurse colleague or a prospective high school student about the profession?
  • Any words of advice for future generations of CRNAs?