Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesist

Veterans Health Administration • Nashville, TN

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) administers anesthesia to patients of all health complexities in inpatient and outpatient settings. The role includes direct patient care, administration, education, and research activities. The CRNA develops and implements anesthetic plans in discussion with an anesthesiologist, initiates anesthetic techniques within the TVHS CRNA Scope of Practice, and supports life function throughout preoperative, intraoperative, and perioperative care in a team setting. The practitioner responds to abnormal patient conditions, maintains airways, provides observation and resuscitation until vital functions recover, and documents care in CPRS. The role also includes selecting and applying monitoring devices, managing emergence and recovery with medications, fluids, and ventilator support, providing respiratory support, and maintaining or removing neuraxial and regional plexus catheters in accordance with departmental policy.

This is an open continuous announcement that remains open until May 31, 2027; qualified candidates are referred as vacancies occur. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to program eligibility and application requirements. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, based on service needs. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation and recruitment incentives, and permanent change of station benefits, are not authorized.

Applicants must meet the education, licensure, and certification requirements for an Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist). The entry Nurse II level requires a master's or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs; no experience is required. The Nurse III level requires the basic education requirement plus one year of specialized CRNA experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level. Applicants must maintain an active, unrestricted state or territorial license and current NBCRNA certification or an equivalent certification recognized by the COA. A temporary appointment exception may apply to otherwise qualified graduate nurse technicians lacking required licensure or certification.

The position requires physical and mental ability to perform the work, including lifting 30 pounds or more and frequent twisting, bending, standing, and walking. Other conditions include U.S. citizenship subject to stated exceptions, English proficiency, background and security investigation, pre-employment drug screening and physical evaluation, and participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.

Requirements

• Master's or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia from a professional nurse anesthesia school accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs at the time of program completion.
• Active, current, full, and unrestricted license to practice as a nurse anesthetist or equivalent in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Full and current certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA), or an equivalent nurse anesthetist certification recognized by the COA.
• For Nurse III: one year of specialized APN (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) experience equivalent to the APN (CNA) II grade level.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Ability to translate professional nursing principles, including patient autonomy, dignity, privacy, and safety, into anesthesia care.
• Knowledge of current research, practice guidelines, anesthesia techniques, pharmacology, and equipment.
• Ability to obtain and document informed consent, conduct pre-anesthetic evaluations, formulate patient-specific plans, and administer multiple forms of anesthesia.
• Skill in detecting and treating physiologic changes, assessing transfer of care, communicating with healthcare providers, and providing emergency airway and resuscitation care.
• Ability to practice collaboratively, maintain safety and infection control, and document care appropriately.
• For Nurse III: progressively responsible experience and ability to manage anesthesia for complex procedures, adapt techniques to patient response and comorbidities, and contribute to post-operative anesthesia care programs.
• For Nurse III: ability to mentor or precept trainees, contribute to quality auditing and administrative processes, and participate in interdisciplinary teams and safety initiatives.
• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy.
• Pass applicable pre-employment drug screening, physical evaluation, and background/security investigation; complete onboarding and required application documentation.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Be physically and mentally able to perform the duties, including lifting 30 pounds or more and frequent twisting, bending, standing, and walking.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement anesthetic plans in discussion with an anesthesiologist and document them in CPRS and/or the preanesthetic evaluation and anesthetic record.
• Initiate anesthetic techniques as defined in the TVHS CRNA Scope of Practice.
• Support life function during preoperative, intraoperative, and perioperative care in a team setting.
• Take corrective action to maintain hemodynamic stability, notify the attending anesthesiologist and surgeon of abnormal responses, and secure and maintain airways outside the surgical suite.
• Provide professional observation and resuscitation until patients regain control of vital functions.
• Document history and physical findings and preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care completely, legibly, and promptly in CPRS in accordance with departmental policy and the TVHS Scope of Practice.
• Select, apply, and insert appropriate invasive and non-invasive monitoring devices within the TVHS Scope of Practice.
• Facilitate emergence and recovery from anesthesia by selecting, obtaining, ordering, and administering medications and fluids, and providing ventilator support.
• Initiate and administer respiratory support to ensure adequate ventilation and oxygenation in the post-anesthesia period; interpret arterial blood gases as needed in discussion with the attending anesthesiologist.
• Maintain neuraxial and regional plexus infusions and remove neuraxial and plexus catheters according to departmental policy.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Obtain, document, and verify informed anesthesia consent; perform pre-anesthetic histories and physical examinations, manage preoperative consults, and interpret data.
• Formulate patient-specific anesthetic plans and explain relevant risks, benefits, and options to patients.
• Administer inhalational, regional, intravenous, local, and topical anesthetics; detect and treat physiologic changes and maintain homeostasis.
• Assess patients' readiness for transfer of care and communicate essential information to other providers.
• Collaborate on patient positioning, physiologic monitoring, infection control, and anesthesia documentation.
• Respond to emergencies with airway management, fluids and medications, invasive line insertion and management, and advanced cardiac life support techniques.
• Provide anesthesia care in an interdisciplinary environment and maintain practice consistent with current research, guidelines, safety protocols, and professional standards.
• Contribute to quality improvement, auditing, education and mentoring, departmental administration, shared governance, and interdisciplinary guidelines as applicable, particularly at the Nurse III level.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with an award of up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level