If you live in Kansas and have an interest in pursuing the education to become a CRNA, you have several options available for schooling. Below you will find helpful information about becoming and working as a CRNA in Kansas, details about of the certification requirements, and a specific directory of the CRNA schools in Kansas and the programs they offer.
CRNAs in Kansas
According to the Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists (KANA), there are approximately 550 CRNAS practicing in the state of Kansas. Since there are only about 200 practicing anesthesiologists in Kansas, CRNAs makeup 70% of the total anesthesia providers in Kansas. CRNAs in Kansas are not required by law to have the supervision of an anesthesiologist, but are able to work in “an interdependent role as a member of a physician or dentist directed health care team.” (RNA statute of Kansas). KANA also reports that “anesthesia care provided by CCRNAs is widely distributed across nearly every county in Kansas.” This is in contrast with the distribution of anesthesiologists or other providers who practice mostly in urban or metropolitan areas in Kansas. Approximately 83% of all hospitals in Kansas rely only on CRNAs for their anesthesia care services. Without CRNAs providing anesthetics in the state of Kansas, many of its residents would be left without convenient access to this critical healthcare service.
Not only do CRNAs in Kansas give access to anesthesia to many of its rural residents and hospitals, they also provide these services in a cost-effective manner. According to a recent study that was published in the renown Journal of Nursing Economics in 2024 called “Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Anesthesia Providers”, there is virtually no difference in the safety and quality of care given by an anesthesiologist versus that of a CRNA. The study also revealed that it costs significantly less to train a CRNA as opposed to an anesthesiologist, that CRNAs and anesthesiologists are able to perform the exact same services, and that- solely looking at the price of services- an independent CRNA is the best choice for providing cost-effective anesthesia care. CRNAs working in Kansas can make anesthesia more accessible as well as more affordable for healthcare facilities.
You may wonder what a CRNA working in Kansas is paid. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a CRNA working in Kansas has an annual mean wage of $54,670-$144,980. This puts Kansas in the same range as states such as Nebraska, Louisiana, Utah, and Montana for CRNA wages.
CRNA Certification and Re-Certification Requirements in Kansas
The Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists (KANA) lists the following requirements for becoming a CRNA in Kansas:
- A Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Current state licensure as an RN
- A minimum of one year of critical care nursing experience
- Successful completion of two to three years of Master’s level graduate study in a CRNA program (including classroom and clinical studies)
- Successful completion of the National Certification Examination
- Compliance with the criteria for re-certification every 2 years
- Carry malpractice insurance
These are the specific requirements as listed by KANA, however, they may be updated or change over time, and they may also vary between different facilities within the state of Kansas.
Once a student becomes certified as a nurse anesthetist, they must also keep up their licensure by applying for re-certification every two years. Healthcare is an ever-changing field. As such, many types of healthcare providers are required to do some type of continuing education work. This helps ensure that CRNAs remain up-to-date on the latest information in the world of anesthesia care even if they have been out of school for a long time. All CRNAs who take and pass the National Certification Examination are required to apply for and maintain re-certification if they want to keep working as a CRNA. Re-certification requirements are generally as follows:
- Meet appropriate guidelines for continuing education credits
- Actively practice as a CRNA
- Hold current licensure as a registered nurse
- Be able to verify that there are no mental or physical issues which may interfere with practice as a CRNA
This is a general overview of the criterion for CRNA certification and re-certification in the state of Kansas. These may change for each individual and it is best to check with specific state programs in order to find out exactly what types of requirements you will need as a CRNA in Kansas.
In an employment search released by ZipRecruiter.com in June of 2024, an average salary for a CRNA in Kansas was $187,407.
Kansas CRNA Schools
Newman University Nurse Anesthesia Program
3100 McCormick Avenue
Suite 210 ECK
Wichita, KS 67213
- Degree Offered: Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia (Entry Level)
- Duration in Months: 24
- Start Month: August
- Number of Clinical Sites: 5
University of Kansas Nurse Anesthesia Program
Mailstop 2024, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160
- Degree Offered: Doctor of Nursing Practice (Entry Level)
- Duration in Months: 36
- Start Month: June
- Number of Clinical Sites: 12
Texas Wesleyan University- Distance Program (This program is based in Kansas but requires some limited time on-campus in Fort Worth, Texas. The location in Kansas is in Topeka.)
Graduate Programs of Nurse Anesthesia Building
1201 Wesleyan Street
Fort Worth, TX 76105