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The differences between anesthesia technicians and nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an anesthesia technician, becoming a nurse takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a nurse has an average salary of $57,564, which is higher than the $39,640 average annual salary of an anesthesia technician.
The top three skills for an anesthesia technician include patients, patient care and BLS. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $39,640 | $57,564 |
| Hourly rate | $19.06 | $27.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 78,132 | 696,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Anesthesia technicians are healthcare professionals who oversee activities related to anesthetics. They administer anesthesia to patients and assist doctors in related activities. They also monitor the patient after the anesthesia is administered to ensure that no harmful side effects occurred. Anesthesia technicians are expected to know how to test for anesthetic allergies and to spot signs of such allergies. They should be familiar with the different techniques, solutions, and equipment used for anesthetic procedures. Aside from those, anesthesia technicians are also expected to manage the inventory of anesthetic solutions and to trigger purchase requests for new stocks.
Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.
Anesthesia technicians and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse | |
| Average salary | $39,640 | $57,564 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $38,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | Conviva |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between an anesthesia technician and a nurse in terms of educational background:
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | Duke University |
Here are the differences between anesthesia technicians' and nurses' demographics:
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 9% |