Nurse anesthetist vs intensive care unit nurse

The differences between nurse anesthetists and intensive care unit nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a nurse anesthetist has an average salary of $170,563, which is higher than the $79,483 average annual salary of an intensive care unit nurse.

The top three skills for a nurse anesthetist include patients, CRNA and patient care. The most important skills for an intensive care unit nurse are patients, BLS, and acls.

Nurse anesthetist vs intensive care unit nurse overview

	Nurse Anesthetist	Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Yearly salary	$170,563	$79,483
Hourly rate	$82.00	$38.21
Growth rate	40%	6%
Number of jobs	62,419	611,699
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	4	-

What does a nurse anesthetist do?

A nurse anesthetist specializes in administering anesthesia to patients while under the supervision of physicians or an anesthesiologist. Their responsibilities mainly revolve around inspecting a patient's medical history to identify any diseases or allergy, assist by preparing them for the surgery, prepare anesthetics, determine the appropriate dosage, and discuss the extent of surgery, including any long or short-term side effects. Moreover, it is crucial to monitor a patient's vital signs while administering anesthetics to ensure that everything will go smoothly.

What does an intensive care unit nurse do?

An Intensive Care Unit Nurse is specialized in providing care in intensive care units of hospitals. They assist in the treatment of acutely ill patients with life-threatening conditions.

Nurse anesthetist vs intensive care unit nurse salary

Nurse anesthetists and intensive care unit nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Nurse Anesthetist	Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Average salary	$170,563	$79,483
Salary range	Between $89,000 And $325,000	Between $48,000 And $131,000
Highest paying City	Oakland, CA	Santa Clara, CA
Highest paying state	New York	Nevada
Best paying company	Trinity Health	Dignity Health
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Education

Differences between nurse anesthetist and intensive care unit nurse education

There are a few differences between a nurse anesthetist and an intensive care unit nurse in terms of educational background:

	Nurse Anesthetist	Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Nurse anesthetist vs intensive care unit nurse demographics

Here are the differences between nurse anesthetists' and intensive care unit nurses' demographics:

	Nurse Anesthetist	Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9%	Male, 18.2% Female, 81.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 4.7% Asian, 7.2% White, 81.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	32%	9%

Differences between nurse anesthetist and intensive care unit nurse duties and responsibilities

Nurse anesthetist example responsibilities.

Manage use of anesthesia machine and mechanical ventilation.
Perform specialty cares in the ICU and maternity unit.
Initiate the induction of anesthesia, intubation, and monitoring during the anesthesia.
Provide full scope midwifery care in busy FQHC clinics, birth center and hospital; credential with CAMC
Full scope midwifery care in a community hospital setting
Respond to cardiac arrests and situations demanding emergency intubation.

Intensive care unit nurse example responsibilities.

Manage pre- and post-surgical care, specifically for GI disorders.
Manage patients who suffer respiratory/cardiac arrest per ACLS protocol.
Manage patients requiring blood transfusions, iv antibiotic therapy, complications from chemotherapy and radiation.
Care for cardiac patients in CCU.
Incorporate ACLS and BLS algorithms on a frequent basis.
Provide care to ventilator dependent patients, tracheal care, and ICP monitoring.

Nurse anesthetist vs intensive care unit nurse skills

Common nurse anesthetist skills

Patients, 22%
CRNA, 12%
Patient Care, 8%
Anesthesia Care, 7%
AANA, 4%
Informed Consent, 4%

Common intensive care unit nurse skills

Patients, 22%
BLS, 18%
Acls, 13%
Diagnostic Tests, 6%
Catheter, 5%
Compassion, 5%

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Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Anesthetist vs Intensive Care Unit Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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