A day in the life of a CRNA | Behind the scenes in anesthesia

In this video, I share what a typical day looks like as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) — from patient assessments and anesthesia plans to intraoperative management and recovery handoffs. While no two days are the same, this episode offers a realistic glimpse into the clinical responsibilities, workflows, and challenges CRNAs face daily.

CRNAs work in a wide variety of environments — from busy trauma centers and outpatient surgery centers to rural hospitals and office-based anesthesia settings. Our schedules are equally diverse: 8s, 10s, 24s, call shifts, PRN, and locum work — offering flexibility, autonomy, and adaptability.

Whether you're considering CRNA school, already on your path, or exploring advanced practice nursing options, this behind-the-scenes perspective provides insight into the critical role CRNAs play in modern anesthesia care.

🔹 Topics covered:

Common case types and daily workflow

Interdisciplinary collaboration in the OR

Scheduling variability across CRNA practice settings

Key clinical responsibilities and decision-making

📌 Subscribe for more CRNA content, clinical education, and career insight from the field.

[darriontunstall]

That’s what’s up, CRNA is the best, it takes a special person to be a anesthesiologist or CRNA and you’re one of them, I really enjoy donating to the CRNA Foundation, since it was hard for me to go to college because of my cerebral palsy! You rock man! I really wanted to be a CRNA!

[francomora]

Excellent video brother. Really helpful

[Randy_]

Thanks for another great video, David!!! 🤟

[Daquro]

Looking for this video for a while! Amazing content. !!

[rajendragupta]

need to share this because it changed everything. was stuck in the same patterns for years - overthinking, self-doubt, feeling blocked. found this book Vibrations of Manifestation randomly and the quantum physics approach to manifestation finally made things click. 3 weeks after reading: noticed synchronicities everywhere, opportunities flowing naturally, and my mindset completely shifted. if you're feeling stuck like i was, the frequency alignment method in this book works. still amazed at how different life feels

[youngdudefromcali]

Remember watching your videos when you were just leaving the NP field after doing traveling assignments for so long. Now look at you! Good job! Now let me shadow you in a couple years to fulfill my requirements to go to CRNA school lol! Congrats tho

[FreshEclecticism]

Super-interesting! Love this video, thanks for sharing your day 😊

[jeremiahreilly]

Fascinating and thanks. My best experiences with all forms of anesthesia have been with Anesthetists who listen. I am by nature extremely calm, have no anxiety, and *strongly dislike* medications which induce anterograde amnesia (like Versed). I've have several colonoscopies without any medication. When I went into thyroid surgery, I entered the OR fully awake and moved myself from the gurney to the operating table. 15 minutes post thyroid surgery I was sitting up in bed, talking, and sipping water. All thanks to an anesthetist who tailored the "cocktail" to my preferences. My wife had foot surgery with local rather than general after seeing the benefits of minimal anesthesia in my experience. So the best anesthesia is the just right, just enough amount.

[shellyshelly]

Well hey there! I haven’t watched your content in while due to being caught up busy in life. Always enjoy your content. Last I saw I think u were like the primary provider in Alaska. Congrats on new role as CRNA! ❤

[RuthEmmanuell]

This is a topic I have never thought of or knew I needed but ended up being one of my fav videos from your channel. It was a Sunday treat. When you do get someone to relieve you for break, how many minutes do you usually take for your lunch break ?

[RichardOneill]

How many hours do you normally have to stay standing (as in physically standing) in an OR case?

[zikaden]

What's the longest surgical procedure that you've provided anesthesia? 3hrs, 4hrs... or longer?

[connorlaughlin]

Do you ever have days where you’re on call for emergent airways? I feel like that would be cool!

[AbbasHusain-ez]

Hey David, Congrats on your graduation from CRNA school and boards. Thank you for all the knowledge you share in this video. I wanted to ask you a question, is anesthesia training moving towards using video camera laryngoscopes? Or will training continue using the old fashioned method? Is the old fashioned method the preferred method?

[fionarob]

Sounds like you are working at a CRNA independent/only facility. Do you still do emergency medicine np on the side?

[jundom]

Did you have to apply for a school loan or scholarships? CRNA is my ultimate goal. However my goal changes whenever I think of the living expenses and cost of attendance for 3 yrs lol! 😂. But every time I see your videos, i get pulled back to thinking of preparing for CRNA school.. i need to pray more to guide me in this major decision lol!

[yassermansour]

Considering you're both a CRNA and an NP, do you think it would ever be realistic to take on a role in the ICU as a provider? Similar to how anesthesiologists have the dual role of providing anesthesia and being ICU attendings? Just curious.

[abhishekverma]

What is your salary pr month sir please let me know if you are comfortable

[abd-animation-]

Your day sounds like a normal day for a resident Anesthesiologist

[vijuanisha]

meditation teacher here. been studying manifestation for years but the way Vibrations of Manifestation explains it through quantum physics is completely different. it fills in all the gaps in traditional manifestation teaching. seeing my students get clarity they never had before. this book is genuinely helping people understand how reality creation actually works