It's hard to describe our profession without mentioning an anesthesiologist. The medical profession has anesthesiologists and we work directly with the anesthesiologists. We do a lot of the same stuff that they do.

Getting in the nurse anesthesia program was harder than getting a job. I had applied the year before and did not get accepted.

You have to take out loans to live. Everything I spend right now puts me further into debt.

You definitely have to realize the seriousness of the job you're doing at the time. A little too much of this drug or not enough of that drug can cause serious injury or fatalities.

I think, in general, most people in the public don't know what we do.

We need to look at our own profession, and work to ensure that our own colleagues are not contributing to the lack of respect and understanding of the legal system by misleading or misinforming the public through inappropriate - or even sleazy - advertising.