Carrie Cromwell

Nurse anesthetist with the Department of Veterans Affairs

Carrie Cromwell is a nurse anesthetist with the Department of Veterans Affairs — a hospital system developed to care for veterans — and is currently completing her doctorate in nursing.

In most states, Carrie said nurse anesthetists function as independent practitioners, meaning they don’t need an anesthesia doctor present. “We’re all trained to be independent providers of anesthesia. So essentially, we are qualified to do the exact same job as an anesthesiologist,” Carrie said.

She did her training when her girls were young to reduce the effect her absence would have on them. Carrie’s husband would stay home with the kids, and when Carrie got home, it was “nothing but hugs and cuddles and love.”

Carrie’s job now allows her to compress her schedule, working three 12-hour shifts per week, making family time on those days limited. Then, while her children are at school, Cromwell does her schooling too. This allows her to spend evenings and weekends with her family, making it less of a “strain on family life.”

Carrie said she hasn’t put pressure on her two girls — ages 10 and 13 — to have certain career goals. She simply focuses on the importance of education.

From left, Olivia, Lance, Carrie, and Ava Cromwell pose for family photos Fall 2018. Carrie works as a nurse anesthetist with the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Mariah Evanson)

Her 13-year-old already wants to be a pharmacist, something Carrie said her daughter has written about in her journal.

“I can’t help but think that… her seeing me go through my educational pursuits has influenced her in her future goals,” Carrie said.

Balancing work and family life during her anesthesia training was “very challenging,” Carrie said, due to the time demand and rigor associated with the training.

Being in the professional world, Carrie has gained career and people skills to help her in her future.

“I think that being exposed to a wide variety of personalities and professionals has definitely broadened my understanding of people and being able to navigate the world of surgeons and highly trained professionals,” Carrie said.

When asked about the increase over the years of women joining the workforce, Carrie said women have natural “unique talents and abilities” to benefit various fields.

“I think that women have a lot to offer, especially in my profession,” she said. “We are nurturers. We have an ability to help people to feel comfortable and to interact with people in a caring way. Not that men can’t do that too, but I think women are naturally given these sort of attributes.”

It’s possible to break stereotypes connected with men and women in the workforce, Carrie said; however, it won’t come easy.

“To continue the progression of acceptance of females being in any role that is not stereotypical for a female is obviously going to take a lot of aspiring women,” Carrie said. “It’s going to take women that are strong and dedicated to breaking the mold. It’s going to take a collective effort of women all over to reach their unconventional goals and break down those barriers that years of stereotypes have set.”