Twins Support Each Other in Nurse Anesthesia Goal

They finish each other's sentences, they have traveled the world together, and now they are completing a rigorous program in what some call healthcare's best-kept secret: nurse anesthesia.

Hunter and Spencer Turner, 27, are identical twins who grew up in Japan, Italy, and Brighton, Tennessee. Sons of a United States Department of Defense employee, the twins were always interested in healthcare. Family members who were nurses introduced the profession of nurse anesthesia to them.

Nurse anesthetist is ranked No. 5 on the Best Health Care Jobs list by U.S. News & World Report. The U.S. Department of Labor estimated the mean annual wage for nurse anesthetists in Tennessee at $194,790 in 2023, the most recent year for which that information is available.

"Someone called it the best-kept secret in healthcare. Knowing what I know now, there would never be a question of what I would want to do," Hunter said. The twins are on track to graduate in May 2027 and plan to practice in the Mid-South.

The American Nurses Association recognizes May 6-12 every year as Nurses Week. Nurse anesthetist is one of many specialties in the nursing profession. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) take care of patients before, during, and after surgical or obstetrical procedures. Nurse anesthetists stay with their patients for the entire procedure, constantly monitoring every important body function and modifying the anesthetic to ensure maximum safety and comfort.

The nurse anesthesia concentration in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Nursing is ranked No. 33 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. The full-time, three-year program is competitive. Applications opened March 15, and the deadline is August 15.

The leadership in the nurse anesthesia track at UT Health Sciences sets it apart, the Turners said. Faculty members are caring and evaluate applicants from a holistic perspective. Every student is also paired with a mentor one year ahead of them, Hunter said.

"They clearly want to see us succeed," Spencer said.

The clinical rotations also offer excellent learning opportunities. "The local patient population is among the sickest in the country, and there are so many high-quality hospitals in Memphis," Hunter said.

Spencer added, "If you can intubate someone in Memphis, you can intubate someone anywhere."

The Turners both earned their Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing at the University of Memphis, graduating in 2021. They credit the Department of Defense schools they attended abroad for some of their success, comparing the quality of education there to that of private schools. "We don't end up where we are if we hadn't moved," Spencer said. The family returned to Tennessee during their senior year, and they graduated from Brighton High School.

Living abroad also gave them a perspective that helps in the nursing profession, Hunter said. "There is an inherent understanding that other people's culture impacts the way they behave and not to be judgmental. Everyone has a different upbringing."

They are midway through the nurse anesthesia program and are now involved in clinical rotations at hospitals in the area. Hunter said one of the aspects of the work that he appreciates is that "you get to hyper-fixate on one patient at a time and look at that patient and come up with the best plan for them and put all of the pieces together."

Spencer said he enjoys nurse anesthesia for the same reason he found critical care nursing rewarding. "I get to use my brain and my training to help people. You can think of a solution, implement that solution, and get immediate feedback on that solution."

The Turners are excellent students and role models, said Associate Professor Dwayne Accardo, DNP, APRN, CRNA, FAANA, director of the nurse anesthesia concentration in the college's DNP program.

"They could have and would have been accepted to any program in the country," he said. "They show up before they are supposed to, always eager to learn. Both are very humble and unassuming. They both will be excellent CRNAs and will be an asset to our profession."

Earning a DNP in nurse anesthesia is demanding, but having a twin helps, the Turners said. "Studying together really helps us," Spencer said. "If I have a question about something I don't understand, I have someone to go to and ask, and it's someone who understands how my mind works."