CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST RACHEL LHOTSKY CHLOE BOLDRICK

CRNA FACTS  CRNA’s provide anesthesia in collaboration with surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists and other qualified healthcare professionals  They monitor vital signs and oversee patients recovering from anesthesia  The practice of administering anesthesia is recognized as the practice of nursing ONLY when a nurse administers the dosage  CRNA’s are the primary anesthesia caregivers in rural America as well as the main providers for the U.S. Military personnel  Anesthesia care is 50 times safer now then it was in the early 1980s

CURRENT KENTUCKY STATISTICS  In Kentucky:  Average salary is $158,244 annually  Employment is 1,100  Location Quotient (concentration) is 2.25  United States:  Texas  has over 3,000 employed CRNA  Annual Average Salary is $161,740  Location Quotient: 1.07

EDUCATION FOR CRNA  Bachelor of Science in Nursing  Current license as a registered nurse  One year experience as a RN in a critical care setting  Graduation with a minimum of a Master’s degree from an accredited Nurse Anesthetist educational program  Pass the National Certification Examination following graduation

RESPONSIBILITIES  CRNA’s are advanced practice nurses who oversee anesthesia administration prior and during surgery, they also record vitals and oversee patients who are recovering from anesthesia.  They practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect from colleagues.

LEADERSHIP OF THE CRNA  As mentioned before, CRNA’s are advanced practice nurses who practice with high autonomy and respect,= indicating they do provide leadership to other nurses as well as each other.  There is a Chief CRNA who oversees the CRNA’s as a whole

CURRENT LEGISLATION  “Just as CRNAs are vigorous advocates for patient safety in the clinical setting, the AANA is an equally determined advocate for CRNAs concerning issues such as patient safety, access to quality healthcare services, scope of practice, educational funding, reimbursement, and many other legislative and regulatory matters in Washington, D.C. and in states across the country. As such, the AANA tracks state and federal legislation and regulation affecting nurse anesthesia practice, develops and carries out federal grassroots lobbying efforts, coordinates meetings with federal legislators and agency officials, testifies at federal and state legislative and regulatory hearings, and educates CRNAs and state associations regarding effective advocacy strategy and practice.”  AANA State Government Affairs

CURRENT LEGISLATION  Anesthesia: Practice of Nursing and Practice of Medicine  For example, anesthesia administration is a series of functions through which patients are rendered insensitive to pain; these functions can and do constitute the practices of nursing, dentistry, or medicine. Courts have long recognized the administration of anesthesia by nurses as a proper nursing function. Consequently, anesthesia administration is an area that is both the practice of medicine and the practice of nursing.

PATIENT ADVOCACY  CRNA’s are patient advocates for safety in a clinical setting, but the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is as determined as well.  Advocates for:  Safety  Access to quality healthcare services  Scope of practice  Educational funding

ORGANIZATIONS  AANA: American Association of Nurse Anesthetists  Founded in 1931, the AANA is a professional organization in which almost 48,000 CRNA’s belong to. CRNA Value according to the AANA: “Research shows that Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are the most cost-effective anesthesia providers with an exceptional safety record. In today's changing healthcare environment, patients want healthcare delivered with personal care, at a lower cost, with a high degree of confidence. CRNAs deliver all of these.”

EVALUATION  Without a doubt, we lean towards the general consensus: CRNA’s and Chief CRNA’s are undervalued in the medical field and demand more attention. According to the AANA, CRNAs are more efficient and more cost effective which is what everyone in the twenty-first century is looking for.