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Who are CRNAs

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

provide high-quality anesthesia services and have been doing so for more than 100 years. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is the professional association representing more than 25,000 practicing CRNAs, which is comprised of more than 96 percent of the nurse anesthetists in the United States. North Carolina is home to over 1,300 CRNAs. The North Carolina Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NCANA) is the state branch of the AANA. The NCANA represents the largest group of Advanced Practice Nurses in North Carolina.

A CRNA takes care of a patient’s anesthesia needs before, during and after surgery or the delivery of a baby by:

Performing a physical assessment
Participating in preoperative teaching
Preparing for anesthetic management
Administering anesthesia to keep the patient pain free
Maintaining anesthesia intraoperatively
Overseeing recovery from anesthesia
Following the patient’s postoperative course from recovery room to patient care unit.

Because CRNAs are licensed as advanced practice nurses, they provide services in conjunction with a qualified physician — for instance, a surgeon, dentist, podiatrist, or anesthesiologist. CRNAs practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect.

Today,CRNAs administer more than 65 percent of the anesthesia given to patients each year in the United States.CRNAs provide anesthesia for all types of surgical cases. CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in 85 percent of rural hospitals, affording these medical facilities obstetrical, surgical, and trauma stabilization capabilities. They work in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered including traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; ambulatory surgical centers; and U.S. Military, Public Health Services and Veterans Administration medical facilities.

Unfortunately, barriers currently exist that restrict the practice of CRNAs, leading to unnecessary increases in the cost of anesthesia in particular and overall health costs in general. These barriers also limit many patients' access to quality health care services. The AANA and NCANA are committed to eliminating the existing barriers to CRNA practice. The AANA and NCANA are strong supporters of comprehensive health care reform, including anesthesia payment reform. The AANA and NCANA believe CRNAs are an equal component of the health care solution because CRNAs provide access to high quality, cost-effective anesthesia services.

There continues to be a severe shortage of CRNAs. A National Center of Nursing Research study, mandated by congressional appropriations committees, reported a shortage of 6,000 CRNAs equal to a 13.6 percent shortage. This study further reported the need for 30,000 additional CRNAs by the year 2000 and more than 35,000 CRNAs by the year 2010. In order to meet this need, the educational system for nurse anesthetists would have to graduate 1,800 students each year between now and the year 2000, and 1,500 students each year thereafter.

For more information about nurse anesthesia and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists contact: info@aana.com