Top 5 things you need to know about Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
(BPT) - When you or a loved one undergoes a surgical procedure, it can be overwhelming. Many healthcare professionals comprise the surgical team to ensure your well-being throughout the process. Nurses are among those who make a big impact on your quality of care. One type of nurse who may be involved in your surgery and pain management is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), also known as a nurse anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist. CRNAs are advanced-practice registered nurses who play a critical role in safe surgeries, airway management and making patients comfortable and pain free.
"Because of their unique experience in critical care nursing and advanced training in anesthesia care, CRNAs are qualified to improve patient outcomes in all healthcare settings where anesthesia is delivered," said President of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret.), USAF, NC. "Thanks to their specialized skills, rigorous education and expertise in advanced patient assessment, CRNAs have expanded the nation's critical healthcare workforce by providing expert, compassionate care for the whole patient. Being a CRNA is a highly meaningful and fulfilling career."
In honor of National Nurses Week, celebrating the contributions and sacrifices of everyone in the nursing profession, here are five facts about how CRNAs make a difference for patients.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists:
1. Are advanced practice registered nurses who put patients first-and practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect. They're trained to practice without supervision in all settings, including hospital surgical suites, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons and pain management specialists, plus U.S. military, Public Health Services and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.
CRNAs are qualified to make independent judgments regarding all aspects of anesthesia care based on their education, licensure and certification. They are educated and trained to make moment-to-moment adjustments and judgments to handle any complications that may arise with any anesthetic procedure, including pain management procedures. They are also the only anesthesia professionals with critical care experience prior to beginning their formal anesthesia education.
CRNAs safely administer over 58 million anesthetics to patients each year in the U.S. Nurse anesthetists deliver comprehensive care using all accepted anesthetic techniques including general, regional, sedation, local and pain management.
2. Require extra years of training and certifications -The education and experience required to become a CRNA is extensive, totaling a commitment of eight years or more in both clinical and educational experience. Today's CRNAs enter the workforce with a doctoral degree, have a license as a registered nurse (RN) and/or APRN in the U.S. (or its territories), plus a one-year minimum of full-time work or part-time equivalent as a registered nurse in a critical care setting in the U.S., its territories or a U.S. military hospital outside the United States. CRNAs must receive their doctoral degree from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).
3. Provide safe, high-quality, patient-centered care -Reassuring and comforting patients before, during and after medical procedures is what makes CRNAs so unique. This level of highly patient-centered care is especially crucial in fields like pediatric healthcare, where CRNAs are a vital part of providing anesthesia care for patients. Pediatric anesthesia care is a complex field that requires specialized knowledge, skill and sensitivity to the needs of young patients.
Whether through pioneering new anesthesia techniques such as using ultrasound-guided airway management, improving pain management strategies or mentoring the next generation of anesthesia providers, CRNAs are driving innovation, improving patient care and enhancing safety protocols, making them essential to the future of healthcare.
4. Bring anesthesia services to settings that would otherwise lack them -In many rural areas in particular, access to healthcare can be limited. CRNAs are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America, representing over 80% of the anesthesia providers in rural counties.
Many rural hospitals are critical access hospitals that rely on independently practicing CRNAs for anesthesia care, and half of U.S. rural hospitals use a CRNA-only model for obstetric care, often saving patients long drives of 75 miles or more to receive needed healthcare services.
5. Make healthcare more cost-effective -because CRNAs are the most versatile and cost-effective anesthesia providers who are fully trained and qualified to work in any practice setting. While still a highly rewarding career, CRNAs offer a lower staffing cost, have proven safety records, and are not required to practice under a physician anesthesiologist.
Nursing is among the nation's most trusted professions, and CRNAs are proud to be part of that public and patient trust. Nurse anesthesiology continues to be one of the safest, most innovative fields of science today, with CRNAs bringing the best in overall patient experience.
Learn more about CRNAs or how to become a CRNA at AANA.com/about-us/about-crnas.
Source: BrandPoint
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