Every anesthesia practice depends on a team effort to serve its patients. One key part of this team effort is a practice’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), who perform essential (and often thankless) tasks to help patients with their healthcare needs.
This week, it’s National CRNA Week – a time to commemorate the hard work CRNAs all over the country perform on behalf of their valued patients.
What Does a CRNA Do?
A CRNA is a nurse who specializes in providing anesthetic care to a patient. CRNAs have graduate-level education and board certification in anesthesia. It is estimated that across the country, CRNAs administer roughly 34 million anesthetic procedures each year.
A CRNA works closely with anesthesiologists, other CRNAs, or physicians – such as surgeons – providing medical direction to the nurse. The amount of independence a CRNA has varies by state, but most are capable of handling anesthetic procedures with minimal supervision or direction.
If you’ve ever had surgery, chances are a CRNA was involved. The amount of dedication it takes to go through that much schooling – much of it complex and advanced – is a testament to how much care your average CRNA puts into his or her job.
(In the military, most anesthetic care is provided by CRNAs. They’re often some of the first providers for our service men and women after injury.)
Showing Appreciation to CRNAs
This week is the time to take note of what CRNAs do for practices all across the country, and how patient care is better because of their presence.
For more information, check out the official Facebook page of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Also, don’t forget to recommend a top-performing CRNA for annual awards from the AANA Foundation. Nominations are due by March 31, 2016.
Be sure to thank a CRNA this week as we celebrate this honored profession and these dedicated professionals.