National CRNA Week Sheds Light on “The Future of Anesthesia Care Today”
With a history spanning back to the Civil War, nurse anesthetists have remained at the head of the table every moment of their patients’ procedures, administering their anesthetics, monitoring their vital signs, and helping to ensure that each year millions of patients receive the safest anesthesia care possible.
Nurse anesthetists across the country will educate the public about advancements in anesthesia patient safety and the role and value of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in delivering anesthesia care in today’s—and tomorrow’s U.S. healthcare system during, the 19th annual National CRNA Week observance January 21-27, 2018.
National CRNA Week was established by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), and was created to encourage CRNAs to take the opportunity to educate the public about anesthesia safety, questions to ask prior to undergoing surgery, and the benefits of receiving anesthesia care from a nurse anesthetist.
The public education theme, “CRNAs: The Future of Anesthesia Care Today,” reflects the fact that 52,000+ CRNAs and student registered nurse anesthetists provide approximately 43 million anesthetics to patients in the United States each year, delivering the same safe, high-quality anesthesia care as other anesthesia professionals but at a lower cost, helping to control the nation’s rising healthcare costs.
As the main hands-on provider of anesthesia care in both military and civilian settings, CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is administered.
That includes but is not limited to hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons; pain management centers, and within the U.S. Military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
Every day, CRNAs deliver essential healthcare in thousands of communities and are able to prevent gaps in access to anesthesia services, especially in rural, inner-city and other medically underserved areas of the country.
Nurse anesthetists are advanced practice registered nurses who administer more than 34 million anesthetics in the United States each year. Practicing in every setting in which anesthesia is available, CRNAs practice with a great deal of autonomy, and are the sole anesthesia professionals in the vast majority of rural hospitals.
“CRNAs: The Future of Anesthesia Care Today,” is an extension of a nationwide public education initiative developed by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). The centerpiece of the campaign is the website www.future-of-anesthesia-care-today.com.
The campaign, as well as National CRNA Week, raises awareness among hospital administrators, healthcare professionals, policymakers, patients, and others about the benefits of CRNAs.
While 2018 marks the 19th year for National CRNA Week, the nurse anesthesia profession actually began more than 150 years ago during the American Civil War.
Since then, we have taken great pride in administering safe, high-quality anesthesia with the level of care and compassion that is synonymous with being a nurse.
In today’s healthcare climate, CRNAs are the key to the future of anesthesia care, as there is an increasing demand for highly qualified, non-MD/DO healthcare specialists who can ensure access to patient care that is both extremely safe and cost-effective.
Through this campaign, we aim to highlight the valuable role that CRNAs play today, and will continue to play tomorrow.
For more information about the AANA’s public education campaign, recent landmark research studies confirming the safety and value of CRNAs, infographics, fact sheets and more, visit www.future-of-anesthesia-care-today.com.
About the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Founded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ill., and Washington, D.C., the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is the professional organization representing more than 52,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists across the United States.
As advanced practice registered nurses and anesthesia specialists, CRNAs administer approximately 43 million anesthetics to patients in the United States each year and are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America.
In some states, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia professionals in nearly 100 percent of rural hospitals.
For more information, visit www.aana.com and www.future-of-anesthesia-care-today.com and follow @aanawebupdates on Twitter.
As CRNAs we administer anesthesia to patients undergoing cardiac, neurological, oral, and labor and delivery surgeries just to name a few. Regardless of the setting, nurse anesthetists apply same high standards of care are applied. It is a privilege to be a part of a profession that is dedicated to providing a safe anesthetic and has historically played a pivotal role in every facet of anesthesia advancement.