Happy Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Week! This year January 21-27th has been designated as CRNA Week in the US. 

For more than 150 years, nurse anesthetists/nurse anesthesiologists have enjoyed rewarding careers providing anesthesia care to patients nationwide. These advanced-practice registered nurses have a well-deserved reputation for providing safe, effective, efficient, and compassionate care.

CRNAs safely administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States. As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs are among the nation’s most trusted professions according to Gallup. Nurses have topped Gallup’s Honesty and Ethics list for 20 consecutive years and are ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Health Care Jobs” report.

Did You Know?

1. The CRNA credential originated in 1956, nearly 100 years into the profession’s history
2. CRNAs practice in every setting anesthesia is delivered, including operating rooms and obstetrical delivery rooms; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons; and pain management specialists; and in the U.S. military
3. CRNAs are the only anesthesia professionals with critical care experience before beginning formal anesthesia education
4. CRNAs represent more than 80% of the anesthesia providers in rural U.S. counties
5. Today, CRNAs have full practice authority in every branch of the military and are the primary providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military personnel on the front lines, navy ships, and aircraft evacuation teams around the globe
6. Currently, CRNAs may practice in 22 U.S. states and Guam without physician supervision
7. CRNA preparation requires 7­–8.5 years of education and experience
8. All residents entering an accredited CRNA program must be enrolled in a doctoral program
9. Graduates of nurse anesthesia programs have an average of 9,369 hours of clinical experience, including 733 hours during their baccalaureate nursing program, 6,032 hours as a critical care registered nurse, and 2,604 hours during their nurse anesthesia program
10. CRNAs must recertify every 8 years in the Continued Professional Certification Program, which requires continuing education throughout two four-year cycles https://www.aana.com/about-us/about-crnas/

What value do CRNAs bring to today’s U.S. healthcare system?
Published research overwhelmingly confirms that CRNAs are cost-beneficial to patients and healthcare facilities. As
healthcare costs continue to escalate and access to care remains out of touch for many, CRNAs are an answer to our
nation’s healthcare crisis.
• Leading health policy journals and an independent review by Cochrane, a world-renowned collaboration to support
evidence-based decision making in healthcare, have demonstrated CRNAs safety record and found no evidence that
physicians provide better anesthesia care.
• Nurse anesthesia care is 25% more cost effective than the next least costly anesthesia delivery model. (Hogan, 2016–
Nursing Economic$)
• Permanently removing practice barriers, such as physician supervision of CRNAs, will increase competition and
network adequacy and make much-need reforms to the healthcare system.
CRNAs deliver essential healthcare in thousands of communities, especially in rural and medically underserved areas of the
country. They continue to be the primary anesthesia providers in the U.S. military.
• CRNAs represent more than 80% of the anesthesia providers in rural counties. There are also more CRNAs per
population in less restrictive and opt-out states.
• Half of U.S. rural hospitals use a CRNA-only model for obstetric care. Surgical volume is directly associated with
the financial viability of rural hospitals. Rural hospitals are essential to the rural economies—many are critical access
hospitals, which often rely on independently practicing CRNAs for anesthesia care.
• County-level analyses of the availability of CRNAs and physician anesthesiologists demonstrate greater availability
of CRNAs in counties with more vulnerable populations including uninsured, Medicaid eligible and unemployed.
• CRNAs safely deliver pain management care in areas where there are no physician providers available, saving patients long drives of 75 miles or more. https://www.anesthesiafacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022_SGA04_At_a_Glance_FNL.pdf