Certified registered nurse anesthetists — known as CRNAs — are often referred to as the best kept secret in health care. CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses who safely administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year across the country, with nearly 2,000 CRNAs practicing here in Virginia.
In Virginia and across the country, CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered — from hospitals and outpatient surgery to our nation’s front lines, providing care for our military heroes. As nurses who receive a minimum of eight years of training and education in nursing and anesthesia — including four years completing a bachelor’s in nursing degree, a minimum of one year working in an intensive care unit (ICU), though many average more than three years in the ICU, and three years completing a doctorate program — CRNAs are highly qualified to make independent judgments regarding all aspects of anesthesia care based on their education and licensure.
In rural communities, CRNAs serve in a critically important health care role as the primary providers of anesthesia care. In fact, more than 80% of anesthesia providers in rural areas are CRNAs. Their work in these communities ensures health care facilities can offer obstetrical, surgical, pain management and trauma stabilization services, and mitigate against the need to have patients travel long distances to access care in larger cities.
As workforce shortages continue to increase, CRNAs offer a cost-effective staffing solution.
That’s why CRNAs are calling for a change to Virginia’s law, which currently requires the supervision of CRNAs by a physician, podiatrist or dentist. By replacing the word “supervision” with “consultation,” Virginia would align itself with the practice of other advanced practice nurses and better enable health care facilities to utilize CRNAs in a way that increases patient access to safe, high-quality care.
While many facilities are operating under razor-thin margins and vulnerable to closure, the supervision requirement drives up costs statewide for hospitals, surgical centers and other health care facilities by requiring unnecessary supervision of anesthesia experts. It’s time to change Virginia’s laws to reflect an efficiency-driven model of practice that will bring Virginia in line with the majority of the nation and recognize CRNAs as full partners in caring for Virginians.
Studies have shown that letting CRNAs practice to the full extent of their education and training is a win-win for care facilities and patients. A 2021 article in Nursing Economic$ found that by increasing CRNA-only practices by 10%, the anesthesia provider workforce shortage would be reduced by a staggering 40%. And a report from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services found that CRNAs were among the most utilized health care providers in the nation during the pandemic, and cited that its action to waive the physician supervision requirement for CRNAs during those trying times is among its most notable accomplishments in health care.
CRNAs are proud to be part of your community and are ready to serve all patient populations across the Commonwealth of Virginia, either when they are at their most vulnerable — having a baby, undergoing a surgical procedure — or seeking relief from intractable pain. It’s time to allow CRNAs to practice to the full extent of their education and training and bring Virginia in line with the majority of the nation while increasing patient access to safe, high-quality anesthesia care.
Dr. Michael Helvey is an orthopedic specialist at Carilion’s Medical Office Building, a department of Giles Community Hospital. Maria Hirsch, DNAP, CRNA, FAANA, is the president of the Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists and practices anesthesia in Roanoke and the surrounding Southwest Virginia community. Learn more about certified registered nurse anesthetists in Virginia at www.VirginiaCRNA.org.
Disclosure: Carilion is one of our donors but donors have no say in news decisions; see our policy.
