The first nurse anesthetists administered care on the battlefields of the Civil War, providing revolutionary anesthetics to wounded soldiers for the first time in history. That legacy of courage and commitment has carried forward for more than 150 years.
Last year, CRNAs delivered safe, effective anesthesia services to more than 50 million Americans, often in areas where a CRNA is a facility’s primary anesthesia provider.
Each year, we celebrate these skilled providers during National CRNA Week, which runs from January 21-27 this year. At Interim Physicians, where we place locum tenens CRNAs in facilities across the country, we proudly support the country’s more than 61,000 CRNAs and nurse anesthesiology students and thank them for upholding a legacy of high-quality anesthesia care.
Fast Facts About CRNAs
For those who might confuse them with registered nurses, CRNAs possess extensive education and critical care experience, equipping them to perform procedures akin to those administered by anesthesiologists. On average, CRNAs have at least three and a half years of critical care background before enrolling in a specialized nurse anesthesia program.
According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists:
- CRNAs undergo 7 to 8 years of education and experience.
- CRNAs can practice without physician supervision in 22 US states and Guam.
- CRNAs are the primary anesthesia providers in the military globally, including front lines, navy ships, and air evacuation teams.
- CRNAs must graduate from a Council on Accreditation master’s or doctoral program.
- Next year, all new CRNAs must hold a doctoral degree to practice. The healthcare system is in a transition period that began in 2004, when the American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommended adopting a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as the standard for entering the field. AANA approved a recommendation three years later and asked that it go into effect in 2025.
Trusted Anesthesia Experts
In celebrating CRNA Week under the slogan, “Trusted Anesthesia Experts,” we honor the dedication and commitment to excellence our CRNAs exhibit for our client facilities nationwide. These providers are crucial to our healthcare system and essential to patient care, consistently earning trust from patients and healthcare teams.
CRNAs constitute over 80% of anesthesia providers in rural US counties, underscoring their indispensable role. At Interim Physicians, we’re privileged to connect these professionals to locum tenens opportunities where they significantly contribute to surgical teams and patient pain management. Their commitment to delivering top-tier anesthesia care exemplifies the collaborative spirit necessary in today’s complex healthcare environment.
Beyond the Operating Room
The impact of CRNAs extends well beyond the operating room. As educators, advocates, and community leaders, CRNAs play a key role in advancing community health and well-being. There are many different ways to become an advocate for CRNAs in your community.
The AANA has a free toolkit with logos and suggestions to honor CRNAs throughout the week with social media posts, email banners, and other promotional materials. There are also plenty of opportunities to support our CRNAs and find ways to celebrate them this week and throughout the year.
Visit the AANA website to learn more about opportunities to advocate on a federal or state level, track various legislative actions impacting CRNAs, and join the AANA’s efforts to prevent “misrepresentation” of CRNAs in the media.
We’re excited to kick off this week, celebrating the extraordinary efforts of our locum tenens and permanent CRNAs. Their contributions are essential to our healthcare fabric, and while words can hardly do justice, we extend our deepest appreciation. To our anesthesia experts: thank you for your invaluable service. Enjoy a well-deserved week of recognition.
