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Activity sectors | Anesthesia, Nursing |
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A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is a type of advanced practice nurse who administers anesthesia in the United States. CRNAs account for approximately half of the anesthesia providers in the United States and are the main providers (80%) of anesthesia in rural America.[1] Historically, nurses have been providing anesthesia care to patients for over 160 years, dating back to the American Civil War (1861–1865). The CRNA credential was formally established in 1956.[2] CRNA schools issue a Doctorate of nursing anesthesia degree to nurses who have completed a program in anesthesia, which is 3 years in length.[3]
Scope of practice and practitioner oversight requirements vary between healthcare facility and state, with 25 states and Guam granting complete autonomy as of 2024.[4] In states that have opted out of supervision, the Joint Commission and CMS recognize CRNAs as licensed independent practitioners.[5] In states requiring supervision, CRNAs have liability separate from supervising practitioners and are able to administer anesthesia independently of physicians, such as Physician Anesthesiologists.[6][7][8][9]
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