a Master’s educational and clinical practice requirements beyond the basic nursing education and licensing required of all RNs and who provides at least some level of direct care to patient populations. Under this umbrella fit the principal types of APRNs: Nurse practitioner (NP), certified nurse-midwife (CNM), Clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA).
A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is an advanced practice nurse who is certified to administer anesthesia in a healthcare setting.
CRNAs are not limited to only administering certain anesthetics, but are able to administer any type of anesthetic agent. They are responsible for administering the appropriate anesthesia before and after surgical procedures, or management of pain control. CRNAs practice alongside of physicians and anesthesiologist. CRNAS are not limited to practicing in hospitals setting; they have a choice of working for independently licensed medical practices such as, dentists' offices and ambulatory surgical centers. CRNAs are the sole providers of anesthesia in approximately two thirds of all rural hospitals in the United States, enabling these healthcare facilities to offer obstetrical, surgical and trauma stabilization …show more content…
services.
Nursing practice was not accepted from women until the 1850s. Florence Nightingale was the breakthrough for women nursing in the Crimean War during the 1850s. During this time period Nightingale spent her time try to find the best way to care for wounded soldiers. Nightingale major goal was to improve hygiene when caring for soldiers to decrease the rate of infection that will eventually lead to death. However, during the 1850s in Crimea, there were no female nurses allowed to care for soldiers. Nightingale was known as the “Lady with the Lamp” because she went out at night in search of wounded soldiers in the need of care. Nightingale’s hard work came to the light in 1854 by the Secretary of War Sidney Herbert. Nightingale was order to compose a group of nurses to come to Crimea. Nightingale assembled 34 nurses to work with her in the battlefield in the Crimean War. Nightingale’s work as a nurse in the Crimean War during the 1850s ushered in the advent of professional nursing, and women began to choose nursing as a vocation.
The practice of nurse anesthetist is the oldest advanced nursing practice.
CRNAs practice has been around approximately 150 years in the United States. Nurses were the first healthcare professionals to administer anesthesia in the United States. The nurse’s work with anesthetic agents soon became the first specialty in nursing practice which is known as Nurse Anesthetist. The foundation for anesthesia practice among nurses was established during the Civil War (1861-1865). Catherine S. Lawrence was the first American nurse to administer anesthesia to soldiers in the Civil War, however, was not recognized as a nurse anesthetist. Sister Mary Bernard was the first to get recognition as a nurse anesthetist. Barnard practiced her work at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania in
1887.
The “Mother of Anesthetist” was Alice Magaw. She practiced her work with anesthesia at St. Mary’s Hospital. The hospital was later renamed to the Mayo Clinic. Magaw was able to master the use of ether and chloroform by inhalation. The ether and chloroform was use in an open drop inhalation system. Magaw subsequently published her findings between 1899 and 1906, in one article documenting more than 14, 000 anesthetics without a single complication attributable to anesthesia. Magaw was able to gain recognition through her brilliance in anesthesia. In collaboration with Mayo Clinic, Magaw was able to teach her anesthesia techniques to nurses and physicians not only nationwide but worldwide as well.
The first established school for the education of nurse anesthetist was formed in 1909 at St. Vincent Hospital and, was founded by Agnes McGee. The school offered seven month courses with the main focus in pharmacology, administration of anesthetic agents, anatomy and physiology. However, these courses were offered to other healthcare profession to allow them to be knowledgeable about how anesthesia worked. Alice Hunt, a nurse anesthetist, who was a professor at Yale University School of Medicine, authored the first textbook for anesthesia named Anesthesia, Principles and Practice in 1922.
Agatha Hodgins was a nurse anesthesia during the early 1900s. Hodgins was invited to work with a surgeon named George Crile, they collaborated in the surgical setting. During surgery, Hodgins was responsible for administering anesthetic agents while Crile preformed surgery. Hodgins became extremely efficient in her practice that she able to began educating other healthcare professional such as, nurse, physicians, and dentist. Crile and Hodgins did a few practices oversea in France. Hodgins took the opportunity to educate France and England nurses and physicians how to administer nitrous oxide oxygen anesthesia safely. Nitrous oxide oxygen is fifty percent of oxygen and fifty percent of nitrous oxide which is commonly known as laughing gas. Hodgins formally established the Lakeside Hospital School of Anesthesia, and her graduates spread across the country providing quality anesthesia care. With the assistance of alumni, Hodgins found the National Association of Nurse Anesthetists in 1913. The organization was later renamed to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) in 1939. The AANA developed the first certification program, and administered the first certification examination in 1945. To be a certified registered nurse anesthetist requires a master’s degree in the science of nursing. Before obtaining a master's degree, a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) must be obtained first. A bachelor's degree in can be obtained through an accredited four year nursing program. After the completion of the required education of a bachelor's in nursing, the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) must be taken and passed. The passing of the NCLEX is the gateway of becoming licensed registered nurse which is the foundation to entering a master’s degree program in nursing. However, it is possible to get admitted into a master's degree program with a associate's degree in the science of nursing. Upon admission into a nurse anesthetist programs, requires: a BSN, registered nurse licensure, and at least one year of experience in acute care setting such as, critical care or surgery. Once the prerequisites are completed, one can apply to an accredited nurse anesthetist program. Training will take place in the classroom and in the clinical setting. The average student will complete approximately 2,500 clinical hours and 850 supervised administration of anesthetics. The program is typically completed within two to three years. After graduate school, the student is required to pass a national certification examination for nurse anesthetist. Over two thousands students get certified as a nurse anesthetist each year. To maintain their credentials, practicing CRNAs must participate in continuing education throughout their careers. CRNAs must be recertified every two years, which includes meeting practice requirements and obtaining a minimum of forty continuing education credits.
In the United States, there are 114 accredited CRNA programs as of November 1, 2014. Currently the demand for CRNAs is at an all time high in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of CRNAs is projected to grow by 25% between 2012 and 2022, considerably faster than the average for all occupations. CRNAs are vital to hospitals in rural area areas because of short staffing of anesthesiologists.