CRNAs: Experts You Can Trust. Care You Can Count On

No one really knows the faces behind the masks. But when you need us, we’re there.

A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is usually the last person a patient sees before a surgical procedure begins, and the first person they awake to when it ends. As the hands-on providers of anesthesia, CRNAs are with the patient throughout the entire procedure.

CRNAs operate safely in every setting where anesthesia is administered, including hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; pain management centers and more.

Our history runs deep. CRNAs were the first professional group to provide anesthesia in the United States and are the oldest recognized group of advanced practice registered nurse specialists in the country, first providing anesthesia to wounded soldiers during the Civil War.

That tradition continues today.

Nurse anesthetists have been the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military personnel on the front lines since World War I and remain the primary anesthesia providers in austere combat theaters. CRNAs most commonly are the only anesthesia providers in the military’s forward surgical teams during the most stressful and emergent active-duty situations.

Here at home, more and more people are starting to recognize the importance and appreciate the value of CRNAs. Nurse anesthetists play a critical role in helping Pennsylvania address rising healthcare costs, protect patient health, and ensure access to quality care – especially in rural communities and underserved areas.

CRNAs are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America, enabling healthcare facilities to offer obstetrical, surgical, pain management and trauma stabilization services. Without these advanced practice nurses, some 1,500 facilities would not be able to maintain these services, forcing many rural Americans to travel long distances for such services.

CRNAs are far less costly for hospitals to employ, too, so rural hospitals are able to staff emergency services with in-house CRNAs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that every Pennsylvania resident – no matter where they live – has access to healthcare services.

Today, there are more than 61,000 practicing CRNAs in the United States. The Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) represents more than 3,700 CRNAs and student anesthetists. In fact, our commonwealth ranks among the top nationally for CRNA students, with 14 highly rated nurse anesthetist programs spread out across our state.

Retention of these advanced professionals should be a priority. That’s because CRNAs are highly educated and expertly trained with years of education and experience.

A CRNA’s 2,500 clinical hours are devoted almost entirely to anesthesia care. When you combine the clinical ICU experience as a registered nurse required to enter CRNA training, the clinical experience obtained in an undergraduate nursing curriculum, and the clinical anesthesia training in a nurse anesthetist program, the average nurse anesthetist completes an average of 9,369 clinical hours of training prior to becoming a CRNA.

They are required to be nationally certified and must be recertified every four years. Recertification includes meeting advanced practice requirements and obtaining a minimum of 100 continuing education credits.

With advanced degrees and a high level of education and clinical experience, CRNAs are able to provide routine anesthesia care and also quickly respond to patient changes and emergencies during surgical and medical procedures, ensuring patient health and safety.

Because of this training and experience, numerous medical studies show there is no statistical difference in patient outcomes when a nurse anesthetist provides treatment. In fact, these studies by nationally recognized healthcare policy and research organizations prove that CRNAs provide high-quality care, even for rare and difficult procedures.

As healthcare demands continue to grow, increasing the number of CRNAs will be key to containing costs while maintaining quality care. The Federal Trade Commission has even cautioned states against policies that restrict advanced-practice nurses' work.

In 2021, after more than a decade of advocacy, CRNAs finally got the recognition they deserve. On June 30, 2021, Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law Senate Bill 416, now Act 60 of 2021, granting formal title recognition to the state’s CRNAs. Until then, CRNAs were recognized only as “registered nurses.” Act 60 recognizes our specialized training and clinical skills.

No one ever really wants a CRNA – until we’re needed. But, when seconds count, we’re the experts you can trust for care you can count on, anywhere in Pennsylvania.