Can Nurse Anesthetists Safely Provide Anesthesia On Their Own?
Nurse anesthetists are advanced practice nurses that receive additional training (typically a master’s degree from a nurse anesthesia educational program) and pass a national certification examination following graduation. They provide anesthesia care to patients in hospital operating rooms and obstetrical delivery rooms, ambulatory surgical centers, and the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists. Typically, nurse anesthetists work in collaboration with surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists, and other qualified healthcare professionals. According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), “when anesthesia is administered by a nurse anesthetist, it is recognized as the practice of nursing; when administered by an anesthesiologist, it is recognized as the practice of medicine. Regardless of whether their educational background is in nursing or medicine, all anesthesia professionals give anesthesia
