Attn: CRNAs in Academic Settings

Hello fellow CRNA colleagues,

I work in a traditionally non-teaching hospital setting, but not for the hospital itself. Recently, our MD group agreed to become a clinical site for a local CRNA program. This was not well-received by our CRNA staff, as we assume primary legal responsibility for these individual students who rotate through our facility without any source of insurance "back-up" as the hospital is not technically designated "teaching status" nor has the "benefits" (if there are any) of being affiliated with a University/academic institution.

The surgeons in our hospital have varying opinions on whether or not to allow SRNAs into their rooms. Usually, they are permitted, if the attending CRNA has an established relationship with the surgeon, and is willing to assume this responsibility. Unfortunately, amongst the 14 or so CRNAs, there are only a handful who are willing to take on students, and the number is dwindling for various reasons. Such reasons range from fear of liability, disinterest in teaching, prior bad experiences with students attitudes, and perceived threatened (future) job status. There are other reasons, but these are the major ones I have encountered.

As a seasoned anesthetist, I find myself among the dwindling number who is experiencing "preceptor fatigue" to the point where I find myself engaging only with those students I feel make a true effort to learn vs. those who just seem to "go thru the motions" in our clinical situations. In all honesty, I wonder how much longer my CRNA colleagues can continue in this role--there are only 4 of us now. I also wonder how much longer the group will continue their affiliation with the SRNA school if no CRNAs are willing to be preceptors, which is a possibility in a non-teaching hospital.

I feel the basic dis-interest from my CRNA collegues stems from the fact that a majority of the students who have rotated thru our site had expressed a "fast-track" mentality, i.e., minimal entrance requirements, minimal prior experience with only a sole focus on the perceived salary once they achieve CRNA designation.

The MDAs are basically clueless to the current situation. They were the ones who initially proposed the idea to take on students for future staffing purposes. At the rate this is going, the MDAs will be the only ones to precept students (and that won't last). A clinical rotation for SRNAs without CRNAs as the primary instructors just seems unnatural to me....

I am torn between sharing my knowledge and experience as a preceptor vs. maintaining the status quo with my CRNA colleagues in this situation. I am wondering if there are any CRNAs out there who are experiencing the same thing in your practice....??