How do CRNAs get treated by MDAs ?

Specialties CRNA

Published

Hello All!

I am pretty new to the world of anaesthesia, just doing my research about the field and thinking about applying to crns school in the future.

So..Ive seen many discussions HERE on how crnas can practise independently, crnas do as good of a job as MDAs do etc...but nothing bad towards MDAs whatsoever. People are basically discussing how the present situation in the field is.

I stumbled upon a tread on studentdoctor.com about crnas and OMG these doctors DESPISE crnas, like "we need to treat them like cancer" and "bastardization of the proffesion" etc... they also say things like "shame on cleveland clinic for teaching crnas advanced invasive procedures side by side with residents".

i have always known that most of MD folk are not the nicest people but damn...im shocked to read what they actually think about people who they work with side by side every day. smh...:/

Anyone has any input how crnas get treated by anaesthesiologists? stories?

I can't really tell you how MDAs treat CRNAs. If one ever shows up around here I will let you know.

This made me LOL!

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Well ask the CRNA's practicing in Houston. CRNA's are treated like shi*, there are PACU's nurses straight out telling me " can't believe nurses are getting paid to push propofol" " you CRNA's don't do ****". It's very disheartening to hear those you go to school for this. Mdas in Houston limit Crna practice less than school. Mdas want to make themselves different one of the mda I work with very rude guy he doesn't let CRNA's do anything. I don't feel like typing anymore I resigned my job.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Well ask the CRNA's practicing in Houston. CRNA's are treated like shi*, there are PACU's nurses straight out telling me " can't believe nurses are getting paid to push propofol" " you CRNA's don't do ****". It's very disheartening to hear those you go to school for this. Mdas in Houston limit Crna practice less than school. Mdas want to make themselves different one of the mda I work with very rude guy he doesn't let CRNA's do anything. I don't feel like typing anymore I resigned my job.

I am sorry to hear that and nobody should have to put up with that. I certainly wouldn't put up with having the PACU nurses talk to me like that.

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Well GHA monopolized anesthesia field to protect their profession and created a hostile culture. I get only one shot to intubate I'm losing my skills so I resigned.

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In general there is a cordial professional working relationship between MDAs and CRNAs. The politics generally happens outside of the ORs. What you see on SDN and nursing forums is often just people venting and each side protecting their "turf".

I try to avoid SDN since most of the opinions on SDN are not even from anesthesia providers, and are ill informed at the very least.

I agree. I've shadowed some CRNAs and MDAs and they just shrug at the notion of "turf." Who cares. As long as everyone gets respect & paid and the patient has better care.

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That is incredibly misleading. There are CRNAs with bachelors degrees, but they are not BSNs. They all have advanced training in anesthesia, and all CRNAs always have.

I've worked with 15 or 20 CRNA's with BSN as their highest degree. Their advanced training of course was anesthesia, but it was a certification course, not a degree. I've also worked with a handful of CRNA's whose highest degree is an AN. They dropped ether. It's no shame to have those degrees as their highest. There will never be a generation like them again...think about that...that same group of people that dropped ether with nothing other than a precordial stethoscope and Guedel's signs used end tidal monitoring, pulse oximetry, desflurane and LMA's as well. Not to mention the meteoric rise in the complexity of cases due to the advances in technology.

That's analogous to Eddie Rickenbacker flying an F-35.

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I've worked with 15 or 20 CRNA's with BSN as their highest degree. Their advanced training of course was anesthesia, but it was a certification course, not a degree. I've also worked with a handful of CRNA's whose highest degree is an AN. They dropped ether. It's no shame to have those degrees as their highest. There will never be a generation like them again...think about that...that same group of people that dropped ether with nothing other than a precordial stethoscope and Guedel's signs used end tidal monitoring, pulse oximetry, desflurane and LMA's as well. Not to mention the meteoric rise in the complexity of cases due to the advances in technology.

That's analogous to Eddie Rickenbacker flying an F-35.

The professors in the program often say that anesthesia is an art and a science. It can be alarming when they admit to you that we use a certain anesthetic without exact knowledge of why it does something, just that we know it does it. I suppose back in the day it was more trial and error than anything.

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Anesthesiologists see CRNA's as their job stealers or their assistants to throw their trash and clean their mess help them keep their money. They hate crnas if they like you only on your face inside they literally hate you . Anything else is an illusion.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Anesthesiologists see CRNA's as their job stealers or their assistants to throw their trash and clean their mess help them keep their money. They hate crnas if they like you only on your face inside they literally hate you . Anything else is an illusion.

I think a lot of that comes from the place where you work and not the general feeling of many anesthesiologists. I do think that almost every anesthesiologist that I know believes he or she should be in charge of CRNAs and that somehow their training makes them qualified to supervise/direct and run the board right out of school even though most have no practical experience with anyone of those things. That and there is no research showing it improves patient outcomes.

I like working in mixed practice setting where the scope of practice of the CRNAs are not limited and is completely independent (USAF). It alleviates many of the problems of working in a mixed group, but when I retire I will look for all CRNA group to avoid the politics and egos of some the anesthesiologists.

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True faces of anesthesiologists are revealed in those ASA meetings. Or in Houston. They are bringing in lot of AAs, its easy for them.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
True faces of anesthesiologists are revealed in those ASA meetings. Or in Houston. They are bringing in lot of AAs, its easy for them.

They say similar things about CRNAs. My best advice is don't get caught up in geographical location when looking for a job and find a job that truly values their CRNAs, and support the AANA.

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Hhmmm. My sister, a very seasoned PACU nurse at the time, was encouraged to pursue CRNA by the partner of a local anesthesiology group. He hired her into the practice right out of school, I think it was a sure thing prior to starting school. She's compensated a percentage of the profits. The anesthesiologists' take was about 600K and the CRNAs' 300K at the time. He doesn't resent her at all, for obvious reasons.

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