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FLA Anesthesia Assistants Gain Ground In Senate Over Nurses' Objections
By MIKE SALINERO msalinero@tampatrib.com http://tampatrib.com/floridametronews/MGAH0YOQCXC.html


TALLAHASSEE - A Senate committee on Tuesday approved
Published: Feb 6, 2002
licensing anesthesia assistants to practice in Florida under anesthesiologists' supervision.
Currently, only anesthesiologists, who are doctors, and nurse anesthetists may provide anesthesiology.

Anesthesiologists support the bill, saying there is a shortage of anesthesia providers in the state.

But nurse anesthetists deny the shortage. They say the bill is a move to replace them with lesser-trained and lower-paid anesthesia assistants. Only registered nurses with a minimum number of clinical hours may enter a two-year anesthesia program. Candidates for anesthesia assistant can enter that program with a four-year degree in any field.

``The licensing of anesthesia assistants is an experiment, and Florida patients would be the test subjects,'' said Bruce Weiner, a Tampa resident and president of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

John McDonough, a professor at Florida International University, told the committee that he teaches nurse anesthetists and knows they are better trained.

But Jerome Modell, who recently retired as chairman of the anesthesiology department at the University of Florida, said training for nurse anesthetists and anesthesia assistants is ``different but comparable.''

The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, confirmed she got a $1,000 campaign contribution from Don Sokolik, president of the state Society of Anesthesiologists. Wasserman Schultz said her vote was based on a ``deliberative'' study of the issue.

The bill is scheduled for three more committees before going to the Senate floor. A companion House bill has cleared all committees and is ready for floor action.


Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (850) 222-8382.

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Info for letter writing campaign:
Key Committees For Healthcare
Florida Senate and House of Representatives members of the Key Healthcare Committees

From FLA Nurses Assoc.:
http://capwiz.com/fln/issues/alert/?alertid=8

SENATE COMMITTEES

Health, Aging, and Long-term Care

Chairman: Senator Saunders
Vice Chairman: Senator Dawson
Members: Senators Brown-Waite, Campbell, Clary, Cowin, Klein, Peaden, Pruitt, Silver and Wasserman-Schultz

Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services

Chairman: Senator Silver
Members: Senators Mitchell, Peaden, Sanderson, and Saunders

Banking and Insurance

Chairman: Senator Latvala
Vice Chairman: Senator Holzendorf
Members: Senators Campbell, Carlton, Clary, Constantine, Dawson, Garcia, Geller, King, Posey, Rossin, and Wasserman Schultz

Senate Health Committee members links:
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/V...ees/senate/hc/


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Council for Healthy Communities

Chair: Nancy Argenziano
Vice Chair: Curtis Richardson
Committee Members: Allan Bense, Gus Bilirakis, Nancy Detert, Frank Farkas, Mike Fasano, Carole Green, Ken Littlefield, Evelyn Lynn, Sandra Murman, Ken Gotlieb, Sally Heyman, Cindy Lerner, Eleanor Sobel


Elder and Long Term Care

Chair: Carole Green
Vice Chair: Mark Weissman
Committee Members: Jeff Atwater, Hugh Gibson, Joe Negron, Jerry Paul, Dave Russell, David Simmons, Leslie Waters, Phillip Brutus, Suzanne Kosmas, Richard Mackek


Health and Human Services Appropriations

Chair: Jerry Maygarden
Vice Chair: Frank Farkas
Committee Members: Holly Benson, Heather Fiorentino, Rene Garcia, Hugh Gibson, Carole Green, Ken Littlefield, Phillip Brutus, Nan Rich, Irving Slosberg, Eleanor Sobel


Health Promotion

Chair: Ken Littlefield
Vice Chair: Mike Hogan
Committee Members: Bob Allen, Ralph Arza, Holly Benson, Renier Diaz de la Portilla, Manuel Prieguez, Susan Bucher, Joyce Cusack, Arthenia Joyner, Sara Romeo, Irving Slosberg


Health Regulation

Chair: Frank Farkas
Vice Chair: Eleanor Sobel
Committee Members: JD Alexander, Heather Fiorentino, Mike Haridopolis, Gayle Herrell, Randy Johnson, Marco Rubio, Stacy Ritter, Gary Siplin, Roger Wishner


House Committee on Health Regulation:
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/committee...tees&submenu=1