difference between Nurse Anesthetist and anesthesiologist

rn29306 · May 8, 2005

ramiro_ac said:
kinda agree. my position is this. i see NP's and CRNA's as competent providers when under the supervision of a doc. once they try to practice independently thats where im against it. we need NP/PA and CRNA/AA to fill in the gaps where no one wants to work, but when one of those fields wants the independence without going to medical school, thats where i dissagree. basically what they try to say is that med school is a waste of time(i know im exaggerating). but how would you feel as a RN is suddenly Nurses Aids were able to do histories and hang blood and get a raise without going to RN school. just a 6 month intensive course. and they wanted a equal but seperate license to RN. say a CNP (ceritified nurse practitioner). how would you feel if they wanted the same rights as you. im sure you wouldnt be too happy.

in what role as a 18 y/o monitor tech and unit secretary have you had first-hand experience with CRNAs in delivering anesthesia care or the education of a CRNA? have you ever seen a CRNA in action in the OR suite or on the floor or units intubating when no one else can?

if CRNAs are so uneducated, then where are the studies to prove it? that silence you hear is the answer because it does not exist. the A$A hides behind the Pennsylvania study which has major flaws. the AANA has the Pine study actually conducted by an MD cardiologist...i'll let you read the results. the A$A fired off a rebuttal that doesn't even make statistical sense and Dr. Pine reamed the A$A for it. Yahoo or Google it for yourself. if we as a population at large are so dangerous and being anesthesia cowboys, then why did insurance premiums for CRNAs decrease 52% in the years from 1988- 1998?

everyone certainly has an opinion, i would hope you would gain some insight into the roles you speak of before sharing yours as this is an anesthesia forum.

PS. sorry to borrow the A$A design - i find it absurdly funny and just had to use it..

ECMOismygame · May 8, 2005

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DAREINGTX · May 8, 2005

Ramiro, I think you should do some more research before making such

broad generalizations. Nurses were the first anesthesia providers, they didn't

just come along and step on MD's toes. I'm not even an SRNA yet, but the

things I'm doing to prepare for that are pretty intense, much less 27-36 months of training that consume your life. I've shadowed both CRNA's and

MDA's, all were very competent providers, but there are some roles MDA's

don't want, or don't pay enough to fill, but i've yet to witness a case that a CRNA couldn't or wouldn't take, with not 1 second of supervision from a "doc", but with a post like that I'm sure you'll get more feedback.

jwk · May 9, 2005

sonessrna said:
$300,000 just solidivfied my opinions that many MDAs are in it for the money.

So you're telling me there are NO CRNA's out there making $300k?

And ALL of you/them are in it ONLY because they love taking care of patients and can't imagine doing anything else, and would do it full time for nothing because they love it so much?

:rotfl:

apaisRN, RN, CRNA · May 9, 2005

ramiro_ac said:
kinda agree. my position is this. i see NP's and CRNA's as competent providers when under the supervision of a doc. once they try to practice independently thats where im against it. we need NP/PA and CRNA/AA to fill in the gaps where no one wants to work, but when one of those fields wants the independence without going to medical school, thats where i dissagree. basically what they try to say is that med school is a waste of time(i know im exaggerating). but how would you feel as a RN is suddenly Nurses Aids were able to do histories and hang blood and get a raise without going to RN school. just a 6 month intensive course. and they wanted a equal but seperate license to RN. say a CNP (ceritified nurse practitioner). how would you feel if they wanted the same rights as you. im sure you wouldnt be too happy.

If you think CRNAs shouldn't be independent because they haven't gone to medical school, you're just defending turf. Your argument has absolutely zero to do with what's best for patient care or the health care industry. Have CRNAs been killing people in the last hundred years or so? No, they have an excellent track record in independent practice. NPs do too, although not for as many years or as independently (I don't know much about NPs, so nobody chew me out if I'm wrong here). You are looking at an established practice that fills a need, not some harebrained scheme dreamed up by a HMO bean counter. We should get rid of it because doctors feel slighted that CRNAs didn't go to med school?

Laughing Gas · May 9, 2005

Wait a minute here! I know alot of MDA's and CRNA's and there is no boundary by profession when it comes to motivation (money v. care). I know cold CRNA's and very caring docs. I think we are getting alittle biased here.

Laughing Gas · May 9, 2005

jwk said:
So you're telling me there are NO CRNA's out there making $300k?
And ALL of you/them are in it ONLY because they love taking care of patients and can't imagine doing anything else, and would do it full time for nothing because they love it so much?
:rotfl:

I bet a vast majority would do it for plain old RN salary. So would you complain if AA's were paid what CRNA's get? Maybe that can be your new platform. We do it for less because we love it more :rolleyes:

jenniek · May 9, 2005

I will start CRNA school this fall. My reason for going is not the money, though it is nice to know I will be compensated. I have worked in the ICU and OR, and will be able to do what I love in an environment I enjoy.

My husband is supportive because of the potential salary...but that's not why I'm doing it....

And I'm not going to bust my butt for 28 months for nothing....I don't think anyone would be a nurse for no compensation. I work to live, not live to work.

jwk said:
So you're telling me there are NO CRNA's out there making $300k?
And ALL of you/them are in it ONLY because they love taking care of patients and can't imagine doing anything else, and would do it full time for nothing because they love it so much?
:rotfl:

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · May 9, 2005

Sorry I did not mean to start a fight here. I was just wondering because I may have surgery and I am getting as much information about everything as I can.

sonessrna · May 9, 2005

jwk said:
So you're telling me there are NO CRNA's out there making $300k?
And ALL of you/them are in it ONLY because they love taking care of patients and can't imagine doing anything else, and would do it full time for nothing because they love it so much?
:rotfl:

JWK...I don't think I ever said there are CRNAs out there that are in it for the money. There are, they happen to be less vocal on the pages...look for yourself. As for CRNAs making $300k...very few buddy very few. Those are independent, working alone, working all the time...and probably close to suicidal...introduce me to one someday...I have yet to meet one.

sonessrna · May 9, 2005

megkirpas said:
Sorry I did not mean to start a fight here. I was just wondering because I may have surgery and I am getting as much information about everything as I can.

We know you did not mean to start a fight...you asked quedstion the general public often asks. It's difficult to know the difference between the AAs, CRNAs, and MDAs...often you can't tell who is behind the mask unless they tell you. This is just a very volatile subject in these circles..it has been for over 100 years and will probably never cease to be. Why do we still argue about it...that is a good question...part of it is because it's kind of fun ?

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · May 9, 2005

I am here because I want to be a nurse some day not a CRNA necesarilly but a nurse. I want you all to know that the compassion you show to the patient is much appreciated. (I have had surgery before but this is the first time I am really old enough to know what is going on...and this time if I do have it...it will be me signing the consent! So I am finding out about everything I can)