Another CRNA media issue

[CougRN]

July 13, 2004 -- Hot on the heels of the June Vogue's quotation of a Santa Monica plastic surgeon as saying that the use of nurse anesthetists is unsafe, Dr. Robert Kotler of Beverly Hills bluntly stated on the July 13 "Deborah Norville Tonight" show (MSNBC) that plastic surgery consumers should not use nurse anesthetists. In fact, research has shown that care of nurse anesthetists is at least as good as that of anesthesiologists. MSNBC's broadcast of Dr. Kotler's scientifically unfounded assertions without any response from a nurse anesthetist is irresponsible.

http://65.54.246.250/cgi-bin/linkrd?_lang=EN&lah=13350cf09b3016367647d3deb7d22d54&lat=1090855096&hm___action=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2enursingadvocacy%2eorg%2fnews%2f2004jul%2fmsnbc%2ehtml

[Sheri257]

That link doesn't work, but I think this one will:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5436366

Relevant quotes:

DR. ROBERT KOTLER, PLASTIC SURGEON: Well, Deborah, in cosmetic surgery, the risk is not in the cutting and the sewing, it is in the anesthetic. And unfortunately, that's what happened to Olivia. There were problems with the anesthetic which shouldn't have occurred.

NORVILLE: And how can a person who has decided, through all the research, that he or she wants to go through one of these procedures, they find a great doctor--how can they make sure that the anesthetic part of the equation is to their satisfaction and they don't run the risk of this going on?

KOTLER: Well, you're right, that's the question, because there's that component, and also the facility, the location. But the anesthetic, I believe, should be given by a physician anesthesiologist. Unfortunately--not a nurse anesthetist.

NORVILLE: Which was the case in Goldsmith's case.

KOTLER: Yes. The state of New York was critical of the hospital because the nurse anesthetist was apparently unsupervised, as they described it. So I believe--and frankly, for myself and my family--I want a doctor anesthesiologist.

[angel337, MSN, RN]

i am not a crna nor do i want to be one, but i am so tired of people picking on crna's and nurses in general. ONE crna makes a booboo and now ALL crna's are unsafe? please. every time i read these articles and even some of the posts on this board, people are constantly trying to find a reason to make crna's look unreliable and incompetent. even at work people argue about this. one nurse i work with said she would sue the hospital if she found out that a crna gave her anesthesia instead of the mda. so what happens if the mda makes a mistake? it's getting so old. we should give credit where credit is due, which is that crna's provide safe anesthsia day in and day out without complications or disasters.

[gaspassah]

you know that the md's are going off on how unsafe crna's are etc. but have you noticed how they tenatiously fight patient right to know lists. ie those lists that detail what docs have been sued for malpractice and poor outcomes. if you want to open the gates open them all.

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