Can an RN administer general anesthesia?

[Tinkk]

When I had my wisdom teeth removed at an oral surgeon's office a few years ago, I was given general anesthesia by a regular RN. This RN was not a licensed advanced practice nurse and was VERY young (looked like she didn't have much experience). I'm not complaining or anything because there wasn't any sedation complications, but I always thought only certified registered nurse anesthetists could administer anesthesia. Laws probably differ from state to state regarding who can administer it, but its always something I've wondered about. Maybe she was allowed because it was fairly minor surgery and it was an outpatient setting with a DDS present in the room? Can RNs administer local anesthetics?

One other question - can RNs take x-rays or ultrasounds or not? Is it something only a technician can do?

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

"getting away with" generally means the nurse and the Doctor are both clueless about the nurse practice act in that state. Great setup for lawsuit. I would protect my license and know for sure whether or not it is ok. In Texas only CRNA's can provide general anesthesia and nurses can do moderate sedation under certain situations and with specific drugs. Does the dentist know how to intubate and maintain artificial airway? Doubt it

[chrisrn24]

It was definitely general anesthesia - they completely knocked me out. I was personally told by all the docs and nurses that they were giving me both local and general anesthetics. Also had nitrous oxide. Before the surgery they sent directions about not eating before the surgery because of the "general" anesthesia.

Not to argue but it probably wasn't general anesthesia. I was "completely knocked out" too but yet after the procedure I was walked to a recovery room and woke up there with no recollection of walking there! Same with my sister!

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

It was definitely general anesthesia - they completely knocked me out. I was personally told by all the docs and nurses that they were giving me both local and general anesthetics. Also had nitrous oxide. Before the surgery they sent directions about not eating before the surgery because of the "general" anesthesia.

You have to be NPO for conscious sedation too. Like everyone else, I highly doubt that you had general anesthesia in an oral surgeon's office. Were you intubated?

[Asystole RN]

Laws vary by state but you were not given general anesthesia by a RN, simply due to liability and cost issues in the outpatient setting. If they wanted to give you general they would have had an anesthesiologist or CRNA so that they could bill for it.

Yes, trained RNs can utilize ultrasound and radiographs and may even interpret them. I personally utilize ultrasound and make assessments based off of them as a vascular access nurse. I do not personally shoot radiographs but I do know some vascular nurse teams that do. I am not able to fully assess a radiograph but I do interpret them regarding vascular access.

[Glycerine82, LPN]

I'd like to see them pull teeth while someone is intubated ;-) I thought I had general also when I had my wisdom teeth out because I don't remember anything but after actually having general twice in the last 6 months and soon to be a 3rd time I am now certain what I had was not general ;-)

[Tinkk]

Not to argue but it probably wasn't general anesthesia. I was "completely knocked out" too but yet after the procedure I was walked to a recovery room and woke up there with no recollection of walking there! Same with my sister!

Haha! Funny that you say that because I remember waking up in a different room and wondered how the heck I got there. So does this mean my eyes opened and closed the whole time too and that I pretty much answered orders like a zombie?

Thanks everyone for clarifying things for me, I thought it was a bit fishy for just any RN to be administering that. My question is, why tell the patient and label it "general" anesthesia when its really not? Shouldn't that be illegal to mislabel something like that?

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

For the record, most likely you weren't given general anesthesia for wisdom teeth extractions, especially if it was done in the surgeon's office. IV sedation is the norm for this instance. I worked in dentistry for 24 years b/4 returning to nursing school, the ONLY time we did general was in hospital with an anesthetist. Not to say that your case wasn't GA, just not likely.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Yeah, we always told patients NPO b/4 IV sedation, ALWAYS. Did the intubate you the way GA patients usually are? Doubtful since they needed that oral space to do the extractions =)

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

In my experience, patients don't care to know the difference between GA and CS--the comment was usually, "I don't care, as long as they knock me out"!

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Trust us, you were NOT given general anesthesia in a doctor's office without an anesthesiologist or CRNA. That would include a complete paralytic and airway support in the form of an ETT, LMA or nasal intubation.

The dentist/oral surgeon may have called it a general but you had IV sedation.

Yes! Thank you.

My question is, why tell the patient and label it "general" anesthesia when its really not?

Well, my patients often ask, "Are you going to knock me out?" Often times, it's easier for both of us to just say, "Yes."

That said, prior to actually doing the procedure, the patient undergoes 'informed consent' during which the sedation/anesthesia is specifically discussed and fully disclosed. They rarely pay any attention.

If you're under 18 (as suggested by Esme's post), it was your parent/guardian who did this part, anyway.

Shouldn't that be illegal to mislabel something like that?

I think we've got way too much that's illegal already; we don't need to be looking to add to the list with nothing to be gained by it.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Haha! Funny that you say that because I remember waking up in a different room and wondered how the heck I got there. So does this mean my eyes opened and closed the whole time too and that I pretty much answered orders like a zombie?

Thanks everyone for clarifying things for me, I thought it was a bit fishy for just any RN to be administering that. My question is, why tell the patient and label it "general" anesthesia when its really not? Shouldn't that be illegal to mislabel something like that?

Although so many of us wish in vain that stupid could be outlawed, "ignorant" is not always "illegal." As I said earlier, I am reasonably sure they don't know the difference themselves.