Do CRNA's have specific legislative authority to administer...

[Roland]

anesthesia in most states? Is their any "license" granted that permits them to perform specific actions which would not be legal for an RN execute? If this is not the case are their serious efforts underway to make such licensure a reality?

[kmchugh]

Originally posted by Roland

anesthesia in most states? Is their any "license" granted that permits them to perform specific actions which would not be legal for an RN execute? If this is not the case are their serious efforts underway to make such licensure a reality?

Roland

The answer to your question is yes. All 50 states grant licensure to CRNA's that allow us a much broader scope of practice than an RN. For example, we can insert, monitor, and control epidural and spinal anesthesia. Simply administering most anesthetic drugs to an awake patient is beyond the scope of practice for most RN's. In Kansas, I have to have three licenses. A license as an RN, an ARNP license, and a CRNA license. Since each license costs money to obtain, the requirement to have three increases revenues for the Kansas BON.

Kevin McHugh