Educating the public?

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Wow! That is so just....wow... Well I guess I should tell you all what I'm "Wowing" about. I had the first encounter today with a person who had been misinformed about the role, function, and safety of a CRNA. It was absolutley riviting to me that I was able to change her view on them. She was asking me what I wanted to do and I told her and the first words out of her mouth were "They are not safe, they are left alone with no anesthesiologist there." I thought to myself "This lady just opened the door for me to talk to her about this!" I was cool, calm, and collective and presented my arguments and then she replied with her arguments. I then backed up all of my arguments with physical literature that I had at home. By the time we got through talking, I found out that she'd been missinformed about the difference b\t a CRNA and a AA she thought they were the same thing with different letters. It was a good feeling that I was able to correctly inform her about who and what CRNAs are. It was awesome! Has anybody else ever had this? Share your stories here!

Brett

btw- NO MORE HS!!

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Specializes in ICU.

A subject dear to my heart and one worthy of several doctorates the gap between public perception of the nursing role and the actuality of the profession whether it be for a Nurses Aide or a CRNA (BTW there is no Aussie equivalent so forgive any ignorance on my part).

This discepancy has led to many adverse outcomes for our profession and for our personal view of ourselves. A lot of the argument in England at present with regard to "ditching Florence Nightingale" as the icon of nursing related to us (possibly unfairly) blaming her for this public perception. When, thouhg was the last time you saw a nurse dipicted actually nursing on the TV? Most hospital shows only have us sitting around drinking coffee and eyeiing off the medical staff. I wish just once some of the writers of these shows would read this BB and get a clue as to what we really go through on a day to day basis.

PS. I love it when as an ICU/CCU nurse I have people say "Gee I did not know nurses did all this!" (No Mate it's not just bedpans!)

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I had a very prominent lawyer tell me once that he demanded an anesthesiologist for his surgery. I spent the next half an hour educating him.

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When people ask me the difference, I tell them:

The difference is about $400,000/year, they drink alot more coffee and know how to read the Wall Street Journal. I am the one putting you to sleep and waking you up and am with you during the whole procedure.

An anesthesiologist's background is more in making sure the patient is "tuned up" before surgery. When it comes to actually doing the anesthetic, there is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER!!!!

When the MDs hear that, it pisses them off a bit, but I firmly I can manage an anesthetic as well as an MD. I will certainly defer to them on working a patient up for surgery, but not for doing the case. If they give me a break and change my anesthetic, they have bought the case and I go drink some more coffee:)

By the way, if the practice of medicine is to diagnose, treat and cure disease and nursing is helping the patient through an illness or procedure.....why are anesthesiologists practicing nursing when they do a case????

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Haaaaaa! I like that ivpush - I agree also.

Please go here --> http://www.gaspasser.com/ and pass it on to as many people as possible! To the "lay" person, it is a good start to understanding what CRNAs do.

It appears the A$A has declared "all out war" on the CRNAs/AANA finally. I think the AANA is a little slow to respond in kind (and should!), but I still believe greed and arrogance shouldn't prevail in every corner of the American Dream. Hopefully the A$A won't be able to stamp out our ability to practice anesthesia so easily or quickly, though their ambitions with regard to AAs and political maneuvers to open new schools is cause for concern.

Sleeepy

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As you know, if you read my previous posts, I love being a CRNA, administering anesthesia and caring for my patients. From that perspective, I wish all of you, especially the students would get involved in the professional component of anesthesia. Go the AANA and state association meetings, meet your legislators, express your point of view and fight for the future, so that the population in this country will have the best in anesthesia care. I know everyone is "busy", but it is a worthy fight with opponents who can outspend us. I would love it if we could live in harmony with the A$A, but they want to restrict my private practice for no good reason. My patients receive excellent care and I frequently anesthetize anesthesiologists, surgeons and their families. All of us need to make professional involvement as part of our lives.

YOGA CRNA

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Yoga's words are among the truest and most important posted on this board.

One aspect of nurse anesthesia I do NOT want any of you to adopt is the apathetic attitude of some of our members. I guess it is true in all parts of life, that many will let the few carry the load.

Instead, role model the great, involoved, energetic CRNAs that we do have. We need more of this committment and energy.

You may think, "I'm just a student, what can I do?". PLENTY. Look what Brett was able to accomplish, just educating one person is significant.

And after all, who among us has the most at stake if changes occur regulating our practice? Those of you who are at the beginning of your careers.

Get involved!

loisane crna

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