I would imagine that we would be hard pressed to find a nurse that does not agree with the century of success that CRNAs have earned and enjoyed.
If nurses can provide anesthesia (with rigourous study and training and advanced degree) as safely as MDs, why can't a similiar program be developed to create CRNS, Certified Registered Nurse Surgeons?
How about nurse radiologists? Why couldn't nurses in rigourous advanced degree programs be used to fill in the glaring gaps in healthcare?
(Please bear with me a moment. I am playing devil's advocate. Some of the ideas I present might be hot buton, but I am sure we can discuss them without getting too heated.)
Just a point of reference here: Anesthesia, unlike surgery, has always been the domain of nursing. The first anesthetists were nurses and they have been around for over 100 years. The same cannot be said for surgery obviously, so it is not a fair comparison to say "nurses can administer anesthesia, then why not surgery".
maybe if they come up with another name for it, but i don't see that happening anytime soon.
Name is pretty easy. Maybe Certified RN Surgical specialist (CRNSS.) But that's not the point. I think surgury requires a lot more. By the time they develop a proper course, you'd be in school as long as a surgon anyways, so just become a surgon instead.
There are PA's that assist with surgeries, mostly assisting and finishing up with closing. Does anyone know if any advanced practice nurses do this? Would that be similar to what you are asking. Not nearly the same as a CRNA, who has complete autonomy, but being able to get in and do some cutting or sewing. Just wondering, never have worked in surgery.
RN First Assistants help surgeons, probably similar to what some of the PA's do in surgery. It's a whole specialized training course and I believe they bill independently of the doctors in some cases.
i sincerely hope the OP was thinking more along the lines of an S.A. than say a real surgeon. S.A.'s are more like first assists. The most I've seen an S.A. do is harvesting veins for a CABG and then acting as first assist afterwards. They also do pre-ops and follow-ups (pulling a/v wires & cts), and office work.
Nurses are not doctors. While I am all for APNs there is a fine line that shouldn't be crossed, anesthesia is one thing, surgery is on an entirely different level. If you want to be a surgeon then you should go to school for the 11-13+ years that are required. There is a reason for the levels in education. I'd dare say surgery is a tad bit more complicated than anesthesia and not something that could be condensed into a 27 month program for a student without physics or organic.
RN First Assistants help surgeons, probably similar to what some of the PA's do in surgery. It's a whole specialized training course and I believe they bill independently of the doctors in some cases.
I have read that the field of anesthesia is unique in that it does not require diagnosis, which is why CRNAs exist. Surgery obviously requires diagnosing, as do most other physician specialties.
SharonH, RN
2,144 Posts
Just a point of reference here: Anesthesia, unlike surgery, has always been the domain of nursing. The first anesthetists were nurses and they have been around for over 100 years. The same cannot be said for surgery obviously, so it is not a fair comparison to say "nurses can administer anesthesia, then why not surgery".