Do CRNA's do chronic pain management

[jenj1928]

Other than the obvious pain management during surgical procedures do any of you work in a pain management clinic or is this outside the scope of practice of a CRNA and left more for the anesthesiologists?

[GmanRN]

https://allnurses.com/forums/f16/crnas-pain-management-239531.html

[n_g]

This was the question raised in Louisiana. The Supreme Court of Louisiana said that pain management is medicine and not under the scope of CRNA's. CRNA's also failed legislatively to change the laws. If CRNA's are practicing pain management, it's because no one has really noticed...yet. You have lots of types of docs who do pain management who no doubt will raise a stink in state capitals if more CRNA's do pain management.

[formermedic]

CRNAs have been doing pain mangement for more than two decades, safe and effectively. The ruling from that lawsuit is still not in, and it HAS NOT been determined if it outside the scope of practice.

[platon20]

CRNAs have been doing pain mangement for more than two decades, safe and effectively. The ruling from that lawsuit is still not in, and it HAS NOT been determined if it outside the scope of practice.

the ruling came down today. The court ruled in favor of the MDAs, and said that interventional pain is the practice of medicine, not nursing.

I'm sure hte board of nursing in Louisiana will appeal the case, but it doesnt look good.

[Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA]

In California I work for a huge HMO. CRNAs work with chronic pain patients administering steriod epidurals. We don't get involved in much else. We currently do not have any CRNAs who specialize in pain mgmt (meaning they have not gone into an additional training program specific to pain) which our other specialized docs have had to do. It is not rules out, just no interest at this time on the behalf of CRNAs. We have so much work that we have no time for other venues. That will not always be the case. I suggest keeping an eye on this and be active in your professional group (AANA). Don't allow the MDs to limit your practice, altho I'd suggest comparative advanced studies.