Florida Proposal PCB 14-01 Thoughts?

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I haven't seen a thread on this site about this issue yet and I thought I would ask if anyone has any thoughts? As far as I can understand, this would be a big step forward for CRNAs (everywhere) if this passes the Florida House of Representatives. Perhaps I am naive and incorrect, perhaps not. Do any of the CRNAs on this board have any thoughts or comments about the implications (positive or negative) regarding this legislation?

Here is one anesthesiologist's opinion -which is how I found out about the proposal in the first place. I have not seen or found any retorts or counters to his comments from the CRNA community that are quite as prominent as this doctor's.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20140301/OPINION/303010009

With all sincerity, I'm not trying to start a MD.A vs CRNA argument, I'm just somewhat of an outsider looking for opinions on the implications of what this legislation might mean for CRNAs -and not just in Florida.

Specializes in Anesthesia.

Nurse-Power Bill Gets Its Start | Health News Florida

1. The first article is a complete opinion piece.

2. It is full of lies.

3. In every state which CRNAs practice independently (and there are all CRNA groups in Florida) which is basically all states there has not been shown to be a difference in outcomes when CRNA deliver care independently or through "supervised" practice. No Harm Found When Nurse Anesthetists Work Without Supervision By Physicians

4. No one should deceive themselves about this subject it is solely about money. Florida anesthesia practices are overwhelmingly ACT practices. This bill could change that, and that is what is truly at stake here.

https://www.aana.com/newsandjournal/Documents/guestedit_0411_p101-105.pdf

Cooperation and conflict between very... [Health Econ Policy Law. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

FTC Staff Paper: State Legislators Should Carefully Evaluate Proposals to Limit Advanced Practice Registered Nurses' Scope of Practice | Federal Trade Commission

Nurse-Power Bill Gets Its Start | Health News Florida

1. The first article is a complete opinion piece.

2. It is full of lies.

3. In every state which CRNAs practice independently (and there are all CRNA groups in Florida) which is basically all states there has not been shown to be a difference in outcomes when CRNA deliver care independently or through "supervised" practice. No Harm Found When Nurse Anesthetists Work Without Supervision By Physicians

4. No one should deceive themselves about this subject it is solely about money. Florida anesthesia practices are overwhelmingly ACT practices. This bill could change that, and that is what is truly at stake here.

https://www.aana.com/newsandjournal/Documents/guestedit_0411_p101-105.pdf

Cooperation and conflict between very... [Health Econ Policy Law. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

FTC Staff Paper: State Legislators Should Carefully Evaluate Proposals to Limit Advanced Practice Registered Nurses' Scope of Practice | Federal Trade Commission

Very good information! Thank you for your response, I appreciate and value your feedback.

I too noticed some of his inaccuracies (like his remark that only three states allow CRNAs to practice independently yet I live in Texas and work with a CRNA-only anesthesia group). I'm also amazed that he can get away with such a blatant distortion of the facts; there is a fine line between presenting an opinion about an issue and presenting a lie about an issue.

Furthermore, why state that CRNAs are "less safe"? There isn't evidence to back this up; this seems to be something the ANA tries to say often -like, if I say it X number of times, it'll make it true.

I especially like the last link you posted from the FTC. Not only is it a wise choice, it's good economics.

Do you think the passage of this law will change anything or create a precedent in states outside Florida or do you think -because CRNAs already practice independently elsewhere- that it'll have little effect outside state lines?

Specializes in Anesthesia.
Very good information! Thank you for your response, I appreciate and value your feedback.

I too noticed some of his inaccuracies (like his remark that only three states allow CRNAs to practice independently yet I live in Texas and work with a CRNA-only anesthesia group). I'm also amazed that he can get away with such a blatant distortion of the facts; there is a fine line between presenting an opinion about an issue and presenting a lie about an issue.

Furthermore, why state that CRNAs are "less safe"? There isn't evidence to back this up; this seems to be something the ANA tries to say often -like, if I say it X number of times, it'll make it true.

I especially like the last link you posted from the FTC. Not only is it a wise choice, it's good economics.

Do you think the passage of this law will change anything or create a precedent in states outside Florida or do you think -because CRNAs already practice independently elsewhere- that it'll have little effect outside state lines?

It is hard to figure out what the author of the original article was talking about since he provided no references which isn't unusual for ASA statements. The ASA just often assumes that since they are physicians that people should just take them for their word on everything.

When the ASA states research has been shown that independent CRNAs are not as safe as MDAs they are often referring to the Silber study. It was a study that was misinterpreted to meet the conclusions that the ASA wanted, and the only journal that would publish it was the ASA journal. http://www.aana.com/resources2/professionalpractice/Documents/Quality%20of%20Care%20in%20Anesthesia%2012102009.pdf (pg 20 discusses the Silber study)

I think that any state that passes APN independent practice laws will help other states to do the same. This fight has been ongoing since the early 1900s, and will likely continue until APNs scope of practice is protected at the federal level.

The Nurse Anesthesia textbook from Nagelhout has a good chapter on the history of nurse anesthesia and the sample of the textbook with the history can be downloaded for free from Amazon. Amazon.com: Nurse Anesthesia (Nagelhout, Nurse Anesthesia) eBook: John J. Nagelhout, Karen Plaus: Kindle Store

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