park ridge, ill. - african american men and women seeking a career in healthcare should seriously consider the growing, exciting, and profitable profession of nurse anesthesia, the american association of nurse anesthetists (aana) today announced in recognition of black history month.
certified registered nurse anesthetists (crnas) are anesthesia professionals who safely administer approximately 27 million anesthetics to patients each year in the united states. as advanced practice nurses, crnas practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect in every setting where anesthesia is delivered, from hospital delivery rooms to physicians' offices to the front lines during wartime. more than 40 percent of all crnas are men.
"the percentage of african americans in the u.s. population continues to grow," said ltc henry talley, crna, phd, apn, director of the nurse anesthesia program at michigan state university college of nursing in east lansing, mich. "a more culturally diverse nurse anesthesia workforce would better reflect the population we serve, while exposing current minority healthcare providers to a career with a high degree of responsibility, autonomy, and personal satisfaction."
information provided by the minority fellowship program of the american nurses association (ana) supports talley's comments. according to the ana website, "the ethnic minority population maintains a greater disease burden, has less positive treatment outcomes, experiences more disabilities, and has a shorter life expectancy. a more culturally diverse workforce is seen as essential for addressing the physical and mental health needs of the population."...
