what is the role of the CRNA in the ER and CODES?

GilaRRT · Dec 14, 2009

You already have an active thread on this very topic.

https://allnurses.com/certified-registered-nurse/respitory-therapists-crnas-442891.html

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2009

The group at my hospital doesn't go anywhere else but OR, Endoscopy Suites. They have very specific roles.

allnurses Guide · Dec 14, 2009

here in england the anesthetist (Anesthesiologists, as we dont have CRNAs) is tasked in the ER, CODES elsewhere in the hospital and all intuabations with:
intubating the patient
anesthetise the patient
lead the resuscitation effort as the clinical lead and expert in that situation
stabilise the patient
because here in england, no one but the anesthetists intubate patients in 99% of cases, not the nurses or ER Docs and other such roles, it is the soley provided by the anaesthetist.
i am just wondering is it the same situation with CRNA's and AMD's in the USA
are they the staff who deal with all CODES, Intubations, anesthestics and trauma patient stabilisation?

I notice that pretty much all of your posts have similar theme. Is there a reason for the interest in what CRNAs do in the US? Here is the link to the AANA that provides the best description of what CRNAs do and what our broadest scope of practice is. http://www.aana.com/qualifications.aspx

In general in a fee for pay system, as in the US, it makes a lot more sense to keep anesthesia providers in the OR where they can bill for their services. Intubations are a small part of what we do as anesthesia providers, and we often teach other providers how to intubate. I have worked at hospitals as an RN where anesthesia was only called if the ER physician/internist etc. wasn't able to intubate, and then the hospital I just finished my clinicals at anesthesia providers responded to all codes and usually managed the airway until the patient was stabilized or RT could take over after the pt was intubated.

RedCell · Dec 15, 2009

Dude, you asked this same question on 10/10/09, https://allnurses.com/certified-registered-nurse/questions-about-duties-430405.html

Not much has changed in the past two months. Again, every institution is different. Typically an anesthesiologist, CRNA or AA have limited responsibilities in a code outside of the OR or PACU. We will intubate if requested, however most of the time it is done by a practitioner on the unit in which the code occurs. Fluid resuscitation and ACLS BS is handled by a team on that floor. Sometimes in small hospitals the anesthesia provider will have a larger role because the resources are more limited.

Emergency RN · Dec 15, 2009

In my institution, generally the ED docs or respiratory therapists intubate in the ED; for the codes in house, it would generally be the CRNA, RT, or Medical Resident on the code team. The anesthesiologist generally doesn't even come down from the OR or PACU unless there's a major problem. :specs:

PAERRN20 · Dec 15, 2009

I work in the ER. The ER at my hospital does the intubating for any patient that needs it. If the ER doc has trouble for whatever reason then anesthesia comes to tube the patient.