RRNA or SRNA for title, What is your opinion?

[TexasCCRN]

I have seen RRNA and SRNA quite often here and just wondered what you all thought of the 2 titles. I like RRNA myself. They way they explained it to us at TCU is that it can ease some pt anxiety when they see SRNA they are thinking oh my goodness a student doing my anesthesia. And if 16months or longer is not a residency I don't know what is. After all we, like some medical residents will be spending plenty of time sleeping at the hospital (maybe not sleeping, but sleep-walking). I think if all programs switched to the RRNA it also looks better on the profession for everyone to be more uniform. Just interested in what everyone else has to say.

[apaisRN, RN, CRNA]

I am a NAR (nurse anesthesia resident). My badge says (my name), RN. Below is written Nurse Anesthesia Resident.

I think it's a nice way to handle it. It reinforces that I am an RN and the person working on them isn't totally untrained. And "resident" makes sense to people. (Although I'm sure some physicians object to the term.)

[smogmatt]

our name badges say our name, srna, grad student.

over the last 25 months I can't tell you how many times pts have had

that look of terror, "what a student is going to be doing my anesthesia?"

for many people the word student is associated with med student, nursing student, someone who does not have a license. I think resident is better for the fact we are in our final act of training, we are already licensed, and are taking on special anesthesia training. So from someone who is a listed as a student, my vote is for resident or something similar.

[louloubell1]

Our badges have our name, followed by RN BSN, and underneath "nurse anesthesia graduate student"... Yes, that's right, "NAGS". My husband gets a kick out of that.

[smk1, LPN]

I am a NAR (nurse anesthesia resident). My badge says (my name), RN. Below is written Nurse Anesthesia Resident.

I think it's a nice way to handle it. It reinforces that I am an RN and the person working on them isn't totally untrained. And "resident" makes sense to people. (Although I'm sure some physicians object to the term.)

just wanted to say that NAR was my title when i was a nursing assistant registered. (they didn't like RNA because it was too much like RN so we were NAR's). That seems like a bad idea if this is a common abbreviation. Of course i think most states are moving to all CNA assistants and not just NAR, so maybe it isn't that big of a deal...

[jwk]

I'm curious - do any other graduate level nursing specialties call their students residents? Are there nurse midwife residents? Are there pediatric nurse practitioner residents?

You're still an anesthesia STUDENT.

[TCU RRNA]

I'm curious - do any other graduate level nursing specialties call their students residents? Are there nurse midwife residents? Are there pediatric nurse practitioner residents?

You're still an anesthesia STUDENT.

can't you just leave well enough alone?

[TexasCCRN]

I'm curious - do any other graduate level nursing specialties call their students residents? Are there nurse midwife residents? Are there pediatric nurse practitioner residents?

You're still an anesthesia STUDENT.

No need for flames, but I do believe the term resident was started back in the day because of the amount of hours that the medical students would spend at hospitals and that most of them practically lived there...hence the term resident. I think something like resident anesthetist would be confusing but as long as it still says nurse it should minimize the confusion. I just think with the hours that resident is a more appropriate term. It also says that we already have a degree. Not just someone with a degree in biology who is going to put them to sleep. I disagree, but good to have another opinion!

[jwk]

can't you just leave well enough alone?

Nah - too much fun.

But really - do other graduate nursing programs (NP, CNM, etc.) call their students residents, or is it just some nurse anesthesia programs?

[CougRN]

I know about other advanced practice nurses but other professions in health care use resident and intern. Physicians don't hold the market on these designations.

[athomas91]

jwk - what do AA students call themselves in school??? i actually am just curious.

however, it really doesn't matter what other advanced practice nurses call themselves while training - the fact is that their patient interaction is less than 1/2 the clinical hours than we are required to do (and although I am 7-8 mos away from graduation I have already doubled my required hours)

Nurse Anesthesia programs are vastly different from any other type of advanced practice nursing so it is apples to oranges (both fruit...but very different... :) )

it is disconcerting to have been a critical care nurse for years and to be confused with a nursing student by a patient - a "nursing student" is by understanding not yet a nurse - this doesn't fit for us. Resident gives the connotation of advanced training and to imply that doctors alone are able to use the title is quite silly. My programs still uses "students" but I believe that resident or graduate level anesthetist or something should be used instead. just my thoughts.

[apaisRN, RN, CRNA]

The word "student" is a potent inducer of catecholamine release in a preop patient! I'm not the third-year 20-y-o nursing student who is going to help an LOL to the bathroom. I'm going to be keeping them alive. Especially because we are basically given free rein by the end of our schooling, with backup on call. Med students are not left alone to give anesthesia, neither are nursing students. Residents, nurse or physician, with advanced training can care for patients (almost) independently.

We could fight this all day, it really gets old. In my program we are referred to by didactic faculty as "residents," not students. So no matter what MDs or anyone else thinks, it's part of the culture here and not going to change any time soon.