Press Release: CRNA WEEK HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS IN TEXAS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 26, 2021

Contact: Jennifer Harris
jharris@jwhcommunications.com, 512-773-7168                                                                                    

CRNA WEEK HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS IN TEXAS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
“EXPERTS YOU TRUST. CARE YOU COUNT ON.”

AUSTIN, TEXAS—The nation’s largest state association of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) is celebrating CRNA Week, recognizing the important role CRNAs play in Texas’ health care system.

The Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists (TxANA) is working to educate Texans about the work of CRNAs in providing safe and effective anesthesia care for every patient. As TxANA continues to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, CRNA Week recognizes the heroic work of CRNAs and Student Registered Nurses Anesthetists (SRNAs) in Texas and across the United States.

“CRNAs providing anesthesia care you can trust and count on is one of the many hallmarks of nurse anesthesia,” Abby Caswell, DNP, CRNA and President-Elect of the TxANA Board of Directors. 

Texas has nearly 5,000 CRNAs, whose education, certification, and clinical experience has positively impacted the state through the practice of cost-effective, high-quality anesthesia care to Texans.

“From safely administering anesthesia, to educating other health care professionals on how to operate a ventilator for COVID-19 patients, CRNAs are there to care for patients,” said Caswell.

TxANA’s Caswell noted six ways CRNAs are making a difference:

COVID-19: CRNAs are uniquely equipped to manage the significant respiratory issues that manifest in severe COVID-19 cases. They also have a specialized skillset of particular value under these extreme circumstances.

Safety: CRNAs are highly trained anesthesia professionals who safely administer more than 49 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States, according to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) 2019 Member Profile Survey.

Rural America: CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in the majority of rural Texas counties. Rural hospitals have often relied on CRNAs to serve as their facility’s sole provider of anesthesia care, but since the state’s temporary ban on elective surgeries, many of these same CRNAs have stepped up to assume different roles. 

Military Presence: Nurse anesthetists have been the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military personnel on the front lines since WWI. Nurses first provided anesthesia to wounded soldiers during the Civil War.

Practice Settings: CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered: traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons and pain management specialists; and more.

Cost-Efficiency: Managed care plans recognize CRNAs for providing high-quality anesthesia care with reduced expense to patients and insurance companies. The cost-efficiency of CRNAs helps control escalating healthcare costs.

“Surgery and anesthesia can be intimidating, especially during a pandemic, but CRNAs stay with our patients, administering their anesthetics and watching over their vital signs every step of the way. We’re proud to be caring for Texans,” said Gregory (Greg) Collins, DNP, CRNA, and President of the TxANA Board of Directors.

CRNA Week is observed Jan. 24-31, 2021. For more information about the role of CRNAs in Texas, visit txana.org.  

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About TxANA

TxANA’s mission is advancing patient safety and the profession of nurse anesthesia. The membership is limited to CRNAs and SRNAs who are members of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). Today there are over 48,000 CRNAs practicing throughout the United States, of which, nearly 5,000 are located in Texas. Online at txana.org.