South Coast Anesthesia
1741 Eastlake Parkway, Suite 102-148
Chula Vista, CA 91915

(760) 297-1284

CRNAs (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) have been providing anesthesia care to patients in the United States for nearly 150 years. As advanced practice nurses, CRNAs practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect.

CRNAs start our getting a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), have a minimum of one year critical care experience, then two year anesthesia residency obtaining a MSN.

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 U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.

Nurse anesthetists have been the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military men and women on the front lines since WWI, including the conflict in Iraq. Nurses first provided anesthesia to wounded soldiers during the Civil War.

The licensed CRNA is authorized to deliver comprehensive anesthesia care under the particular Nurse Practice Act of each state. Their anesthesia practice consists of many anesthetic techniques including general, epidural, spinal, peripheral nerve block, sedation, or local. Scope of CRNA practice is commonly further defined by the practice location's clinical privilege and credentialing process, anesthesia department policies, or practitioner agreements.

Legal Challenges
In the United States, there have been three challenges brought against nurse anesthetists for illegally practicing medicine (Hodgins and Crile, 1919; Frank v. South, 1917; and Chalmers-Francis v. Nelson, 1936). All occurred before 1940 and all were found in favor of the nursing profession. Prior to World War II, the delivery of anesthesia was mainly a nursing function. In 1942, there were seventeen nurse anesthetists for every one anesthesiologist. The numbers of physicians in this specialty did not greatly expand until the late 1960s. Therefore, it was legally established that when a nurse delivers anesthesia, it is the practice of nursing. When a physician delivers anesthesia, it is the practice of medicine. When a dentist delivers anesthesia, it is the practice of dentistry. There are great overlaps of tasks and knowledge in the health care professions. Administration of anesthesia and its related tasks by one provider does not necessarily contravene the practice of other health care providers. For example, endotracheal intubation (placing a breathing tube into the windpipe) is performed by physicians, nurse anesthetists, respiratory therapists, paramedics, and dental (maxillofacial) surgeons. In the United States, nurse anesthetists practice under the state's nursing practice act (not medical practice acts), which outlines the scope of practice for anesthesia nursing.