In a farmer’s field, a tractor rolls over, pinning the driver underneath. In
need of emergency medical attention, he is rushed to a hospital five miles away
where a nurse anesthetist will put him to sleep so a surgeon can tend to his
injuries…
According to the American
Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), more than two-thirds of all rural
hospitals rely on Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to provide
anesthesia care. Without these advanced practice nurses, some 1,500 facilities
would be unable to maintain trauma stabilization, surgical, and obstetrical
capabilities, forcing many rural Americans to travel long distances for such
services.
"CRNAs have an extensive
history of providing high-quality, cost-effective anesthesia care in rural
America," said Jan Stewart, CRNA, ARNP, past president of AANA. "We
proudly practice where few anesthesiologists care to go."
Working in a rural setting is not
without its challenges. Many CRNAs who prefer the wide-open spaces to
urban/suburban congestion are the sole anesthesia providers in their hospitals.
They frequently care for sicker patients and work in older facilities with
equipment that, while adequate, may not be cutting edge.
Still, most rural
CRNAs find that the rewards of a career in the country far outweigh the
challenges. "The surgeons truly respect your abilities, the administrators
appreciate your dedication, and best of all, you really get to know your
patients and their families because you see them around town all the time,"
said Stewart. "In that sense, it’s very different from practicing
anesthesia in any other setting."
Each year, CRNAs
working in hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, physicians’ offices, and
the medical facilities of the U.S. Military, Veteran’s Administration, and
Public Health Service, administer 27million anesthetics in the United States.
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 keep
escalating medical costs down, another reason why they are a good fit for
cost-conscious rural hospitals.
"Rural Americans count on
nurse anesthetists," said Stewart. "We enable many rural hospitals to
keep their operating rooms and emergency rooms in business, providing essential
services to these people. I feel good about that contribution to healthcare in
this country."
