Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice nurses who earn a four-year, BSN, RN licensure, and at least one year of critical care experience before completing a three-year accredited doctoral nurse anesthesia program. Their training includes advanced graduate school coursework and extensive clinical anesthesia experience.

After graduation, CRNAs must pass a national board certification exam and obtain state advanced practice licensure, maintaining credentials through ongoing education and competency requirements. The profession dates back to the late 1800s and continues to play a key role in providing anesthesia care in a wide variety of clinical settings. 

CRNAs can practice independently in some states, but at CRH CRNAs practice anesthesia in an Anesthesia Care Team (ACT) model. While a physician anesthesiologist is involved in every anesthetic delivered at CRH, the ACT model emphasizes CRNAs as the primary, continuous anesthesia providers at the bedside. CRNAs perform the preoperative assessment, administer and manage anesthesia throughout the procedure, and oversee postoperative care, while anesthesiologists provide consultation or medical direction as required by state law or facility policy. At CRH, patients may be cared for by a solo anesthesiologist (MD) or both an MD and CRNA in an ACT model. The ACT model aims for improved efficiency, teamwork, and patient safety.

The determination of which type of provider is assigned to a case mostly comes down to daily scheduling considerations, except for those certain cardiac procedures, which are done only by physicians. 

During CRNA Week, which is January 18-24, CRH proudly recognizes its great team of CRNAs for the vital work they do every day!