In response to Dr. Andrew Egan’s Aug. 26 letter in support of the misguided legislation S. 2070/H.R. 3347, I would like to better inform readers as well as Dr. Egan of who certified registered nurse anesthetists are and what they do.
CRNAs are bachelor-prepared registered nurses who work in intensive care units and then go on to pursue anesthesia education and training, which is currently at a doctoral level. This equates to a minimum of eight years of education and work experience.
CRNAs provide 80% of the anesthesia in rural America, and also practice independently in every branch of the military. Furthermore, they are the primary providers of anesthesia care to military personnel on the front lines, Navy ships and aircraft evacuation teams around the globe.
Several studies have been conducted on patient safety and outcomes, and they continuously show there is no difference in patient safety between a CRNA practicing independently and a physician anesthesiologist.
This country and the state of Maine have an increasing shortage of health care workers, so instead of creating more restrictions on otherwise highly qualified professionals, we should be focusing on ways to increase access to health care. This is how we help our veterans and all others who seek health care services.
Maureen Furlong, CRNA
Cape Elizabeth
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