Requirements
Nurse anesthetists, formally certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), are nurses with specialized training in administer anesthesia to patients having surgery or other procedures. In many hospitals, nurse anesthetists may have primary responsibility for administering anesthesia whereas in others they may work alongside anesthesiologists, who are trained as physicians. Nurse anesthetists usually have master's degrees as a minimum level of training.
Reviewing Charts
Nurse anesthetists will assist in surgical procedures throughout the day; the exact number depends on the shift length and location. Before each procedure, the nurse anesthetist reviews the patient's chart and sometimes interviews the patient. Because some people have contraindications to specific drugs, such as allergies or a history of adverse reactions, the nurse anesthetists need to be certain to detect any such conditions in advance. After reviewing each patient's chart, the nurse anesthetist draws up a plan for the best choice of anesthesia drug and method, based on the procedure and medical history.
Administering Anesthesia
The nurse anesthetist will attend to the patient before the surgical procedure, making sure that everything is in place and ensuring that safety procedures are followed. For example, the patient may need to be prepped with an IV or may need to avoid eating and drinking for a set amount of time. Then, during the procedure, the nurse anesthetist administers the anesthesia as planned and monitors the patient to make sure that the dose stays adequate and that the vital signs are stable. This continues throughout the surgical procedure.
Follow-Up
Upon conclusion of the surgical procedure, the nurse anesthetist may provide instructions and information to the patient's family about when to expect the patient to wake up and what side effects might be present. The doctor may also give this information during a consultation about the procedure. The nurse anesthetist makes any appropriate notes in the patient's medical record about how he responded to the anesthesia and which drugs were used.
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