Janelle Irwin Taylor
A group representing the more than 5,400 nurse anesthesiology professionals in Florida has rebranded its name to the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.
The group was formerly called the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
The name change was part of a yearlong rebranding process nationally meant to advocate for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists and advance science within the field.
The state group, known as FANA for short, comes after the national association similarly rebranded to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.
“The administration of anesthesia by nurses began more than 150 years ago and has been an essential part of what CRNAs do in caring for patients in every setting including traditional hospital and obstetrical surgical suites, interventional pain management, critical care units, ambulatory surgical centers, and on the frontlines,” said John McDonough, one of Florida’s only CRNAs granted permission to use the title “nurse anesthesiologist.”
Calling CRNAs “nurse anesthesiologists” was a controversial issue in this year’s Legislative Session, with a bill (HB 721) introduced and debated extensively that would have reserved the anesthesiologist title only for qualifying physicians.
The bill would have prohibited health care practitioners from making “misleading, deceptive or fraudulent representations” regarding their specialty designation. It died in committee.
McDonough petitioned the Florida Board of Nursing in 2019 and received a unanimous declaratory statement that he could use “nurse anesthesiologist” as a descriptor for his role along with the official CRNA designation. The move put Florida in line with growing national acknowledgment of the term “nurse anesthesiologist” for CRNAs.
Given debate, however, the national association, AANA, now recognizes both CRNA and “nurse anesthesiologist” and is now using “anesthesiology” in their organization’s title to show members’ expertise in anesthesia as advanced practice nurses.
“Nurse anesthesiology is the first profession to own the responsibility of anesthesia delivery,” according to AANA President Steven Sertich. “Today, nurse anesthesiology remains one of the nation’s most innovative fields of science.”
CRNAs practice in all settings where anesthesia is delivered, including in advanced airway and ventilator management, advanced hemodynamic monitoring, and advanced patient assessment. They are the primary anesthesia providers in rural and medically under-served areas and have expended the nation’s health care workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national association unveiled its new logo and core purpose, “CRNA focused. CRNA inspired” during its Annual Congress, which was held virtually August 13-17. The AANA’s Annual Congress is the largest educational event in nurse anesthesia.
FANA was founded in 1936 to advocate for patients and member professionals in legislative and government affairs.
The group supported an amendment to the 2021 bill reserving “anesthesiologist” for licensed physicians that would have also reserved the title “anesthetist” for CRNAs.
26 comments
Delbert Heskett
September 2, 2021 at 12:18 pm
The continued march by non-physicians to pretend to be physicians, and fool the public, without having to go through the rigors of physician training.
Trish
September 2, 2021 at 5:38 pm
Signed
-One scared physician
Pam
September 2, 2021 at 12:50 pm
Beautiful! I love Nurse Anesthesiologists. They undergo incredibly extensive training and deserve this badge of respect as physicians try to pad their pocketbooks. I will always request a Nurse Anesthesiologists for myself.
Bill
September 2, 2021 at 12:58 pm
So have the nurses improperly labeled themselves for the past 150 years and they are just, now realizing it??
Pam
September 2, 2021 at 2:16 pm
My understanding is that physician anesthesiologists are labelling AAs as Anesthetists (creating confusion among patients), and delineating their own service as Physician Anesthesiologist. Why are Nurse Anesthesiologists not allowed to refer to themselves in a way that patients can understand who they are and what their training is? I am confused…
Sarah
September 2, 2021 at 4:52 pm
And Pam, that is exactly what these two organizations intended – confusion. Let’s be very clear – Anesthesiologists (physicians) undergo many years more school, training, and clinical experience than CRNA’s. We are not the same. Our diagnostic and treatment processes are not the same. Those who have been both (CRNAs who opted to go to medical school and then anesthesiology residency) will tell you in great detail how much they did not know, or have responsibility for, as CRNAs. I love working with good CRNA’, and respect their work. But the public must not be fooled by this nefarious name change. An Anesthesiologist in this country is a physician with many years more training and school than a CRNA. This is why we work together. And I for one will continue to fight the obfuscation of the AANA and FANA.
Pam
September 2, 2021 at 5:28 pm
There is no ambiguity if you look or listen to what is being said. You are concerned about your pocketbook, sir. Lets be honest. I have read the studies and there is no difference in outcomes between Nurse or Physician Anesthesiologists. The public can clearly understand the word Nurse in front of Anesthesiologist. I am not a CRNA and I can read it and hear it just fine.
Matt
September 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm
Good luck Pam! You are a fool! When things go south, who are you going to request??
Pam
September 2, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Resorting to ad hominem attacks… I hope you find a way to release your pain and increase your self worth. Good day to you.
Bill
September 2, 2021 at 4:41 pm
When you are in Alamogordo, NM and things go south, you can call anyone you like, but there are ZERO physician anesthesiologist in the city to provide your emergency anesthesia. Don’t worry though, we been doing it there over 20 years.
Or the front lines in Afghanistan. Or Iraq Or Marion, Indiana, Or half the ICUs during the COVID pandemic. Or 100 other cities that are staffed solely by Nurse Anesthesiologists.
Lauren
September 2, 2021 at 4:19 pm
Pam – you do realize that CRNAs make as much as doctors, right?? That’s the whole reason for the name change – to make more $$$
bill
September 2, 2021 at 4:45 pm
That is a lie. At best we make one half. Check out Gaswork.com.
Pam
September 2, 2021 at 5:31 pm
I looked it up, and you are wrong Lauren. Physician Anesthesiologists make an average of 375K, while a Nurse Anesthesiologist makes 180k. At least you let the world know what physicians REALLY dont like….someone coming after their cash cow monopoly.
Parag Mathur
September 2, 2021 at 9:05 pm
CRNA on average work fewer hours. That explains the income difference. Full time for a CRNA is between 35-40 hours. Full time for an MD is between 50-75 hours a week.
Pam
September 2, 2021 at 9:06 pm
Do you have any proof of this?
Lauren
September 6, 2021 at 2:49 pm
Yes, I can read Gaswork and no, I’m not wrong. You state averages, but the “average” nurse anesthetist works alongside an anesthesiologist. When they work independently, they make close to $300k. How is this saving the healthcare system and the patient money? It doesn’t, but it sure does justify the rebrand.
Parag Mathur
September 2, 2021 at 9:02 pm
CRNAs charge and are paid the same as MD anesthesiologists. They do not claim to be less expensive and indeed are not.
Pete
September 2, 2021 at 9:04 pm
Laughable…
Mike Jefferson
September 2, 2021 at 3:49 pm
Stolen valor. In the military it can result in penalties and/or jail time. There’s no difference in this case and will CRNA’s start calling themselves “General”? After all, they administer, “general anesthesia?” Frauds. Want to be a doctor, go to medical school.
Bill
September 2, 2021 at 5:01 pm
Or get a PhD
Or EdD
Or a DNP
Or a DNAP
You think the med student being taught by PhD professors told them they were not REAL doctors?
OH NO!!!!! More -ologist who never went to medical school…
GO GET ‘EM!!!!!
Alologst: Algae
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debrasthesia
September 5, 2021 at 11:54 am
Cosmetologist – Hair and make-up
Pam
September 2, 2021 at 5:35 pm
Ahh the ol’ slippery slope argument and false equivalency combined into one. Well done, sir. Your argument doesent make any sense, logically. What I hear is one scared ego.
Leopoldo Rodriguez, MD, MBA
September 5, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Strangely, in the Florida constitution, 464.015, the term “nurse anesthetist” has title protection. One may ask ourselves, are they not proud of their profession?
I wonder if that’s the reason to misinform the public about their title and education. Changing a name or title does not suddenly give you the knowledge acquired in Medical School or gained through experience in residency, fellowship, leading the anesthesia care team; what it does is confuse patients about the person taking care of them.
Since we are talking about terms, a term well defined in the dictionary is “Impostor” a person who deceives others by pretending to be someone else.
One may wonder if Paralegals will begin calling themselves “Paralegal Attorneys”?
Tomalika
September 6, 2021 at 11:44 am
Patients need to know the truth. Anesthesiologists are physicians. Let’s patients make the choice. If a nurse anesthetist will provide anesthesia they need to and deserve to know that. If nurses are as competent why fight for a title that belongs to the physicians.
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