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Erin Foley is a certified registered nurse anesthetist and member of the Maine Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.
Every year across the United States, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients. I have been practicing in Maine as a certified registered nurse anesthetist for the past 14 years, and I am proud to count myself among the more than 43,000 CRNAs in the United States, and 350 CRNAs in Maine, celebrating our profession during National CRNA Week, Jan. 21-27, 2024.
This year’s theme “Trusted Anesthesia Experts,” acknowledges our rich history as part of the nation’s most trusted professions according to Gallup. Nurses have topped Gallup’s Honesty and Ethics list for years and are ranked in the top 10 of the 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Health Care Jobs report. National studies confirm that CRNAs are integral to high-value anesthesia care delivery where quality and safety are emphasized. Our skill and accuracy allow patients to undergo surgery safely, comfortably, and without unnecessary pain.
Each year, CRNAs deliver anesthesia to millions of patients, in traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms, critical access hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, pain management facilities, and in our nation’s military service. Personally, I have practiced in many settings in the state of Maine. I have worked in Level 1 trauma centers, small critical access hospitals and in nurse anesthesia education, and most recently, caring for the victims of the tragic shooting in Lewiston. These varied experiences allow me to care for patients throughout Maine and to increase access to safe, quality, cost effective anesthesia care throughout the state.
CRNAs are highly educated, highly trained professionals. We complete on average eight to eight and a half years of healthcare and anesthesia education and more than 9,000 hours of clinical training prior to graduating with an advanced degree as an expert in the field of anesthesiology. Graduates of nurse anesthesia educational programs must pass the National Certification Examination given by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists. And by 2025, all nurse anesthesiology program graduates will receive a doctoral degree.
In rural areas, CRNAs are the predominant providers of anesthesia care, representing more than 80% of the anesthesia providers in rural U.S. counties. CRNAs provide care to patients where they live, forming the backbone of surgical deliveries in these rural communities. We play an essential role for expectant families, allowing first-rate delivery experiences without maternal patients having to travel great distances for obstetrics care.
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) established CRNA Week in 2000 to inform the public about anesthesia safety and the benefits of receiving anesthesia care from CRNAs. From saving lives and advancing patient care, to collaborating for transformative wins in healthcare policy, National CRNA Week gives the healthcare community and the greater public alike the opportunity to reflect on the heroic work and unique expertise of CRNAs and nurse anesthesiology residents while recognizing the power and resilience of our community.
As members of one of America’s most trusted professions, CRNAs have always served on the front lines of patient care from the beginning, and we continue to answer the call to help keep patients healthy and safe. Please join me in recognizing trusted anesthesia experts as we celebrate National CRNA Week! Each year the Maine Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (MEANA) members choose a local charity to raise money for during the month of January to help celebrate CRNA Week. This year we are honored to have partnered with Honor Flight Maine. Visit the MEANA website at www.meana.org to learn more about our profession and philanthropic endeavors.