AnonymousApril 11, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Actually a CRNA IS qualified to deliver anesthesia. In fact, CRNAs were administering anesthesia long before there was any such thing as an anesthesiologist. To become a CRNA, one must complete a bachelor's degree in nursing (with at least a 3.5 GPA for most CRNA schools), pass the NCLEX certification exam, complete at least 2 years of bedside nursing in the intensive care unit, get a high score on the Graduate Record Examination, apply, interview, and be accepted to a credentialed CRNA program, complete 2 years of rigorous coursework and clinicals, and pass a licensing exam. We are taught and are qualified to do everything an anesthesiologist (MDA) can do. No one with a doctorate in basket weaving is qualified to provide anesthesia, unless of course the basket weaving degree was earned in addition to their Master's of Nurse Anesthesia, Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia, or Medical degree. Please get your facts straight before posting ignorant rants on topics which you know nothing about.
As you can see the comment is from (obviously) an anesthesia nurse. I want everybody to know how these nurses feel about "stupid" patients who do not know anything about anything. "Ignorant rants" is what they all say when you object to being poisoned with Versed. Boo Hoo, I'm so crushed to be denigrated! (NOT) Anyway, the following is a rebuttal to the above comment. I promise you that *I* am not the author of the following...
AnonymousJuly 31, 2014 at 9:59 PM
As someone who did a second bachelor's degree program in nursing I find it a joke that a "3.5 GPA" is a valid argument. The only time in my life I ever made "Dean's List" was in nursing school, if that tells you anything. My husband is a physician (M.D.) as was my father. They refuse to ever let anyone other than another PHYSICIAN WHO SPECIALIZES in anesthesia even look at them. Both said they themselves would never touch anesthesia as too many things can-and do-go wrong. Just as they were not qualified, neither is a CRNA who has no where near the education or experience of a board certified ANESTHESIOLOGIST who completed a much more difficult undergrad than nursing and most likely with higher than a "3.5." Afterwards 4 MORE YEARS of medical school and THEN YEARS of residency /fellowship which consisted of NO LESS THAN 120 HOURS PER WEEK! (I remember him being gone for days at a time, despite living in resident housing right behind the Emergency Department of the hospital. A CRNA's training can not even come anywhere close to that. My father used to say, If nurses want to 'play doctor' then they should have gone to medical school. Nurses have their place, as do internists, pediatrician a, etc. but anesthesia is most definitely NOT one of them.
Now you can see that while I like most floor nurses I detest anesthesia nurses. I absolutely AGREE with everything this nurse says. She is bright, well written and knows what she is talking about. Compare her comment against the nasty, humorless, sanctimonious first comment. That's the difference between anesthesia nurses who want total control and will conk you in the head with Versed just to get rid of you and the nurse directly above. Amazing difference isn't it?
