According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA), approximately 65% of over 50 million anesthesia services in the United States are delivered by certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) each year, whether in collaboration with a physician or independently. In many rural and underserved areas in America, this percentage is significantly higher at over 90%. Despite this, the profession is still regarded as a “hidden gem” within the nursing domain, given that the general public and patients may not be fully knowledgeable about their scope and even their existence at all. Dating back to the American Civil War in the early 1860s, nurses have been providing anesthetics to wounded soldiers on the battlefield. Now, nurse anesthetists administer both surgical and procedural relief in and out of operating rooms across over 100 countries worldwide. How does the scope of practice of nurse anesthetists differ from physician anesthesiologists? What does the educational and training pathway of CRNAs look like? In what settings and specialties can CRNAs deliver anesthesia?

In this episode, we are joined by the co-founders of Confident Care Academy, a comprehensive online educational resource that seeks to empower critical care nurses, nursing students, nurse educators, and future CRNAs through lecture video series and discussion boards. Chrissy Massaro is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist of five years, rooting her near-decade nursing career in the Cardiovascular ICU at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where she later received her MSN in Nurse Anesthesia. Anna Jobe is a current Resident Registered Nurse Anesthetist with three years of ICU nursing, ranging from Cardiovascular ICU at The Johns Hopkins University Hospital, COVID-19 ECMO units, and travel nursing around the country in both medical and surgical intensive care units.

Livestream Air Date: June 30, 2023

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Thankful to the season's brand partners: Covry, House of M Beauty, Nguyen Coffee Supply, V Coterie, Skin By Anthos, Halmi, By Dr Mom, LOUPN, Baisun Candle Co., RĒJINS, Twrl Milk Tea, 1587 Sneakers