AANA Highlights Role of CRNA in Delivery of Safe Anesthesia Care Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 14-20

PARK RIDGE, Ill. — Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are on the front lines of patient care, safely administering nearly 50 million anesthetics each year in the United States. During Patient Safety Awareness Week, Mar.14-20, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) joins the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in acknowledging practices, education and standards that improve safety for patients and healthcare professionals.

This year Patient Safety Week focuses on workplace violence.  

“As CRNAs, patient safety is at the forefront of our work, from the preoperative period, through surgery and until the patient is discharged from post-anesthesia care,” said Brett Morgan, DNP, CRNA, the AANA’s senior director of Education and Practice. “However, workplace violence, either physical or emotional, like bullying and harassment, can create an unhealthy environment that puts patients and CRNAs alike at risk. The AANA stands with IHI on encouraging CRNAs to learn the signs of workplace violence and report it as you would any patient safety issue.”   

In a 2014 study, more than 50 percent of nurses and nursing students reported experiencing verbal abuse with the previous year. Additionally, 60 percent of nurses who leave their jobs within the first six months cite bullying as the main reason, costing each hospital at as much as $7 million in workforce costs.

Although real progress has been made in patient safety, current estimates cite medical harm as a leading cause of death worldwide. During the last year, CRNAs have been on the frontlines, treating COVID patients while working to keep healthcare professionals and patients safe. For example, CRNAs working in the ICUs have streamlined patient management and reduced the need for patient transport and additional recovery teams.

“There is overwhelming evidence that CRNAs provide superb anesthesia care—something that’s never been more crucial as CRNAs step forward to be critical care leaders in the COVID-19 pandemic,” Morgan said. “The safety record of CRNAs is demonstrated by recent studies published in leading health policy journals and an independent review by Cochrane, a world-renowned organization that supports evidence-based decision-making in healthcare.”