AANA Honors Our Nation’s Veterans, Calls for Increased Access to Care in the VA

PARK RIDGE, Ill.—This Veterans Day, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) thanks our nation’s veterans for their service and honors their sacrifices. The AANA also recognizes our military Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), who are the primary providers of anesthesia care in the U.S. military and often the sole providers of anesthesia in austere environments. 

Since before World War I, CRNAs have provided courageous, excellent care for soldiers and veterans under the most difficult circumstances. CRNAs have full practice authority in the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and combat support hospitals, where CRNAs staff 90 percent of forward surgical teams. Out of almost 60,000 CRNAs, 5% serve in the military, and 2,000 CRNAs provide care in VA healthcare facilities. 

In the VA healthcare system, CRNAs face barriers to delivering high-quality care to our veterans—and these barriers directly impact our veterans by leading to longer wait times and reduced access to care. After the VA issued a final rule in 2016 that granted three of the four advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) specialties full practice authority, excluding only CRNAs, reports have continuously highlighted a lack of access to anesthesia services in the VA.   

“New national standards of practice will allow all healthcare professionals working in the VA system to have consistent scope and requirements of practice, notwithstanding any state license, registration, or other requirements,” said AANA President Dina F. Velocci, DNP, CRNA.   “This will ensure increased access to care for veterans, shorter wait times at VHA facilities, and reduced costs,” said Velocci, adding that the AANA supports the VA’s efforts to develop national standards of practice for its healthcare workers, as do 33 other healthcare provider organizations that signed an Oct. 7 letter to the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

Earlier this year, AMVETS, one of the largest veterans’ service organizations in the United States, called for similar standards during testimony in front of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. In their testimony, AMVETS stated that the creation of national practice standards was also necessary to implement the new joint VA Department of Defense electronic health record system.  

“AMVETS believes these new national practice standards must be inclusive of all healthcare services that its healthcare professionals are authorized to provide in any state. Anything short of fully comprehensive practice standards will unnecessarily limit Veteran access to care and negatively impact Veteran access and health outcomes,” according to their testimony.  

Adopting national standards of practice will ensure non-MD/DO providers can practice without barriers in the VA system—and increase veterans’ access to high-quality, safe, and cost-effective healthcare.