AANA Advocates for Excellence During Patient Safety Awareness Week

During Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 10-16, 2024, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) proudly joins the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in raising awareness and promote initiatives that make healthcare safer for patients and the healthcare workforce.

AANA Applauds Addition of CRNAs To SAMHSA Practitioner List

In a recent final regulation issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), CRNAs, also known as nurse anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists, have been permanently added to the definition of a practitioner who is appropriately licensed by a state to prescribe and dispense medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD).

AANA Emphasizes Access to Safe Dental Anesthesia Care in Recognition of National Children’s Dental Health Month

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) reminds parents and caregivers of the importance of not only knowing how to keep your child’s teeth healthy, but also ensuring that they have access to safe dental anesthesia care.

AANA Updates, Publishes Analgesia and Anesthesia Practice Considerations for The Substance Use Disorder Patient

To help ensure that patients with active substance use disorder, on medication-assisted treatment, or in abstinent recovery continue to receive high-quality, safe pain management and anesthesia care, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has published its updated analgesia and anesthesia practice considerations.

AANA Recognizes World Anesthesia Day, Supports Better Care and Access for Anesthesia

American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) recognizes World Anesthesia Day as an opportunity to honor the global-minded focus of better care and access for anesthesia. World Anesthesia Day commemorates the birth of anesthesia on October 16, 1846, when providers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston demonstrated the use of ether for the first time on a patient.

American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Urges VA to Issue Evidence-Based National Practice Standards

Dru Riddle, PhD, DNP, CRNA, FAAN, president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) urged the Veterans Health Administration (VA) to develop National Standards of Practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) that are grounded in evidence-based education and training standards, not politics, during a listening session on September 21.

America’s Veterans Deserve High Quality Anesthesia Care

During Congressional testimony today, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) urged the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system to provide the same anesthesia care and services to our veterans as is in place in healthcare systems in 49 states. AANA President-Elect Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, in testimony before the House VA Committee Subcommittee on Health, defended Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists’ (CRNAs’) ability to deliver high-quality anesthesia care to all populations, including the complex needs of our nation’s veterans, as a result of their specialized and detailed anesthesia training.

Dru Riddle Begins Term as President of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology

Dru Riddle, PhD, DNP, CRNA, FAAN, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), and resident of Fort Worth, Texas, recently took office as the 2023-2024 president of the nearly 61,000-member American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA), headquartered in Rosemont, Ill.

Annual Ira P. Gunn Award for Outstanding Professional Advocacy Award Presented to Michael MacKinnon

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) presented Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Michael MacKinnon, DNP, FNP-C, CRNA, FAANA, with the 23rd Ira P. Gunn Award for Outstanding Professional Advocacy during its 2023 Annual Congress, August 18-22, in Seattle.

ICAN Act Increases Patient Access to High-Quality Healthcare

A Senate Bill was introduced by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), joining more than a dozen Representatives who are sponsoring the House version of the ICAN Act. If passed, the ICAN Act would remove practice barriers for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) by allowing them to provide more comprehensive healthcare services to patients across the country.

AANA Wins 2023 Gold Circle Award from ASAE for Membership Retention

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has been recognized by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) with a 2023 Gold Circle Award in the Membership Retention category. The Gold Circle competition is the premier association marketing, membership, and communications award that recognizes excellence, innovation, and achievement in association/nonprofit marketing, membership, and communications campaigns and activities.

AANA Denounces AMA’s Action to Regulate Advanced Practice Registered Nurses through State Boards of Medicine

Angela Mund, DNP, CRNA, president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) issued the following statement in response to the American Medical Association’s (AMA) adopted policy recommending that Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and other advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) be regulated on the state level by both the board of medicine and the board of nursing.

Advanced Practice Nurses Stand Ready to Care for America’s Most Vulnerable Populations

Today the U.S. healthcare system faces workforce shortages and expanding costs, but new legislation will allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to work at the top of their education and training to give patients across the country access to vital healthcare services.

Access To Quality Anesthesia Care Increased for Indiana Dental Patients

Indiana dental patients now have increased access to safe anesthesia care with the enacting of Indiana Senate Bill 273. The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) applauds the new law, as it expands the scope of practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), allowing CRNAs to administer moderate sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia to a patient in a dental office, under the direction of and in the immediate presence of a physician.

During Oral Cancer Awareness Month, AANA Emphasizes Access to Safe Dental Anesthesia Care

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) reminds the public that the best prevention of oral health is early detection. Also, of critical importance is ensuring patients have access to safe anesthesia care when treatments including surgery are used for oral cancer.

AANA Updates, Publishes Analgesia and Anesthesia Guidelines for Obstetric Patients

To help ensure that all obstetric patients receive high-quality, safe analgesia and anesthesia care during labor and delivery, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has published its updated Analgesia and Anesthesia for the Obstetric Patient practice guidelines. This comprehensive revision is designed to provide evidence-based practice recommendations and close equity gaps in obstetric pain management and anesthesia care.

AANA Applauds the Save Our Rural Hospitals Act That Eliminates CRNA Supervision and Supports Rural Healthcare

Last week, U.S. Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO) and Jared Huffman (D-CA) reintroduced the “Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act” (H.R. 833). Along with providing enhanced payments to rural healthcare providers to help ensure the viability of these important local healthcare facilities, this legislation also includes a provision to permanently remove physician supervision of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), under Medicare Part A conditions of participation and a provision to include non-medically directed CRNA services as a mandatory benefit under the Medicaid program.

During National Children’s Dental Health Month, AANA Emphasizes Access to Safe Dental Anesthesia Care

Rosemont, Ill. (AANA) – February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) reminds parents of the importance of not only knowing how to keep your child’s teeth healthy, but also ensuring that they have access to safe dental anesthesia care. This month-long national health observance brings together thousands of dedicated professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers, and many others.

National CRNA Week: The House of Representatives Recognizes the Contributions of Nurse Anesthetists

In honor of National CRNA Week (Jan. 22-28, 2023), members of the U.S. House of Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Dave Joyce (R-OH), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Don Bacon (R-NE), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) introduced a bipartisan House Resolution 55 on the House floor, “Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and their critical role in providing quality health care for the public and our nation’s armed forces, for more than 150 years as the first anesthesia providers.”

Role of CRNAs in Pain Management Included in Final CDC Clinical Practice Guidelines

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) applauds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for providing more flexibility and clarity in their updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids. The final guidelines include acknowledgment of the role of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) as pain care providers, how pain care is administered, and the consideration for nonopioid therapies for subacute and chronic pain.

AANA Honors our Nation’s Veterans, Supports Increased Access to Healthcare in VA

In observance of Veterans Day, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) honors and thanks the nation’s military veterans for their bravery and service for our country. 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.

American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Receives 2022 Power of Associations Silver Award for State Advocacy Initiatives

American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) earned a Power of Associations Silver Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in its advocacy category. The Power of Associations Advocacy Award competition recognizes associations that have enhanced an industry or profession’s reputation as a trusted resource for effective policymaking.