WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
In recognition of their profession’s long history and enduring record of patient safety, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in Michigan and across the country are celebrating the 16th annual National CRNA Week, January 25-31, 2015, with the unified mantra “Quality and Excellence in Anesthesia Care.”
Established by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), National CRNA Week was created to encourage CRNAs to take the opportunity to educate the public about anesthesia safety, questions to ask prior to undergoing surgery, and the benefits of receiving anesthesia care from nurse anesthetists.
Three Rivers Health has three full-time CRNAs who provide 24/7 anesthesia services. “One of the many rewards of being a nurse anesthetist is providing patients with the comfort of knowing that I will be by their side monitoring their vital signs and adjusting their anesthetics to ensure a pain free and safe anesthesia experience,” said Mike Pulford, CRNA. “National CRNA Week serves as an opportunity to inform the public exactly what CRNAs do and who we are.”
Nurse anesthetists are advanced practice registered nurses who administer more than 34 million anesthetics in the United States each year. Practicing in every setting where anesthesia is available, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia professionals in the vast majority of rural hospitals and have been the main provider of anesthesia care to U.S. service men and women on the front lines since World War I.
“I take pride in belonging to a profession that has been at the forefront of anesthesia patient safety for 150 years. CRNAs play a key role in developing trends related to monitoring technology, anesthetic drugs, and standards of care. In fact, due to continuing research and education, anesthesia today is nearly 50 times safer than it was 20 years ago,” said Chad Bush, CRNA.
Founded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ill., the AANA is the professional organization representing more than 48,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists. As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs safely administer more than 34 million anesthetics to patients in the United States each year. For more information, visit www.aana.com.
For over 90 years, Three Rivers Health has offered its patients and community technology-driven care, including a wide array of inpatient, rehabilitation, outpatient, wellness, hospice care and specialty clinic services. To discover more about Three Rivers Health, call 269.278.1145 or visit threerivershealth.org.
