We believe in a team approach to anesthesia care.
Our certified registered nurse anesthetists, or CRNAs for short, work collaboratively with our anesthesiologists as part of an anesthesia care team. Think of them as pilot and co-pilot working together to do the best job possible.
Anesthesiologists are medical doctors who provide patient care before, during and immediately following surgical or medical procedures. An anesthesiologist may be involved in pain management. Upon graduating medical school, the anesthesiologist spends a year in an internship, followed by three years in a residency program. Anesthesiologists are certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology.
CRNAs are licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). Their credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or other appropriate baccalaureate degree, at least one year of experience as an RN in an acute care setting and a master’s degree from an accredited nurse anesthesia program. Upon completion of a master’s, CRNAs must pass a national certification exam. CRNAs must obtain a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain their recertification.