Letter: Safety must come first in anesthetics

As a practicing certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) for the past 28 years, I am concerned by the inaccuracies cited in a recent published letter supporting legislation to license anesthesiologist assistants in the state of Illinois ("Support use of assistants for anesthesiology care" April 17).

Unlike CRNAs, AAs cannot work without anesthesiologist direction and therefore cannot effectively expand access to anesthesia services in areas underserved by physician anesthesiologists. The use of advanced practice nurses allowed to practice to the full scope of their licensure offers a safe and already existing pathway to expanded health care access. AA programs (of which there are none in Illinois) accept applicants without any clinical background or training, with merely passing grades on a limited slate of "premed" courses.

In contrast, CRNAs have a minimum of seven to eight and a half years of education and training specific to nursing and anesthesiology before they are licensed to practice anesthesia. CRNAs have to prove themselves to be clinically safe and excellent nurses before they can even apply for CRNA school. This provides an excellent foundation on which to become safe and effective anesthesia providers.

I think we can all agree that safety in anesthesia care is paramount. Adding another level of licensure for an unproven group of providers is not the answer.

Chris Mackey

Wheaton