Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kurt Knaus; P: 717-724-2866; E: kurt@ceislermedia.com

CRNA Professional Designation Measure Passes through General Assembly, Sent to Governor for

Enactment

HARRISBURG (June 25, 2021) --- Legislation that would finally grant formal title recognition to certified registered nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania is on its way to Gov. Tom Wolf for enactment after the House passed a Senate-sponsored measure (S.B. 416) today.

Once the bill is signed into law, it will end Pennsylvania’s distressing status of being one of just two states (New York is the other) that fails to formally recognize “certified registered nurse anesthetist” in some form. Because there is no definition for nurse anesthetists under the state’s Professional Nursing Law, CRNAs are recognized only as registered nurses.

“We are so grateful to Sen. John Gordner and Rep. Tarah Toohil, both of whom have been longtime champions for CRNAs and worked so hard to get this legislation over the finish line,” said Matt McCoy, DNP, CRNA, President of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA), which represents more than 3,700 CRNAs and students in the state.

“Finally, CRNAs in Pennsylvania will get the recognition they deserve for their advanced training, education and clinical skills,” McCoy said.

Both the House and Senate passed identical companion measures within days of each other last week. House Bill 931 is sponsored by Toohil (R-Luzerne), but it was Gordner’s (R-Columbia) legislation (S.B. 416) that ran the full course of the legislative process.

Gordner has had previous measures pass the Senate only to stall in the House --- until this year. The issue has been under legislative review and debate for more than a decade.

CRNAs are the hands-on providers of anesthesia care, operating safely in every setting where anesthesia is administered, including: hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; pain management centers and more.

Besides title recognition, the measure also expands the providers that CRNAs are permitted to work with to include podiatrists, and it clarifies regulatory language as it pertains to physician involvement with anesthesia services, formalizing the status quo. The measure also includes cooperation language to define the relationship CRNAs have with their physician colleagues.

Lack of professional designation brings logistical and financial challenges for CRNAs, who have to secure credentials in other states for some activities, including serving in the military. The pandemic revealed additional shortcomings, where health-care facilities wanted to use CRNAs to their fullest capacity but felt restricted by licensing standards.

But all that ends when Gov. Tom Wolf signs the measure into law. The governor has 10 days to sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.

For more information about certified registered nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania, visit www.PANAforQualityCare.com or follow along on social media via Twitter at @PANACRNA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PANACRNA.

Senate Passes Professional Designation Legislation for CRNAs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kurt Knaus; P: 717-724-2866; E: kurt@ceislermedia.com

Senate Passes Professional Designation Legislation for CRNAs

House passed identical measure Tuesday, moving provision closer to law than ever before

HARRISBURG (June 16, 2021) --- The state Senate today unanimously passed legislation that would finally grant formal title recognition to certified registered nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania, just a day after the House passed a nearly identical measure.

This marks the first time that both chambers have passed bills granting professional designation to CRNAs, and it is the farthest the issue has ever made it through the General Assembly despite more than a decade of legislative review.

One of the measures still must pass the other chamber before going to the governor for his signature, but the fact that identical bills have passed both the House and Senate is a significant achievement and potentially hopeful sign for enactment.

“We have seen more movement on these measures in the last seven days than we have in the last 10 years --- or ever, really,” said Matt McCoy, DNP, CRNA, President of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA), which represents more than 3,700 CRNAs and students in the commonwealth. “This has been a long and hard fight, but I’m hopeful that we are finally on the cusp of getting CRNAs the recognition they deserve.”

Pennsylvania is one of just two states that fails to formally recognize “certified registered nurse anesthetist” in some form. Because there is no definition for nurse anesthetists under the state’s Professional Nursing Law, CRNAs are recognized only as registered nurses, despite their advanced education and specialized training.

The lack of that professional designation brings logistical and financial challenges for CRNAs.

Pennsylvania-based nurse anesthetists who serve in the military must secure designation in another state to provide anesthesia in the armed services. They cannot assist on rapid response teams in states affected by natural disasters because they lack formal credentials. And, after receiving training in Pennsylvania, many nurse anesthetists relocate to states with full credentialing, contributing to the state’s “brain drain” of talented health-care professionals.

The pandemic revealed additional shortcomings.

In response to COVID-19, many CRNAs wanted to contribute more to the facilities where they work but could not. Likewise, hospitals and other health-care institutions wanted to use CRNAs to their fullest capacity during a time of crisis but could not. Many facilities felt restricted by the way the state licenses CRNAs and would not allow nurse anesthetists to provide advanced, critical care services, even though it is within their clinical experience and scope of practice.

CRNAs are the hands-on providers of anesthesia care, operating safely in every setting where anesthesia is administered, including: hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; pain management centers and more.

For more information about certified registered nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania, visit www.PANAforQualityCare.com or follow along on social media via Twitter at @PANACRNA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PANACRNA.

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House & Senate Committees Approve Legislation to Grant Professional Designation for CRNAs

Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kurt Knaus; P: 717-724-2866; E: kurt@ceislermedia.com

House & Senate Committees Approve Legislation to Grant Professional Designation for Nurse Anesthetists in Pa.

Pennsylvania is one of two states that fails to recognize CRNAs in some form

HARRISBURG (June 8, 2021) --- Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) moved one step closer to finally securing formal title recognition in Pennsylvania after the House Professional Licensure Committee today unanimously approved legislation (H.B. 931) to establish professional designation.

Pennsylvania is one of just two states that fails to formally recognize “certified registered nurse anesthetist” in some form. Because there is no definition for nurse anesthetists under the state’s Professional Nursing Law, CRNAs are recognized only as registered nurses, despite their advanced education and specialized training.

The House committee vote is a significant milestone in CRNAs’ years-long effort for formal recognition. Identical measures have passed the Senate in recent years, only to stall in the House committee and expire at the end of each legislative session. House Bill 931, sponsored by state Rep. Tarah Toohil (R-Luzerne), now goes before the full House for consideration.

Over in the Senate, the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee also unanimously voted today to approve companion legislation (S.B. 416), sponsored by state Sen. John Gordner (R-Columbia). Previous measures there have been approved unanimously by the full chamber.

This marks the first time professional designation legislation for CRNAs has advanced beyond the committees in both chambers during the same legislative session.

“CRNAs in Pennsylvania are one step closer to finally getting the recognition they deserve for the crucial role they serve in keeping patients safe, ensuring access to high-quality care, and lowering health-care costs,” said Matt McCoy, DNP, CRNA, President of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA), which represents more than 3,700 CRNAs and students in the commonwealth. “We’re grateful to the committees for their votes and look forward to working with the full House and Senate to move this measure toward enactment.”

CRNAs are the hands-on providers of anesthesia care, operating safely in every setting where anesthesia is administered, including: hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; pain management centers and more.

But the lack of that professional designation brings logistical and financial challenges for nurse anesthetists. Pennsylvania-based CRNAs often must obtain credentials from other states for certain activities. Pennsylvania nurse anesthetists who serve in the military must secure designation in another state to provide anesthesia in the armed services. They cannot assist on rapid response teams in states affected by natural disasters because they lack formal credentials. And, after receiving training in Pennsylvania, many nurse anesthetists relocate to states with full credentialing, contributing to the state’s “brain drain” of talented health-care professionals.

The pandemic revealed additional shortcomings. In response to COVID-19, many CRNAs wanted to contribute more to the facilities where they work but could not. Likewise, hospitals and other health-care institutions wanted to use CRNAs to their fullest capacity during a time of crisis but could not. Many of these facilities felt restricted by the way the state licenses CRNAs and would not allow nurse anesthetists to provide advanced, critical care services, even though it is within their education, training, clinical experience and scope of practice.

Two-thirds (67%) of Pennsylvania voters support professional designation for certified registered nurse anesthetists, including those who identify as Republican (59%), Democrat (75%) and Independent (62%), according to results of a statewide public opinion poll conducted last year by G. Terry Madonna Opinion Research.

For more information about certified registered nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania, visit www.PANAforQualityCare.com or follow along on social media via Twitter at @PANACRNA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PANACRNA.

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