Pennsylvania’s CRNAs and SRNAs made sure their voices were heard during a 60-day comment period for the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) rulemaking to authorize Full Practice Authority for CRNAs and APRNs working within the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) health-care system.
VHA received 167,000 comments nationally, which was 25 times more than any the agency had received since it instituted online comment submission in 2006. Beyond a doubt, this is a topic of keen interest to veterans, their families, and the American public.
We would also like to thank everyone who took the time to write a letter to their local paper about this issue. Anesthesiologists were also active letter writers in opposition to this rule and we were able to respond to many of their letters while also publishing letters proactively to push out our messages. Together we were able to have letters published in the following areas of the state:
All of us at PANA are so proud of the work so many of you put into advocating so strongly for this initiative. It could be months before the U.S. Veterans Health Administration announces its final rulemaking. You can be sure we’ll keep you posted. Thank you again.
Ann Culp, CRNA, DNP
PANA President
Derek A. Reckard, CRNA, MSN, PHRN
PANA Federal Political Director