Pennsylvania’s certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) possess unique skillsets that have made our professionals critical to the state’s response to the health-care crisis caused by COVID-19. So many of you have worked long and hard to meet the growing demands of this pandemic.
Because of your commitment to patient health, many of you want to do even more.
CRNAs have been reaching out to the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) to examine ways our profession may be able to help the state implement and potentially expand its vaccination program by offering to support clinics or providing volunteers. With our high level of education and training, CRNAs are perfectly suited for the task at hand.
PANA has had discussions with the commonwealth during this critical juncture to offer our services and make sure they know about our willingness to take on a bigger role.
Unfortunately, at this early stage of the vaccine rollout and based on available supplies, the first phases of the program are locked in place. We will continue to work with the state on future opportunities as vaccinations progress in the weeks and months ahead.
If you want to make sure the state knows you are available to help, the Department of Health is encouraging individuals to register on Pennsylvania’s online registry for medical and non-medical volunteers: https://www.serv.pa.gov/.
If you want to stay on top of the work PANA is doing to offer its assistant, and any future opportunities that may arise from our work with the state, please visit https://www.pana.org/page/vaccineprovidercommitment.
Please note that these are two separate databases, and by signing up via the PANA site you are not adding yourself to a pool of volunteers. More information will be shared at a later date when it becomes available.
All of us at PANA are so proud of the work being done by CRNAs and SRNAs around the state, and we are so grateful that so many of you reached out to the association about your ideas on ways to help with the vaccination program. We have the same shared goals and will do all we can to help you so you can fulfill your mission to help others.
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