Veterans deserve physicians.

When I was in North Dakota the wife of a Captain in my office was studying to be a nurse anesthetists. Their plan after she graduated was for him to get out, which he did, and for her to focus on rural hospitals that could afford 2 to 3 nurse aneshetists supervised by one actual doctor.

I wholly disagree. While on active duty I was not only an independent practitioner, but the Chief of Anesthesia for two Air Force bases. A CRNA does not need the supervision of an anesthesiologist

I disagree. Take a look at the few studies that have been done. There is no statistical difference between outcomes of CRNA's and anesthesiologists. In the states that sti require MD supervision they only require a physician to quote, unsuited supervise. That means they cosign the chart, they don't actually supervise the anesthesia.

I wasn’t disagreeing with the use of nurse anesthetists. My only issue is with nurse practitioners and prescription medications. Federal law still requires doctors to prescribe medications. Nurse practitioners cannot prescribe certain medications, according to Federal laws. I think my comment could be confusing. I have had several surgeries and a nurse anesthetist was responsible for sedation. I have no problem with this practice because there was a doctor present to perform the surgery. Maj Robert Thornton

SPC Nancy Greene my question to you would be who made the decisions on the medications, amounts, etc. The CRNA was responsible, not the surgeon. Even working in GA, where a physician signature is required on the chart, surgeons do not get into what or how much medication to administer, that is our job.

Maj Robert Thornton, I combined two separate situations. The surgery was one situation. The issue with the Nurse Practitioner was a separate situation. I had a nurse practitioner prescribe a narcotic without a doctors signature. This was an issue with a VAMC. I trust the nurse anesthetists I have had! Maj Robert Thornton