Board of Registered Nursing backs bill to clarify nurse‑anesthetist authority in hospitals and clinics

The Board of Registered Nursing voted unanimously March 20 to support Assembly Bill 8 76, legislation that would amend the Nurse Anesthetist Act to explicitly authorize certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) to provide preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care, order and interpret certain diagnostic tests, and select and administer medications in acute care, outpatient and dental settings.

Board members said the change is intended to remove regulatory uncertainty that, they and many commenters said, has led to interruptions in anesthesia services. "AB 8 76 prevents these unnecessary disruptions by reaffirming that nurse anesthesiologists can administer anesthesia independently and clarifies that our role extends across the full continuum of anesthesia care," said Julia Harris, a CRNA who testified during public comment.

The bill, as discussed by staff, would add definitions and explicit…