AANA Celebrates Healthcare Quality Week With The Contributions of CRNAs to Patient Safety and Care

ROSEMONT, Ill. — Every October, Healthcare Quality Week (HQW) is a dedicated time to acknowledge the progress made by healthcare and quality professionals toward improving patient healing and recovery. AANA applauds the work of healthcare workers, including Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), also known as nurse anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists, who each day provide patients with access to the safe, high-quality care essential to positive healthcare outcomes.

Healthcare Quality Week was established by the National Association of Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) in 1985, to recognize and celebrate the contribution of healthcare quality experts in their various organizations. Held on the third week of October each year, NAHQ holds a week-long celebration in collaboration with groups dedicated to improving healthcare quality.

“With experience in critical care nursing in addition to anesthesia care, CRNAs are uniquely qualified through training and education to improve patient outcomes in all healthcare settings where anesthesia is delivered,“ said AANA President Jan Setnor, MSN,CRNA, Col (Ret), USAFR, NC. “As expert clinicians with specialized skills in advanced airway and ventilator management and advanced patient assessment, CRNAs have expanded the nation’s critical care workforce. They care for the whole patient, developing a comprehensive patient-specific plan from start to finish.”

CRNAs safely administer more than 58 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States. As advanced practice nurses, CRNAs are one of the nation’s most highly sought-after healthcare providers, and patients can trust that they are uniquely and expertly cared for by CRNAs. They are educated and trained to make moment-to-moment adjustments and judgements to handle any complications that may arise with any anesthetic procedure including pain management procedures.

Nursing is among the nation’s most trusted professions and CRNAs are proud to be part of that public and patient trust. Nurse anesthesiology continues to be one of the safest, most innovative fields of science today, with CRNAs bringing the best in overall patient experience.