THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY BARRAR, BAKER, BOBACK, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, DiGIROLAMO, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FLECK, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRELL, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, HESS, HUTCHINSON, KIRKLAND, KNOWLES, MILLARD, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PAYNE, PYLE, READSHAW, ROSS, SAINATO, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SONNEY, SWANGER, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATSON, LONGIETTI, MANN, GIBBONS, WHITE, PICKETT, REICHLEY AND CLYMER, JANUARY 20, 2011

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JANUARY 20, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Observing the week of January 23 through 29, 2011, as "Nurse

Anesthetists Week" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Nurse anesthetists were the first professional group

to provide anesthesia in the United States and are the oldest

recognized group of advanced practice registered nurse

specialists; and

WHEREAS, These registered nurses have completed a graduate-

level educational program in a nationally accredited program of

nurse anesthesia and after graduation are qualified to take the

national certifying examination; and

WHEREAS, Graduates who successfully pass the examination may

use the title Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), and

in addition, all graduates of nurse anesthesia educational

programs receive a master's degree upon completion of the

rigorous academic and clinical curriculum; and

WHEREAS, CRNAs provide anesthesia services in all settings in

which anesthesia is delivered and are not required by Federal or

State Law to be supervised or directed by physician

anesthesiologists; and

WHEREAS, According to the American Association of Nurse

Anesthetists, more than two-thirds of all rural hospitals rely

on CRNAs to provide anesthesia care, and without these advanced

practice nurses, some 1,500 facilities would be unable to

maintain trauma stabilization, surgical and obstetrical

capabilities, forcing many rural Americans to travel long

distances for these services; and

WHEREAS, Each year, CRNAs working in hospitals, ambulatory

surgical centers, physician's offices and the medical facilities

of the United States military, Veterans Administration and

Public Health Service are the hands-on providers of

approximately 32 million anesthetics given to patients in the

United States; and

WHEREAS, The week of January 23 through 29, 2011, has been

designated as "Nurse Anesthetists Week" nationally; therefore be

it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives observe the week

of January 23 through 29, 2011, as "Nurse Anesthetists Week" in

Pennsylvania to recognize the importance of Certified Registered

Nurse Anesthetists and their role in providing quality health

care for the public.