UNLABELLED The objective of this study was to evaluate the incremental cost effectiveness of anesthesia workforce staffing scenarios, as a function of skill mix, by using the technique of decision analysis. A decision tree model was constructed to compare the incremental cost effectiveness of alternative delivery systems for anesthesia care from the perspective of the payer. Five different staf...

The need to establish clinical doctorate nurse anesthesia educational programs is discussed, as is the need for experienced program directors to take a leadership role in attracting qualified applicants to such programs. Holders of such advanced degrees are viewed as critical to meeting the challenges of the profession's future.

AANA Journal  December 2012  Vol. 80, No. 6 471 T he accreditation program for nurse anesthesia was initiated in 1952 by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA). The accreditation function was transferred to the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs/Schools in 1975 in response to a major revision of the US Office of Education criteria. Since 1975, the...

www.aana.com/aanajournal.aspx Hypotension should be vigilantly prevented in patients with spinal cord injury. Recent advances in neurological, intraoperative monitoring techniques have allowed Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists to assess the effects of spinal cord ischemia and compression as they occur. This case report describes a young, healthy man who sustained a cervical spine fracture...

Transesophageal echocardiography was first described and used to monitor cardiac function in 1976. Initially adopted by cardiac anesthesiologists and cardiologists, it has gained acceptance as an important diagnostic tool in the monitoring and assessment of cardiac status in the critically ill and trauma patient population. Comparative data suggest that transesophageal echocardiography provides...

Airway management following severe gasoline burn injury can be difficult. Because patients with severe burns may be treated at a variety of hospitals that provide emergent care, it is valuable for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists who work in such facilities to have an understanding of the care of these patients. Airway management is an extremely important consideration in the care of bur...