The Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) reports to the Chief of Anesthesiology and the Chief of the Surgical Care Line. The CRNA provides anesthesia services for a diverse Veteran population and a broad range of situations throughout the medical center. CRNAs are nurses who focus on surgical patients and pain relief. They administer anesthetics, closely monitor patients' vital signs during surgery and adjust anesthetics accordingly.
Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) Basic Requirements Education. A masters or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing anesthesia accredited by Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. Licensure and Certification. The following licensure and certification requirements are considered conditions of employment. License. All APN (CNAs) must maintain an active, current, full and unrestricted license to practice as a CNA or equivalent, in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Basic Certification. All APN (CNAs) must maintain full and current certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) or an equivalent Nurse Anesthetist certification recognized by the COA. NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (CNA) assignment that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities for Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) II: Ability to translate into anesthesia care the principles of professional nursing practice including the patients' rights to autonomy, dignity, privacy, and safety. Knowledge of current research and practice guidelines to frame anesthesia practice including up to date techniques, pharmacology, and equipment. Ability to obtain, document and verify informed anesthesia consent and perform a pre-anesthetic patient history and physical, which includes managing pre-operative consults and interpreting data. Ability to formulate a patient-specific anesthetic plan and describe salient anesthetic risks, benefits, and options to the patient. Ability to administer inhalational, regional, intravenous, local, and topical anesthetics. Skill in detecting and treating anesthesia or surgically related physiologic changes and ability to treat accordingly in order to maintain homeostasis. Skill in assessing patient status for appropriateness of transfer of care to another healthcare provider and communicating essential patient information to other providers effectively. Ability to participate in collaborative responsibility for proper patient positioning, physiologic monitoring, infection control and anesthesia documentation. Skill in responding to emergency situations by providing airway management, fluid and medication administration, invasive line insertion and management and the use of advanced cardiac life support techniques. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession, (e.g., ultrasound techniques.) Ability to practice anesthesia in an interdisciplinary environment utilizing a collaborative concept of anesthesia care. Knowledge of quality improvement processes to maintain ongoing review and evaluation of anesthesia care to improve outcomes. Ability to demonstrate a practice emphasis on safety, current established guidelines and protocols while recognizing the duty to report unsafe conditions or errors. The following Education, Experience, and Knowledge, Skills and Abilities must be met for Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) III: Education and Experience Requirement: Meets basic education requirement for an APN (CNA) AND One year of specialized APN (CNA) experience equivalent to the APN (CNA) II grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Progressively responsible experience in the administration of anesthetics as indicated in the knowledge, skills and abilities listed below. Ability to plan, administer and manage anesthesia for a broad range of complex surgical procedures skillfully employing continuous assessment and anesthetic adaptation based on patient response and comorbidities. Work assignments will vary by facility. Ability to participate in assignments that are technically challenging, encompass a variety of anesthetizing locations and utilize advanced equipment and procedures while adapting techniques to solve various complex anesthesia problems including the development of individualized programs of post-op anesthesia care. Skill in responsibility and accountability to perform to the extent of the CNA standards of practice as a licensed healthcare professional in any model of anesthesia practice. Ability to contribute to the educational mission as a mentor or preceptor providing didactic and clinical instruction in anesthesia to student nurse anesthetists, medical and dental residents, and other health care trainees. Knowledge to participate in the development, implementation and maintenance of auditing processes that ensure and improve the quality and consistency of anesthesia and associated documentation. Ability to contribute to departmental administrative processes through quality assurance, shared governance, or committee representation as applicable. Ability to serve as a representative on interdisciplinary teams to establish and maintain guidelines and communication. Skill demonstrated in the ability to embrace the safety culture emphasis by continuously assessing for safety risks, actively reporting safety concerns, and maintaining a just culture by identifying faults in systems rather than individuals. Preferred Experience: At least 2 years of experience as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
The Full Performance Level CRNA translates the principles of professional nurse anesthesia practice into appropriate patient care. Performs the pre-anesthetic patient history and physical, including the collection of preoperative consults and data, from which an appropriate anesthetic plan is formulated. The anesthetic risks, benefits, and options are described to the patient. Administers inhalation, regional, intravenous, local, and topical anesthetics and continuously evaluates the patient's physical status and response to anesthesia. Performs post-anesthetic management of patients in order to optimize the recovery from anesthesia and minimize pain. Provides patient care that is a abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession while working effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care. Practices with colleagues and peers utilizing a collaborative team concept of anesthesia care while demonstrating effective communication skills and professional behaviors that promote cooperation and interdisciplinary teamwork. Demonstrates skill in conducting and managing anesthesia for a broad range of surgical procedures and the ability to adapt and modify anesthesia techniques in order to optimize patient care. Demonstrates the ability to perform the clinical and technical aspects of anesthesia care and has in-depth knowledge of anesthesia methods and techniques. Effectively blends technology, skills, and competency for the advancement of anesthesia techniques, pharmacology, and equipment. Applies new developments and theories to recognize and solve various complex anesthesia situations. Demonstrates the ability to share expertise within or beyond the facility through leadership or as an active participant in interdisciplinary groups (e.g. committees, task-forces, projects, formal teaching, publications or other professional activities). Participates in the development of the anesthesia patient care audit processes which involves the in depth review and analysis of anesthesia records. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: 6:30 am - 3:00 pm. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized