CAAs in Tennessee

[AllenWrench]

Tennessee has an anesthesiologist assistant bill under consideration. It cleared its first hurdle in the state Senate and is scheduled for a committee hearing in the state House. Friends tell me that the CRNA lobby is flooding legislators with propaganda about how CAAs aren’t safe and that “greedy doctors” are putting patient lives at risk by supporting CAAs. If any of you are willing to contact TN legislators with stories of how CAAs are safe and have helped meet staffing shortages in your state, I’m sure our Tennessee colleagues would appreciate the support. Additionally, if you know any CAAs with ties to Tennessee that would like to go back home to practice, encourage them to reach out to tell their story, too.

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[Endee]

CAA bill just passed in Washington State this week also, despite a several-fold advantage in CON registrations vs PRO registrations there. The people/organizations that carry the most water for the cause are the state anesthesiology society and their leadership, state hospital association/state medical association, and people from any big-name health systems/academic centers in the state.

 

[Maverikk]

Every state that doesn’t have AAs should be using the current shortage to leverage legislature…of course it will depend on the strength of the state’s anesthesiology society. I have a friend who was involved in the process and the CRNAs tried to make medical supervision of AAs by a CRNA part of the bill.
One thing nurses have over doctors: the know how to wield political power, write letters, have a nursing leader talk to politicians and at least interact politically.

 

[mmag]

Every state that doesn’t have AAs should be using the current shortage to leverage legislature…of course it will depend on the strength of the state’s anesthesiology society. I have a friend who was involved in the process and the CRNAs tried to make medical supervision of AAs by a CRNA part of the bill.
One thing nurses have over doctors: the know how to wield political power, write letters, have a nursing leader talk to politicians and at least interact politically.

They also work 3 12's or some other schedule that lets them have many free days to go lobby and testify.

 

[Teillard]

Like the politician thinking with his joh***n...AA, CAA, CRNA...clap is coming one way or t'other....

 

[medicine2wallstreet]

Like the politician thinking with his joh***n...AA, CAA, CRNA...clap is coming one way or t'other....

This post made almost zero sense

 

[makemoney2024]

This post made almost zero sense

I still don’t get it

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

Outsider question here, what’s the difference in CAAs and CRNAs that make y’all support one and not the other? Aren’t they both trying to do your job for cheaper and less safe for patients?

 

[nimbus]

They also work 3 12's or some other schedule that lets them have many free days to go lobby and testify.

The only reason anesthesiologists do not do the same is our own greed. In fact there are many part timers in our midst.

 

[makemoney2024]

The only reason anesthesiologists do not do the same is our own greed. In fact there are many part timers in our midst.

Our own greed prevents us from lobbying/supporting lobbyists? Or prevents us from working part time?

 

[abolt18]

Outsider question here, what’s the difference in CAAs and CRNAs that make y’all support one and not the other? Aren’t they both trying to do your job for cheaper and less safe for patients?

Having worked with both, I'll say that crnas political body (and their educators) tell them that physicians are not necessary. They try to push their delusion that their training is somehow equivalent to ours. Of the 90ish crnas I worked with, maybe 20% were great to work with, 60% were tolerable, and 20% were unbearable due to their obvious contempt and the chip they carried around on their shoulders.

CAAs are told from day one that they work under the direction of an anesthesiologist. In my experience they are more "team" oriented and it's like working with the 20% of great to work with crnas all the time! Knowledge and skills seem to be equivalent so far. All about their attitude and political motivations.

 

[makemoney2024]

Outsider question here, what’s the difference in CAAs and CRNAs that make y’all support one and not the other? Aren’t they both trying to do your job for cheaper and less safe for patients?

CAAs follow the ACT model, have to be supervised by gas docs and aren’t seeking independence as of yet. Hopefully never but we don’t know the future. They come w less attitude.
CRNAs can be independent in half the states and can be supervised in some places by the proceduralists and many tend to equate themselves to us and think we aren’t necessary and are overpaid. They can be difficult to work with due to ego, bud some are difficult due to being treated poorly by anesthesia docs. Either way, I am not treating you poorly so don’t give me attitude for doing my job. But many of them are happy campers in the ACT model as well.

 

[HemeOncHopeful19]

CAAs follow the ACT model, have to be supervised by gas docs and aren’t seeking independence as of yet. Hopefully never but we don’t know the future. They come w less attitude.
CRNAs can be independent in half the states and can be supervised in some places by the proceduralists and many tend to equate themselves to us and think we aren’t necessary and are overpaid. They can be difficult to work with due to ego, bud some are difficult due to being treated poorly by anesthesia docs. Either way, I am not treating you poorly so don’t give me attitude for doing my job. But many of them are happy campers in the ACT model as well.

Ok so it’s quire like NPs vs PAs perhaps then? That makes a bit of sense

(But it seems from reading on here that more CRNAs truly want independence unlike many NPs)

 

[nimbus]

Our own greed prevents us from lobbying/supporting lobbyists? Or prevents us from working part time?

Working part time.

 

[makemoney2024]

Ok so it’s quire like NPs vs PAs perhaps then? That makes a bit of sense

(But it seems from reading on here that more CRNAs truly want independence unlike many NPs)

Really? I honestly don’t know who wants it more. In any case too many of them are militant and make parts of this job badly. I have however been lucky since I went back to supervising one year ago.

 

[makemoney2024]

CAA bill just passed in Washington State this week also, despite a several-fold advantage in CON registrations vs PRO registrations there. The people/organizations that carry the most water for the cause are the state anesthesiology society and their leadership, state hospital association/state medical association, and people from any big-name health systems/academic centers in the state.

This is awesome news. If it ever comes to my state I will be there.

 

[amyl]

And about 5-10% of crnas are 007…. Licensed to kill…. And too arrogant to ask for help and overconfident in their skills and ability. I’ve never worked with AAs 🤷‍♀️