About
Protecting Our Patients. Serving Our Members.
WANA | Washington Association of Nurse Anesthesiology has promoted best practices in the field of anesthesia and provided members with exceptional training and career opportunities while elevating issues of critical concern to the delivery of healthcare in the state of Washington.
Our Mission
- Represent the collective professional interests of CRNAs
- Advocate for the profession of nurse anesthesia
- Educate CRNAs to achieve excellence in anesthesia practice
- Ensure patient safety
Total Members
1007
Active Certified Members
821
Active Student Associates
86
CRNAs at a Glance
WANA Bylaws
CRNA History
Nurse anesthetists have been providing anesthesia care to patients in the United States for more than 130 years. The CRNA credential came into existence in 1956 and, in 1986, CRNAs became the first nursing specialty accorded direct reimbursement rights from Medicare and are compensated accordingly.
Prolific Providers
CRNAs are anesthesia professionals who safely administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States.
Rural America
- CRNAs represent more than 80% of the anesthesia providers in rural counties. Many rural hospitals are critical access hospitals, which often rely on independently practicing CRNAs for anesthesia care. Half of U.S. rural hospitals use a CRNA-only model for obstetric care, and CRNAs safely deliver pain management care, particularly where there are no physician providers available, saving patients long drives of 75 miles or more.
Anesthesia Safety
Numerous peer-reviewed studies have shown that CRNAs are safe, high quality and cost-effective anesthesia professionals who should practice to the full extent of their education and abilities.
Autonomy and Responsibility
As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect. CRNAs are qualified to make independent judgments regarding all aspects of anesthesia care based on their education, licensure, and certification. CRNAs, graduates of nurse anesthesia educational programs must pass the National Certification Examination.
Practice Settings
CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered: traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; ketamine clinics; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; and U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.
Military Presence
Nurses first provided anesthesia on the battlefields of the American Civil War. During World War I, nurse anesthetists became the predominant providers of anesthesia care to wounded soldiers on the front lines. Today, CRNAs have full practice authority in every branch of the military.
Cost-Efficient
The CRNA model, where anesthesia delivery is staffed and directed by CRNAs avoids duplication of services, promotes efficient utilization of anesthesia providers, and reduces cost.
Direct Reimbursement
Legislation passed by Congress in 1986 made nurse anesthetists the first nursing specialty to be accorded direct reimbursement rights under the Medicare program and CRNAs have billed Medicare directly for 58 million of the physician fee schedule amount for services.
Supervision Opt-Out
In 2001, CMS changed the federal physician supervision rule for nurse anesthetists to allow state governors to opt-out of this facility reimbursement requirement.
To date, 22 states plus Guam and DC have opted out of the federal physician supervision requirement.