Last month, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported a shortage of anesthesiologists across 31 of the 141 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. In response to that report, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) released statements debating the severity of the shortage and whether or not action should be taken to address it.
In its response, the AANA called for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)