Defines the practice of certified registered nurse anesthetist; requires collaboration with a licensed physician qualified to determine the need for anesthesia services; requires licensing; defines qualifications.
Summary
This bill creates a new Article 139-A in the Education Law to formally establish the profession of certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in New York. It defines the scope of practice for CRNAs to include administering anesthesia and sedation, performing pre-anesthetic assessments, obtaining informed consent, developing anesthetic plans, monitoring patients, managing airways and cardiopulmonary status, ordering certain tests and imaging, prescribing anesthesia-related drugs and treatments, and providing post-anesthesia follow-up and pain management.
The bill also creates a state licensing framework for CRNAs. Applicants must already be licensed registered professional nurses in New York, complete an approved nurse anesthesia program, pass an exam, meet character requirements, and pay specified fees. It authorizes limited permits for applicants awaiting examination, sets rules for title use, and creates transition provisions allowing currently practicing CRNAs to continue practicing if they meet certification and licensure deadlines. The bill further amends existing nursing law to recognize Article 139-A and expands the State Board for Nursing to include two certified registered nurse anesthetists.
Impact
The bill would amend the Education Law to add a new licensed profession and to integrate CRNAs into New York’s existing nursing regulatory structure. It changes section 6903 to allow use of the title “nurse” by persons authorized under the new CRNA article, and it revises section 6904 to expand the State Board for Nursing from 15 to 17 members by adding two CRNA seats. It also establishes licensure, limited permit, and grandfathering provisions that would affect nurses seeking anesthesia credentials, hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers that supervise anesthesia services, and physicians, dentists, and podiatrists involved in anesthesia care.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears supportive and professionalization-oriented. The bill is framed as a regulatory and workforce-recognition measure, suggesting an intent to formalize an existing practice area rather than create a new controversial service. The sponsor list is broad, which also suggests substantial legislative interest in advancing the measure.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the supervision and practice-structure requirements. Newly licensed CRNAs with 3,600 hours or less must practice under specified physician supervision or, in some settings, under qualified dentists or podiatrists, while more experienced CRNAs move into an interdependent team role; these provisions may draw differing views from nursing advocates and physician groups about autonomy and oversight. Another possible issue is the scope of prescribing authority and the extent to which CRNAs may independently order and administer anesthesia-related drugs and tests. The transition rules for currently practicing CRNAs and the addition of CRNA members to the nursing board may also be debated as to whether they adequately balance access, safety, and professional representation.
Same As
Defines the practice of certified registered nurse anesthetist; requires collaboration with a licensed physician qualified to determine the need for anesthesia services; requires licensing; defines qualifications.