Patient Knowledge of Anesthesia: Do Post-Operative Patients Know if Their Anesthesia was Administered by a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or an Anesthesiologist
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to provide a baseline measurement of patient's knowledge of who provided their anesthesia. The general public may be unaware of the existence of nurse anesthesia as a profession. Failure of patients to identify Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists as an option for the provision of their anesthesia has negative consequences for both the patient and anesthetists as a profession. The patient's fundamental right to choose the type of anesthesia provider administering anesthesia care has been explored in this study. The adverse effects of patient's lack of knowledge relative to nurse anesthetists is also presented. A convenience sample of 50 post~operative and post-partum patients requiring anesthesia care in a medium-sized military medical facility was surveyed to determine the extent of their knowledge about which type of anesthesia provider (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or Anesthesiologist)administered their anesthesia. Four subjects received their primary anesthesia care from physician anesthesiologists and 46 from nurse anesthetists. Three of the four receiving care from an anesthesiologist accurately identified their provider. Of the 46 subjects receiving anesthesia care delivered by nurse anesthetists only seven accurately identified their provider (15.3%). The results clearly indicate a lack of patient knowledge about the type of provider is administering their anesthesia.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 10, 1996
- Accession Number
- AD1011526
Entities
People
- Jeffery W. Moore
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences