The Role of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists in Patient Education
Abstract
As advanced practice nurses, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) have a responsibility to engage in patient education about health related issues. This is accomplished in a variety of ways, including perioperative patient teaching and healthcare promotion. In this study, the extent to which patient educational activities are engaged in by CRNAs was examined. A descriptive survey of United States Air Force CRNAs (n=84) was conducted. A questionnaire was mailed to each CRNA along with a letter explaining the purpose of the study. Data were collected and analyzed utilizing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and content analysis. Fifty percent of the USAF CRNAs who participated in this study have been practicing for fewer than five years. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents work in a medical treatment facility that provides an anesthesia program for anesthesia. Categories and themes include; engaging in perioperative patient education, focusing on explanations about anesthesia and surgery, prior nursing experiences make patient education easier, documenting patient education is important and uncertainty about where to document it. Common topics and themes are discussed. These include; timing of teaching, expectations from the patient and CRNA, choices available to the patient, and topics of teaching.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- AD1012356
Entities
People
- Henry A. Spradlin
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences