Ask About A Nurse Anesthetist
You may know you want an anesthetic for your labor, but did you know that it's not always a doctor who does the work? Here's some information from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
Jennifer Newton Reents
Nurse anesthetists have been providing anesthesia care in the United States for more than 100 years.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are anesthesia specialists. They administer approximately 65% of the 26 million anesthetics given to patients each year in the United States.
CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly 50% of all hospitals and more than 65% of rural hospitals in the United States, enabling these healthcare facilities to provide obstetrical, surgical and trauma stabilization services.
Managed care plans recognize CRNAs for providing high-quality anesthesia care with reduced expense to patients and insurance companies.
If your hospital or birthing center does not provide a full-time anesthesiologist (or one on staff at all), ask if the facility has a nurse anesthetist who can provide you with pain relief during labor.
