ANALYSIS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE ROLE PERCEPTIONS OF CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETISTS.
Contributors: Texas A & M University.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 214
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Purpose. The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, to identify current roles and future role perceptions for certified registered nurse anesthetists using the Delphi methodology. Second, to analyze the level of agreement or disagreement of anesthesiologists and CRNAs, with the identified roles and role perceptions.

Procedure. A survey instrument was developed using the Delphi methodology which involved five CRNAs and five anesthesiologists. The two instruments with a dimensional rating scale were labeled "Current Roles for CRNAs" and "Future Role Perceptions for CRNAs." The former instrument contained 26 items, and the latter contained 28 items.

Participants in this study were randomly selected from the active memberships of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Three hundred and sixty-nine of the 684 CRNAs and 354 of the 1400 anesthesiologists provided useable responses.

Results. Analysis of the data revealed that there were significant differences between the two professions on all roles. There was evidence of extreme polarity on roles relating to expanded practice, independent practice, the role of CRNAs on the anesthesia care team, and non-traditional practice settings. CRNAs differed from anesthesiologists in their role as nurse anesthesia educators. Anesthesiologists who worked with CRNAs were influenced in their support of CRNA roles, except for roles in independent and expanded practice, and responded differently from anesthesiologists who did not work with CRNAs.

Conclusions. (1) CRNAs and anesthesiologists differ in support for expanded practice in both current and future perceptions. (2) CRNAs and anesthesiologists differ on the issue of independent practice. (3) The perception of anesthesiologists relative to the anesthesia care team appeared to be influenced by a working relationship with CRNAs (4) Neither CRNAs nor anesthesiologists supported the roles and role perceptions related to non-traditional practice. (5) Anesthesiologists and CRNAs differed in their response to issues of education and research.

Recommendations. (1) The professions included in this study should work together toward the achievement of common goals. (2) To better serve the consumer in a cost-effective manner, roles should be defined for each profession, recognizing there will be areas of overlap. (3) Further study should be undertaken to determine if the future role perceptions remain valid and to identify those perceptions for the future of nurse anesthesia practice, which are as yet undefined.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-06, Section: B, page: 2130.

Thesis (PH.D.)--TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, 1988.

School code: 0803.