Reply To: Working in a facility that also uses AAs

[BeachCRNA]

[BeachCRNA]

I work in a facility that uses AA’s along with CRNA’s, and overall I am not a fan, and neither are most of my CRNA coworkers. This dynamic, in my opinion, has caused what can best be described as low workplace morale and a strange dynamic in cohesiveness within the ACT. Most of the AA’s we work with are nice people, however, their overall use as a political tool against CRNA’s by the Anesthesiologist’s (on the broad scale, as well as within our facility) makes it a bit like being forced into bed with someone you have no desire to sleep with.

Facilities that use both AA’s and CRNA’s “interchangeably”, have a tendency to try and merge the 2, as if there is no difference between an Anesthesiologist Assistant and a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, when we all (clearly) know there is. Hopefully, someone has a more positive point of view for you on here, but as for my personal experience in working in this environment, I wouldn’t suggest it, if you had the option of working in a group or facility that only used CRNAs. In fact, we have lost quit a few excellent CRNA’s, who have decided to seek other opportunity’s where the work place isn’t so uncomfortable… and I actually will be following suit shortly.