Over the years, there has been ongoing controversy over whether or not nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) should be licensed to administer anesthesia . There are various legal issues surrounding nurse anesthetists, ranging from the illegal practice of anesthesia to requirements for physician supervision. A nurse anesthetist is a specialized nurse who has been sufficiently trained to administer anesthesia, medications that cause loss of pain or sensation. These types of nurses are registered and have completed additional years of college to be able to practice anesthesia. At a minimum, it takes seven calendar years to become a nurse anesthetist. And before completing their studies, the average CRNA student completes 2,500 clinical hours and administers at least 850 anesthetics (AANA). So ask yourself. Would you be comfortable letting a “nurse” administer anesthesia to you before your own surgery? The first documented occurrence of anesthesia performed by civilian nurses was in the 1870s in the Midwest. Sister Mary Bernard, founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Kansas, entered Saint Vincent Hospital in Pennsylvania to train as a nurse. It was only twelve months later that she took over anesthesia duties at the hospital (Nagelhout, Plaus 3). His effective administration of anesthesia led this practice to be repeated throughout the Midwest and ultimately the United States. In 1900, Agatha Hodgins went to Cleveland, Ohio to work at Lakeside Hospital. It was eight years later that Dr. George Crile chose her to become a nurse anesthetist. Alongside Crile, Agatha pioneered the use of nitrous oxygen anesthesia, which was introduced during World War I and later opened a notable school for nurse anesthetists. That's when the anesthetized nurse... middle of paper... completely disagreed with this. Dr. Debbie Malina countered by saying that it could be easily proven that nurse anesthetists performed all types of surgical procedures, independent of any type of supervision from a doctor or anesthesiologist. Malina added that nurse anesthetists had little to no restrictions regarding the cases they were involved in, the different types of anesthetics they could administer, and no limitations on the types of facilities in which they were involved. which they were authorized to work. With the many advances in technology, the critical nature of anesthesia, and the increase in the number of sick and “sick” people, physicians feel that CRNA supervision is more essential than ever. Several CRNAs added that they are able to provide competent and efficient health care to all patients, given that most CRNAs were the primary care providers in rural areas. (Medscape)