End of COVID Public Health Emergency Limits Patients' Access to Nursing Care during National Nurses Week

AANA Calls for Passage of ICAN Act to Increase Patient Access to High-Quality Advanced Practice Nurse Care

ROSEMONT, Ill., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- During National Nurses Week, May 6-12, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) and others are honoring and recognizing the vital contributions of nursing professionals. Nurses have been at the forefront of healthcare during the pandemic, providing the highest quality care. However, there are some regulatory changes occurring at the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on May 11 that might adversely impact patients' access to that high quality of care overnight.

Recognizing the need to empower the entire healthcare workforce to respond and treat patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government issued several waivers to remove barriers to care such as physician supervision of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) under Medicare Part A and the supervision requirements for Nurse Practitioners in Rural Health Clinics.  

"The Public Health Emergency is ending, which means come May 12, patients may no longer have access to the same providers they had on May 11 or that provider may not be able to provide the healthcare services patients have been able to receive since 2020," said AANA President Angela Mund, DNP, CRNA. "Nurses, including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) like CRNAs, have been at the front lines of caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, using their invaluable skills to save lives. They were able to do so because they could practice to the top of their license and education, without the burden of unnecessary regulations like physician supervision."

The Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act (HR 2713) introduced in Congress in April, would help patients keep their providers and expand access to care for all patients. The ICAN Act removes practice barriers for CRNAs and other APRNS by allowing them to provide more comprehensive healthcare services to patients across the country. This action would especially benefit patients in rural and underserved areas, which face a shortage of providers.

CRNAs are the predominant providers of anesthesia services in rural communities. The ICAN Act would allow patients in Medicare to continue to access these services and expand this same high-quality care to Medicaid members.

"CRNAs put patient care at the forefront of everything we do. With our critical care experience and our training, education, and expertise in anesthesia, we ensure patients have access to care in medically underserved communities where surgical, obstetric, and trauma services may otherwise not be available," Mund said. "CRNAs have a vital role in the healthcare system, providing access to safe, high-quality anesthesia care for all Americans. That's why this critical legislation must be passed."

As APRNs, CRNAs are members of the most trusted profession for the 21st year in a row, according to a Gallup poll released in January 2023. They administer more than 50 million anesthetics every year in the United States with a high degree of autonomy and responsibility. These dedicated healthcare providers practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered, offering obstetrical, surgical, pain management, and trauma stabilization services. The passage of the ICAN Act would make sure patients can continue to access healthcare close to home, from the providers they trust.

"CRNAs and other nurses are often the first point of contact with patients," said Mund. "CRNAs are advocates for our patients, and we're with them every step of the way, pre-op through post-op, providing safe, effective, and high-quality anesthesia care."

Nurse anesthetists provide anesthesia and pain management care across all settings and in all patient populations. They are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural and underserved areas, as well as in the U.S. military, where they are often the sole anesthesia provider on forward surgical teams.

National Nurses Week honors the contributions and sacrifices of nurses. It is celebrated between May 6, National Nurses Day, and May 12, the birthdate of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Sponsored by the American Nurses Association (ANA), the week-long event highlights the crucial contributions that nurses make to healthcare and their communities.

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SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology