Anesthesia Can Be Dangerous and Must Be Properly Supervised
Pennsylvania regulations permit a nurse anesthetist to administer anesthesia when the nurse anesthetist is supervised by an anesthesiologist or an operating surgeon. [1] While surgeons may supervise a nurse anesthetist without a physician anesthesiologist, “In the interests of patient safety and quality of care, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) believes that all patients deserve the involvement of a physician anesthesiologist in their perioperative care. ” [2] If non-anesthesiologists are the physician to supervise a nurse anesthetist, the ASA cautions that “Careful consideration is required whenever a non-anesthesiologist physician will be the only physician available, as in some small hospitals, freestanding surgery centers, and offices.
