The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is part of a national campaign to provide fact-based answers to questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. In partnership with the Ad Council, the COVID Collaborative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other leading health organizations, the AANA has provided resources to address questions healthcare providers, patients, and the general public have about vaccine safety, vaccine types under development, and more.
“The partnership is a natural extension of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists’ (CRNAs) role in caring for patients during the pandemic,” said Brett Morgan, DNP, CRNA, senior director of AANA Education and Practice.
As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs are uniquely trained to provide critical care, anesthesia and airway expertise, ventilation management, vascular volume resuscitation, and more, making CRNAs among the most highly valued and sought-after healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Prior to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency approval of the COVID-19 vaccines, the AANA has urged CRNAs and student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) to learn about them,” said Morgan. “Equally important, we advocate that CRNAs and SRNAs who choose to be vaccinated should be offered early access. This campaign further strengthens our commitment to providing the highest quality support for our CRNAs and SRNAs, as they continue to work on the front lines of the pandemic.”
Morgan adds that the campaign aligns with the AANA position statement issued in December, recommending that CRNAs and SRNAs educate themselves to make an informed decision about receiving the vaccine and ensure that their healthcare administrators are aware of the important role CRNAs have in patient care. For more on the role of CRNAs during the pandemic, visit the AANA’s Step Forward campaign and stories.
