SR0015 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0015 LRB103 25157 LAW 51496 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice registered nurses who are among the most trusted health care professionals, having provided high-quality anesthesia care to patients in the United States for more than 150 years; and

WHEREAS, There are more than 1,900 CRNAs in Illinois that safely administer approximately 1.9 million anesthetics to patients each year; and

WHEREAS, CRNAs are the predominant providers of anesthesia in 79% of Illinois counties, primarily in rural communities, and are the only providers of anesthesia in 29% of Illinois counties, enabling health care facilities in these medically underserved areas to offer obstetrical, surgical, trauma stabilization, and pain management services; and

WHEREAS, CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered, including traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms, ambulatory surgical centers, the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons, and the medical facilities of the U.S. military, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the Department of Veterans Affairs; and

WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, CRNAs were instrumental in helping emergency rooms and ICU centers treat patients, utilizing their expertise in airway management, intubation, and ventilator management to care for patients; and

WHEREAS, Research conducted by the Research Triangle Institute shows that is no difference in safety or patient outcomes between CRNAs and physician anesthesiologists; and

WHEREAS, CRNAs are qualified to make independent judgments regarding all aspects of anesthesia care based on their education, training, and record of safety; and

WHEREAS, CRNAs are trusted anesthesia experts on the front line, delivering specialized, cost-effective care to all patients, from newborns to seniors, for every type of procedure and in all types of facilities; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the week of January 22 through January 28, 2023 as CRNA Week in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize the importance of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs) and their roles in providing high-quality care for the people of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we express our gratitude and appreciation for the CRNA profession and encourage patients, hospital administrators, health care professionals, policymakers, and others to participate in National CRNA Week to become more familiar with the CRNA credential and the exceptional advanced practice registered nurses who have earned it; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthesiology as a symbol of our respect and esteem.