Nurse Anesthetists Donate $10,000 to Ronald McDonald Houses

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CONTACT: Kurt Knaus, 717-571-5687

kurt@ceislermedia.com

Nurse Anesthetists Donate $10,000 to Ronald McDonald Houses

Grant Includes $4,000 for RMHC Mid-Penn’s

‘Rooms for Ronald’ Initiative in Central Pa.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Blair County (Dec. 19, 2019) --- Pennsylvania’s nurse anesthetists are donating $4,000 to help the Mid-Penn Region of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) with a new initiative to support the local chapter’s efforts to evolve the charity and its resources.

The local grant is part of $10,000 that the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) is using to support each of the six RMHC houses in the commonwealth. Houses are located in Danville, Hershey, Pittsburgh and Scranton; Philadelphia has two houses. Each house will receive a $1,000 grant.

“PANA and Ronald McDonald House Charities share the same mission: to provide peace of mind and comfort to families and patients who require care,” said PANA President Angela DiDonato. “We want to do all we can to ensure families stay close during trying times, because it can ease strains and help with healing.”

RMHC provides families with housing near a hospitalized child.

In the Mid-Penn Division, however, where there is no home, the $4,000 will support the “Rooms for Ronald Program,” where the local chapter partners with participating hotels to provide families with rooming closest to the hospitals where their child is receiving care.

Helping a sick child fight their illness takes a big emotional toll on a family. Adding a financial strain can make it almost too much to bear. RMHC helps to address those problems, whether they involve housing that’s near a hospitalized child, the expense of staying together in another city, or even getting basic medical and dental care in a vulnerable community.

“This donation will directly assist our mission of keeping families together and near the care and resources they need as their children receive essential medical care,” RMHC Mid-Penn Board President Darin Tornatore said. “It also marks an important milestone in our evolution to possibly bring a home and/or signature initiative to central Pennsylvania, while simultaneously supporting a program that enables parents to stay close to their children in care.”

This is the second consecutive year that PANA has donated $10,000 to RMHC.

Pennsylvania has 13 nurse anesthetist programs, making it a leader nationally. Most of the programs are located in hospitals served by the six Ronald McDonald Houses.

PANA represents more than 3,700 certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and students (SRNAs) in Pennsylvania.

CRNAs are the hands-on providers of anesthesia care, operating safely in every setting where anesthesia is administered, including: hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; pain management centers and more.

The Mid-Penn Division serves 13 counties in central Pennsylvania, including Blair, Cambria and other central counties.

For more information, visit www.PANA.org or www.rmhcmidpenn.org.

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Senate Unanimously Approves CRNA Designation Bill; Legislation Sent to House for Consideration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kurt Knaus, 717-724-2866

Senate Unanimously Approves CRNA Designation Bill;

Legislation Sent to House for Consideration

HARRISBURG (June 24, 2019) --- In the final days of legislative session before the General Assembly adjourns for summer, the state Senate today unanimously approved a measure (S.B. 325) that would formally recognize certified registered nurse anesthetists as “CRNAs” under Pennsylvania statute.

Pennsylvania remains one of just two states (New York is the other) that do not recognize CRNAs in some fashion. Under the state’s Professional Nursing Law, there is no official definition for “certified registered nurse anesthetist,” meaning these professionals are recognized only as registered nurses.

The measure, which is sponsored by state Sen. John R. Gordner (R-Columbia), now goes to the House, where Rep. Tarah Toohil is sponsoring a companion measure (H.B. 1064).

“We are so grateful to these legislative champions for all the work they are doing to advance the profession of nurse anesthetists and ensure these advanced practice nurses finally get the recognition they deserve,” said Derek Reckard, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists, which represents more than 3,700 CRNAs and students in Pennsylvania.

These professional designation bills are simple, non-controversial title recognition measures, which is why similar measures have passed in previous legislative sessions. This is the second consecutive legislative session that Gordner’s measure passed the Senate, and the third time the full Senate has approved the measure. The Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee approved the bill June 12.

CRNAs operate safely in every setting where anesthesia is administered, including: hospital operating and delivery rooms; ambulatory surgical centers; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons; pain management centers and more.

The lack of professional designation brings logistical and financial challenges for CRNAs.

Pennsylvania CRNAs who serve in the military must secure designation in another state to serve as an armed forces anesthesia provider because the commonwealth does not recognize CRNAs. Pennsylvania-based military CRNAs pay more traveling out of state to obtain credits or meet other legal requirements to stay licensed and credentialed. They also pay more out-of-pocket expenses renewing multiple licenses.

Pennsylvania CRNAs also cannot assist on rapid response teams in states affected by natural disasters because they lack the formal credentials.

Moreover, with 13 nurse anesthetist programs here, Pennsylvania ranks among the top draws nationally for CRNA students. But that leadership position in education and training is at risk once students realize they face hurdles to getting credentialed after graduation.

After receiving training in Pennsylvania, many CRNAs relocate to states where they are fully recognized and credentialed for clinical practice, contributing to “brain drain.”

“The time is now to finally get this bill over the finish line,” Reckard said. “Every CRNA in Pennsylvania is committed to working with members of the House of Representatives to help them understand how important this bill is to keeping patients safe, ensuring access to quality care and reigning in rising health-care costs.”

Learn more about CRNAs in Pennsylvania at www.PANAforQualityCare.com. Additional details are available via Twitter at @PANACRNA and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PANACRNA.