PANA Leads the Charge to Support AVANA

Nurse anesthetists have been the main providers of anesthesia care to U.S. military personnel on the front lines since World War I, and these professionals remain the primary anesthesia providers in austere combat theaters.

In fact, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) most commonly are the only anesthesia providers in the military’s forward surgical teams. We truly are battle-tested providers, administering safe, high-quality care even in the most stressful and emergent situations, as in any active-duty military circumstance.

Although we pause—and rightfully so—every Veterans Day to celebrate and remember the brave anesthesia providers who have been tending to wounded soldiers since the Civil War, supporting the work of active military personnel and veteran CRNAs is a year-round commitment for the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA).

For years, PANA has been one of the strongest supporters of the Association of Veterans Affairs Nurse Anesthetists (AVANA), the only professional organization that represents more than 1,100 CRNAs employed within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health-care system.

AVANA is committed to the care of veterans through engagement with every VA medical center in a concerted effort to improve services and promote clinical excellence through advocacy and continuing education.

Over the years, support for AVANA has grown, and now 13 state associations are helping them fulfill their mission, along with dozens of individual contributors. Our hope is that even more come to appreciate AVANA and the special work they do in serving the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting our freedoms.

PANA could not be prouder to partner with such an outstanding and mission-oriented organization like AVANA.

Learn more about AVANA and the work they do: www.vacrna.com.