The National Commission on Nurse Anesthesia Education 10 years later--Part 2: Years following the commission (1994 to present).

In 1989, the National Commission on Nurse Anesthesia Education was implemented to reverse a severe shortage of CRNAs. The Commission, charged with scrutinizing all aspects of nurse anesthesia educational programs, developed 8 goals with corresponding strategies that were used by the Commission Implementation Task Force to actualize its charge. These goals and strategies contributed to an increase of annual graduates from nurse anesthesia programs and the development of 10 new programs. These activities were documented in Part 1 of this article, which appeared in the October 2001 AANA Journal. Following completion of the 3-year project, the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) and the AANA Education Committee began carrying out the final recommendations made by the Commission. Part 2 addresses the accomplishments of the Education Committee and COA in implementing the recommendations of the Commission, discusses current status of educational programs and CRNA manpower, and identifies roles for both educators and practitioners in protecting the future of the profession.

TheNational Commission on Nurse Anesthesia Education 10 years later--Part 1: The commission years (1989-1994).

The significant decrease in the number of anesthesia providers during the late 1980s prompted American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) leaders to establish the National Commission on Nurse Anesthesia Education (NCNAE). The NCNAE was charged with scrutinizing all aspects of nurse anesthesia educational programs and developing strategies to reverse the critical shortage of nurse anesthetists. The tactics outlined by the commissioners were implemented, and they resulted in an increase of annual nurse anesthesia program graduates. Although there has been continued realization of NCNAE strategies, 10 years later the critical shortage of CRNAs has resurfaced. This 2-part article describes the commission years, the years that followed, and the current status of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) manpower.