Avignon hospital anesthetists want more recognition
Nurse anesthetists are among those caregivers who have been applauded during the health crisis. And now they feel despised. Forty of them in Avignon hospital after the strike national from November 2 to 17 for more recognition. What they are asking for is a legal recognition and legislative. They want state-certified nurse anesthetists to have advanced practice nurse status in law. Advanced practice is what gives more autonomy and responsibilities nurses to free up time for doctors.
Anesthetic nurses already in advanced practice
Anesthetic nurses are those who endorse patients in the operating theater, monitor them, and adjust drug doses during the operation. They are also the ones who control the awakening phase. Richard de la Rosa has been a nurse anesthetist for twelve years at the Avignon hospital. For him, nurse anesthetists are already in advanced practice. They work under the responsibility of anesthetists but have a certain autonomy. “The anesthetists are not present in the room during the operation. We call them if the patient ever escapes us” explains Richard de la Rosa. He gives an example: “A patient during an operation has a significant drop in blood pressure. If we have seen the strategy to be followed before with the anesthetized doctor, we are able to do it so if he is not there we do it.” Advanced practice is therefore part of the daily life of nurse anesthetists. What the strikers want is for it to be written into a law.
A loss of attractiveness for this profession
Without this recognition of status and the salary that goes with it, Robert de la Rosa is afraid that his job loses its attractiveness for generations to come. Particularly because after studying to become a nurse, you have to pass a competition and do two more years of training to become a nurse anesthetist. “You take a person who is a nurse and wants to become a nurse anesthetist. If she sees that at the start of her anesthetist career, she will receive 50 euros more than if she remains a simple nurse, she will not choose to take the lead for the time being. two more years “ laments Robert de la Rosa.