Handbook for the Rural Anesthesia Provider: How to Develop and Manage an Anesthesia Department

Abstract

Purpose: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) working in rural facilities may have limited resources to develop and manage anesthesia departments. Literature demonstrates a lack of consolidated information available for anesthesia department managers. Information necessary for a functional and efficient anesthesia department is available; however, it is dispersed over multiple data systems and is often difficult to find. The purpose of this project was to develop a resource handbook to assist the nurse anesthesia provider in developing and managing a functional anesthesia department in rural facilities. This project is intended to benefit the CRNA manager by placing the information in a single handbook for use as a reference. Methods: The compilation of referential information and recommendations made in this handbook are based on evidence found through a literature search of professional journals and websites, relating to the areas being discussed. This book addresses recommendations regarding department layout and use of personnel, interdepartmental cooperation, policy development, government and independent agency credentialing, equipment requirements, and practice tips. A qualitative survey of rural anesthesia providers was conducted to assess areas of knowledge deficit among this group of anesthesia practitioners. Results: The majority of anesthesia providers surveyed (77.27%) indicated a desire for a consolidated resource to aid in managing an anesthesia department. They indicated accreditation issues (68.75%) and solo provider issues (62.5%) as the primary areas of knowledge deficit. The majority (93.75%) indicated they were unable to locate a single consolidated source for all the information. These results were combined with the literature search to develop a resource handbook. Conclusions: A detailed literature search combined with results of a qualitative survey determined a lack of a consolidated resource handbook for nurse anesthesia department managers. A resource handbook was developed with evidence-based recommendations to aid managers in developing and managing anesthesia departments in rural facilities. Data sources: Mayo Clinic and University of Michigan, Flint libraries. Databases included CINAHL Complete, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, UpToDate and the Cochrane Library. Key words: Anesthesia department management, interdepartmental cooperation in healthcare, government healthcare regulations, healthcare regulating agencies, anesthesia credentialing organizations, state nursing boards, anesthesia equipment, rural anesthesia, and EMR.