California’s Major Labor Organizations Representing the Nursing Profession Support CANA-sponsored Bill AB 876 by Assemblymember Flora
(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Today, the California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (CANA) announced support for its sponsored bill AB 876 by Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Ripon) from the California Nurses Association / National Nurses United, United Nurses Association of California / Union of Health Care Professionals, and Kaiser Permanente Nurse Anesthetists Association.
“We’re grateful for our colleagues at CNA, UNAC/UHCP, and KPNAA for understanding the urgent need for AB 876. California CRNAs have provided anesthesia services without physician supervision for nearly 40 years, ensuring Californians throughout the state, particularly in rural and underserved regions, receive timely, high-quality, and cost-effective care,” said Emily Francke, CRNA, President, CANA. “With Assemblymember Flora’s leadership and broad support from allied professions, stakeholders, and the California Board of Registered Nursing, AB 876 should be passed out of the Legislature and signed by Governor Newsom as soon as possible.”
When signed into law, AB 876 (Flora) will make it abundantly clear for legislators, policymakers, and hospital administrators that Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), or nurse anesthesiologists, are authorized to provide anesthesia care independently. Specifically, the bill clarifies existing statutes within the Nurse Anesthetist Act to safeguard patients’ access to quality and timely anesthesia care and improve health outcomes.
“We are committed to building a better workplace and a healthier world, which is why we support AB 876,” said Daniel Bell, DNP, CRNA, United Nurses Association of California (UNAC) / Union of Health Care Professionals (UHCP). “By passing this measure, legislators will have taken decisive action to address provider redundancies that contribute to the state’s current anesthesia staffing crisis while preventing costly disruptions in care.”
AB 876 does not expand CRNAs’ scope of practice, nor does it change how CRNAs currently provide anesthesia in the state. The bill maintains that CRNAs have long provided anesthesia services without physician supervision, in line with regulatory opinions from the 1980s, case law, and California’s 2009 federal opt-out decision. In the operating room, it’s up to each health care facility to determine how they provide anesthesia services to patients. They can use a CRNA-only model; a collaborative model where CRNAs and physician anesthesiologists work together, but independently; or a physician anesthesiologist-led model.
Despite CRNAs’ longstanding independence, special interests are purposefully exploiting misinterpretations of state statute to challenge CRNAs’ established practice, place an undue burden on facility administrators, risk patient safety, and undermine patient access to timely and affordable anesthesia care.
“For decades, California CRNAs have been at the forefront of providing anesthesia services. It’s time for special interests to stop putting patients in the middle of political fights and instead work together on behalf of the Californians that entrust us with their lives,” said Kathleen Theobald, Executive Director, Kaiser Permanente Nurse Anesthetists Association (KPNAA). “We’re grateful to CANA for sponsoring this measure and Assemblymember Flora for championing this issue on behalf of his constituents and Californians throughout the state who rely on timely and affordable access to high-quality anesthesia care.”
By putting all statutes and codes in one place, AB 876 will avoid confusion, protect patient access, and prevent costly, unnecessary disruptions in anesthesia care and services. CRNAs are anesthesia experts. They must earn a BSN (or equivalent degree), obtain an RN license, complete a doctoral anesthesia program (DNP or DNAP), and nearly 10,000 hours of clinical and ICU training before taking the national certification exam. Unlike physician anesthesiologists, CRNAs must be board-certified to provide anesthesia services, with re-certifications required every 4 years.
AB 876 is set to be heard on April 22 in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee.
About California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (CANA)
CANA represents CRNAs across the state. Since 1931, CANA has provided leadership, advocacy, and education to advance patient safety and support the nurse anesthesia profession. Learn more at www.canainc.org.
