I enjoy watching DD try to dice the AAs yet she does not realize the same arguments were used for years against CRNAs.
NURSES started giving anesthesia in the USA because there were not enough PHYSICIANS. Had there been enough physicians, the USA would be using all MDA anesthesia just like England does, who, guess what, had enough physicians. Now in the USA we do not have enough physicians or nurses so along come the AAs. When there is a void, someone comes along to fill it. Be it CRNAs or AAs.
NURSES were preferred in the USA by the surgeons because they were under the control of the SURGEON and did not argue back like those damn MDAs did. Now along come the AAs who will be under the control of the MDAs. So what? Both groups have to answer to someone.
NURSES were perferred by the hospitals and insurance industry because they were cheaper than the MDAs. Now along come AAs who might actually be able to do the same work for less. Is not less cost good for the patient?
NURSES were cheaper to train than DOCTORS and training someone to do ether anesthesia was pretty simple. Now it seems training AAs might just be cheaper than training CRNAs. Is not less cost good for the student?
DD also seems to think the MDAs only supervise. There are many many places DD where the anesthesia staff is ALL MDA and they do their own cases. Would you prefer that as the answer to the anesthesia staffing shortage? No AAs or CRNAs?
I can not see any logical reason for DD to be so obsessed about the MDAs making money. (Unless she worked for some and they fired her.)