DD, as an opposer to new and upcoming AAs, you seem to have an issue with some of them not having any patient care experience. I believe that this is where your statements of incompetency concerning AAs derive from. It seems to me that you fail to realize that before some CRNAs, whom you advocate so well concerning competency, became RNs they had no experience neither. But, I'm sure that didn't obviate them from becoming good nurses. As Dave J posted above, there is shortage of anesthesia providers and AAs to me is a solution to the problem. With a shortage of anesthesia providers comes long hours in the OR for the ACT and diminished quality of patient care. As a proactive and team playing registered respiratory therapist this is my concern and not so much of who gets to work supervised and unsupervised b/c at some point in the OR the whole ACT is going to have to rely on each other. And the only reason, other than years of experience, that the few CRNAs who perform duties alone in some instances is mainly b/c of their nursing experience in critical care. My advice to you sweetheart is: 'stop being so negative and insecure' . -futureAA