Posted by Dave J on January 12, 2008, 3:16 am, in reply to "Re: ASA issues"
The AANA does not have the power because it is does not make decent donations to political candidates. For every dollar it donates the ASA donates ten. When it comes to power in Washington and in the states, it is whoever donates the most. (We have the best politicians money can buy. Will Rogers.)
But more importantly, neither the ASA or the AANA have push to keep the supply up with demand. I have said it time and time again, the number of CRNAs being turned out each year is 1000 less than what demand requires. The Anesthesiologists are in the same situation. Add to that the impending retirement of baby boomer CRNAs and MDAs along with the again population and we are going to have a crisis in anesthesia. When people start complaining that they can not get elective but necessary surgery done for months because there are not enough anesthesia providers you can bet there will be a demand at the highest levels to fix the problem.
And there will be the AAs. People who do not FIRST have to go to medical school. People who do not FIRST have to go to nursing school and work two years as a critical care nurse. The AA programs will be able to churn out providers at a rate at least equal to the CRNA programs.
My CRNA compatriots can belly ache all they want. WE and the AANA dropped the ball and now it is time to realize someone else is going to pick it up.