Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Under general supervision, to administer anesthesia to patients undergoing operations, deliveries, and other therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

The Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) classification is distinguished from the Clinical Nurse III classification in that the Clinical Nurse III is responsible for direct patient care and initiates and performs nursing interventions utilizing current clinical knowledge under general supervision, whereas the CRNA is an advanced practice nurse that possesses a higher level of education and applies independent judgment in the administration of anesthesia to patients undergoing operations, deliveries, and other therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.

The CRNA classification is distinguished from the Nurse Practitioner (NP) classification in that the NP provides primary care and urgent care services to patients, performs physical examinations to evaluate patients’ health, and diagnoses illnesses, whereas the CRNA evaluates pre-operative conditions and administers anesthetics to manage patients undergoing surgical procedures.

The CRNA classification is distinguished from the Director of Advanced Practice classification in that the Director of Advanced Practice provides leadership, direction, and supervision to Nurse Practitioners (NP), Physician Assistants (PA), Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Certified Nurse Midwives with limited patient care responsibilities, whereas the CRNA has direct patient care and works independently with limited supervisory responsibilities.

Santa Clara County Health System has one vacant position. For additional information, please contact Provider Recruitment Services.

• Administers various types of anesthesia by inhalation, intravenous injection, epidural, spinal, and block methods;
• Initiates and compiles or reviews the documentation of a thorough pre-anesthesia evaluation according to policies and standards;
• Develops patient care regimens based on evaluations;
• Communicates with the assigned anesthesia faculty member, as needed, before, during and after surgery;
• Informs the surgeon and anesthesiologist of the patient’s condition;
• Examines patients and evaluates pre-operative condition to determine degree of surgical risk and type of anesthesia or sedation to administer;
• Keeps current, accurate, and complete records of procedures performed and patients' conditions according to established standards; accurately charts procedures;
• Administers chosen anesthetic consistent with safety of patients, requirements of surgeons, possible post-operative complications, patients' history, and conditions; constantly evaluates and monitors patients' responses and treatments of responses;
• Manages the organization and use of equipment and supplies in a professional, effective, safe, and appropriately cost-effective manner;
• Orders, assembles, and sterilizes all special equipment used in connection with administration of anesthetics for special types of surgery;
• Orders all drugs used in anesthetics procedures; checks narcotics used in surgery by surgical staff;
• Ensures an anesthesia care support environment that is functionally safe and clean;
• Ensures that unsafe equipment is removed from service and reports any malfunction of equipment and unsafe conditions according to departmental policies and procedures;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker (DSW), as required;
• Performs other related duties, as required.

• Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks, plus the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities;
• Must possess and maintain the following licenses and/or certifications in good standing upon appointment and for the duration of employment in this classification:
  California Registered Nurse (RN) license;
  Certification as a Nurse Anesthetist by the California State Board of Registered Nursing;
  Basic Life Saving Certification (BLS);
  Advance Cardiovascular Life Saving Certification (ACLS);
  Certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists;
• Ability to…