Every few years, New Jersey is faced with the monumental question of whether or not to authorize certified registered nurse anesthetists — advanced practice nurses — who have completed an anesthesia training program, to administer anesthesia to patients without a licensed physician anesthesiologist present.
During the pandemic surge, Gov. Phil Murphy issued Executive Order 112, allowing flexibility in how hospitals utilized many healthcare providers, including authorization of CRNAs to administer anesthesia without physician supervision. Despite claims to the contrary, we are not aware of any hospital or ambulatory surgery center that permits a CRNA to administer anesthesia without physician supervision.