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California doctors suing state to ensure nurses have supervision when administering anesthesia

Patient Safety Monitor Alert, February 24, 2010

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California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision to opt out of a Medicare provision requiring the state's nurses to be supervised by physicians when administering anesthesia is being challenged by two physician organizations, reports American Medical News.

The California Medical Association and California Society of Anesthesiologists have filed a suit saying that patient safety will be put at risk by the change in practice. Previously, nurse anesthetists required supervisions by physicians when administering anesthesia, and the suit pushes this rule to go back into effect because the administration of anesthesia usually involves high-risk medications and procedures. Additionally, the suit alleges that the new law violates existing state law, which bans nurse anesthetists from administering these types of medications on his or her own.

However, Gov. Schwarzenegger decided to opt out of this rule in June 2009, which is allowed by Medicare, to save money but maintain the level of patient safety at CA hospitals. His reasoning, with which the California Hospital Association agrees, is that patients in rural areas often cannot wait for a physician to supervise a nurse anesthetist to administer anesthesia. Therefore, it is imperative for nurses trained in administering anesthesia be able to do so without supervision, these groups argue.

To read more from American Medical News, click here.

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