Introduction

CRNAs have been administering anesthesia since the civil war, and yet confusion still exists regarding the CRNA role. That problem has inspired a network of CRNAs to organize into the Committee for Proper Recognition of CRNAs with the aim of increasing awareness for stakeholders that CRNAs are 1) Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who are 2) experts in anesthesia care. One part of that plan is to begin promoting the term “nurse anesthesiologist” since it more readily communicates the scope of services of CRNAs. Eventually, this resulted in the recognition of the term as an accepted descriptor or even title with certain regulatory bodies, within the association itself, and the updating of the name of the association to the “American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.”