I hope the New Year has found you and your family doing well. It is hard to believe that March is already here! The CANA Board of Directors has now been in office for five months and during that time we have been very hard at work. I want to recap what we have been up to.

In January 2004, legislation was passed (SB358) that gave the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) the authority to determine the scope of practice for California CRNAs. No other agency is authorized to define or control the scope of our practice. The BRN has also updated their written practice statement about the role of the CRNA. This newly revised statement is available on the BRN website www.rn.ca.gov and on the CANA website at www.canainc.org. The statement, which I urge all CRNAs to review, is entitled “Practice of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.” It is a well-defined, concise statement about our scope of practice.

This revised BRN scope of practice statement, along with SB 358, should help clarify some of the recent issues which have been brought to our attention by California CRNAs. One of the main purposes of our state association is to protect and preserve the practice of nurse anesthesia in California. Many times this involves adoption of new legislation, meeting with state government agencies and numerous letters and conference calls. Our practice is maintained through the efforts of many, including the CANA Board of Directors, lobbyists, and legal counsel. A percentage of your AANA dues is filtered to the state association but unfortunately those funds only cover basic operational costs. Even the board of directors strives to cut our own spending any way we can to remain financially solvent.

CANA has re-initiated a letter campaign to bring aid to our legal fund. The fundraising letter was mailed in December and, so far, your generous donations have raised more than $35,000.00! As your president, I am overjoyed and filled with pride for this outpouring of generosity. I thank you most sincerely. If you have not yet contributed, I encourage you to take a moment to re-read the letter and, if possible, give to the effort. The function of CANA is to continue to work within our state and with the AANA to maintain a great atmosphere for CRNAs in California. Even the smallest donation helps.

National Nurse Anesthetist Week was January 24-28, 2005. On January 24th, the CANA Board of Directors spent the day in Sacramento lobbying on Capitol Hill for CRNA practice issues—we also made it a point to thank the legislators who have supported our profession. It was an exciting day as we celebrated our profession! We were officially recognized by our state representatives with a proclamation announcing Nurse Anesthetist Week, presented by Assembly Member Karen Bass (D-47). I invite everyone to join the Board of Directors at the AANA mid-year assembly April 24-27, 2005. The week is spent lobbying at the nation’s Capitol. At the end of the week one is filled with such a sense of pride for our profession, as we are recognized by our Congressional Representatives for all of the care we provide for the citizens of California.

Inside this edition of CANA News, among all of the articles, updates and reports, keep your eye out for information about the upcoming Spring 2005 meeting. CANA is teaming up for a joint meeting with the Kaiser Permanente Nurse Anesthetist Association, and it looks to be one of our largest meetings yet! The theme of the weekend is “Spring into FUNdamentals” with emphasis being on FUN. We are getting back to the basics with a program that focuses on the primary principles of anesthesia. We’ll hear updates on the latest anesthesia trends, be introduced to some of the newest medications, and maybe get a little review in some areas in which we might have gotten a little rusty. I am also really excited for the Friday night College Bowl which will be the official kick-off of an amazing week-end!

On Saturday night, please join me at a very special party. We will celebrate our best as “CANA Rocks the Boat!” This is a formal dinner, dance and cruise on the Newport Beach Harbor featuring live entertainment by the Melvin Eddy Blues Band. Come along and catch up with old friends, maybe make some new ones, and show your support by bidding at the ANAP PAC Fund auction! This is definitely an event you will not want to miss—but you will if you don’t hurry! Space is limited so order your tickets early. You can find all the details in the center of this newsletter or by clicking on www.canainc.org. Don’t miss the boat!

Thank you for all of the hard work and dedication you give to our profession. Thank you for making the practice of nurse anesthesia so strong in California. I look forward to seeing you at the Spring meeting!

Best Regards,
Jennifer L. Woolley CRNA, MS
President California Association of Nurse Anesthetist