Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez and Rep. Mike Giallombardo filed legislation last week to grant Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in Florida the ability to practice independently, without the requirement of physician supervision.

The twin measures, SB 718 in the Senate and HB 649 in the House, seek to amend several statutes to expand CRNA practice authority. Under current Florida law, such professionals are required to have written supervisory protocols, meaning that to practice, they need a formal agreement with a supervisor that oftentimes involves a financial component where CRNAs pay a percentage of their collections to the supervising physician.

If passed, the bills would exempt CRNAs with autonomous practice registration from these requirements, allowing them to determine and administer anesthesia independently.

“Florida continues to grow, and our health care system must grow as well,” said Rodriguez. “We have already experienced health care costs forcing rural hospitals and health care providers to shut down or limit anesthesia care. We cannot accept this. All Floridians deserve access to the highest level of patient care with lower costs. This commonsense bill will help us move closer to that goal.”

The proposed measures also amend the licensure requirements for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Autonomous CRNAs would be authorized to perform a range of anesthesia-related functions, including preanesthetic assessments, ordering and administering regional and general anesthesia, and managing patient care during recovery. Additionally, the bills grant CRNAs the ability to admit, manage, and discharge patients in healthcare facilities, subject to federal laws.

“Florida has more than 6,400 CRNAs working tirelessly to provide anesthesia in hospitals and surgical centers in each of our 67 counties,” said Laura Molina, President of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (FANA). “Removing wasteful barriers that are keeping these highly trained anesthesia specialists from providing quality care will lower costs and free up time and expenses that will allow patients to undergo surgery safely with an emphasis on effective anesthesia care.”

Bill proponents further assert that the supervisory requirements contribute to the shortage of CRNAs in Florida, as many choose to practice in states with less restrictive regulations. This shortage is particularly acute in rural areas and is leading to the closures of healthcare services like obstetrics departments in hospitals. According to a survey by the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (FANA), more than half of current resident registered nurse anesthetists cited supervision laws as a factor in decisions to leave the state, while 83 percent said they would consider returning if autonomous practice were allowed.