National Nurse Anesthetists Week is Jan 24-30 For many, the knowledge of impending surgery can be worrisome. Thoughts of cold operating rooms, beeping monitors, masked faces and sharp instruments all add to the unease. The reassuring news is that an expert anesthesia provider will keep you safe and comfortable during your procedure. More often than not, that expert will be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), according to Darla Adams, director of the nurse anesthesia specialization, at the UND College of Nursing. As the hands-on providers of 32 million anesthetics delivered in the United States each year, CRNAs touch the lives of millions of patients and their families annually. In honor of this responsibility and privilege, America will celebrate National Nurse Anesthetists Week Jan. 24-30. To celebrate, Nursing will be hosting a reception from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, in the Nursing Building, Room 103H. “CRNAs are the patients’ eyes and ears during surgery,” said Adams. “We are the patients’ advocates when they can’t speak for themselves. It’s an awesome responsibility and a sacred trust upon which our profession has built its reputation for safety and quality care. “CRNAs take their patients through the entire operative process – inducing sleep, monitoring vital signs, adjusting anesthesia levels, and waking the patient after surgery,” said Adams. -- Becky Cournia, Alumni & Development Officer, College of Nursing, beckycournia@mail.und.edu, 777-4526