NC nurse anesthetists battle bill to put doctor supervision requirements into law

RALEIGH - Nurse anesthetists from across the state packed a hearing room at the N.C. General Assembly on Wednesday to show their dislike of a bill that calls for a physician to formally supervise their work. Certified nurse anesthetists now may work either "in collaboration with" or "under supervision of" doctors, an arrangement that bill sponsors say leaves the CNA-physician relationship vulnerable to interpretation and possible litigation. The goal is to put into state law "a fundamental patient-safety standard," said Rep. Nelson Dollar, a Republican from Cary who is one of four primary sponsors of the bill.