The New Jersey Department of Health requires anesthesiologists be physically present during patient induction, emergence and critical change in status when nurse anesthetists administer general or major regional anesthesia, the ASA reported.
The ANA argued the Department of Health was overstepping its authority, but the court disagreed for several reasons. The court referenced a previous case, which established the administration of anesthesia as the practice of medicine and also made note of the differences in education and training of nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists.
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