Should student nurse anesthetists be required to administer regional anesthesia?

Although millions of anesthetics are administered by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) every year, all CRNAs are not trained in the actual administration of regional anesthesia. Some individuals believe that all students should receive this instruction while enrolled in nurse anesthesia education programs. This belief has resulted in the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs being encouraged to adopt an accreditation requirement for the administration of regional anesthesia by students. Clinical experience in administration would supplement experience in managing regional anesthetics and didactic instruction that students do receive. This study identified the current practices in nurse anesthesia programs related to the administration of regional anesthesia by students and reasons for supporting or opposing an accreditation requirement.