Last Friday, The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) sent a letter to the Texas Medical Board (TMB) seeking to address misstatements regarding the recent Opinion No. 0371-KP. The letter addressed both the supervision of CRNAs and the presence requirement in the Health & Safety Code. Click here to read the full letter sent to TMB.
Members may recall AG Opinion No. 0371-KP addressed “whether chapter 157 of the Occupation Code requires a physician to provide any level of supervision to a certified registered nurse anesthetist to whom the physician has delegated authority, and the potential liability for such delegation.” General Paxton’s Opinion maintained the status quo, which is the best possible outcome for CRNAs operating in Texas. The full AG Opinion can be found here.
We are thankful for the clarifications provided within this document, and please do not hesitate to share with your colleagues should it be helpful. We have monitored this issue closely and will continue to follow all matters impacting patient safety and the profession of nurse anesthesia.
Please contact TxANA with any questions.
