NJSSA Wins: Preserves Physician-Led Anesthesia

On March 30, Governor Mikie Sherrill signed into law legislation that allows certain Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) providing primary or behavioral health care to practice without physician involvement.  Anesthesia was explicitly carved out of this legislation, S2996, through advocacy work of the New Jersey State Society of Anesthesiologists (NJSSA). 

As introduced, the legislation applied to all APNs, would have created a new “APN anesthesia” license, and permitted nurse anesthetists to practice without physician supervision or joint protocols after 24 months or 2,400 hours. Through sustained advocacy by NJSSA and its patient safety coalition, lawmakers rejected that approach and preserved physician led anesthesia care. 

Watch ASA member and Assemblyman Dr. John Azzariti’s floor speech where he educated colleagues on the patient safety risks of the remaining bill language.

ASA applauds Governor Sherrill and the New Jersey Legislature for recognizing the importance of anesthesiologist-led care.