Canadian operating room nursing journal
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Can Oper Room Nurs J · Jun 2009
Historical ArticleNursing and anaesthesia: historical developments in Canada.
There is little historical knowledge available about nurses' role in anaesthesia in Canada. It appears, from the few sources available, that nurses did administer anaesthesia in the early 20th century in Canada. The limited historiography reveals that nurses who worked in small rural hospitals across Canada were, due to the lack of physician specialty and coverage, involved in the administration of anaesthesia. ⋯ As the Canadian healthcare environment continues to change, and the need for anaesthesia services increases, new questions have begun to arise about the potential for an advanced practice role in anaesthesia for Canadian nurses. The demand for anaesthesia services is increasing in-line with the aging Canadian population and the shortage of available services is most dramatic in small, rural hospitals. This article provides important historical background on the development of the role of nurse anaesthetists in Canada.