As healthcare rapidly evolves, continued certification is more critical than ever to keep patients’ trust

As trust in institutions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration wanes, particularly since the pandemic, the personal connection between patients and healthcare providers has become increasingly vital. Public faith in healthcare institutions, government health agencies, and health systems has declined, and according to a recent KFF tracking poll, trust in these agencies has continued to drop, with partisan divides growing wider. As confidence in these institutions erodes, patients are turning to their healthcare providers—the people they see face to face—for assurance and confidence in their care. They want the certainty of knowing that their provider is competent, up-to-date, and genuinely invested in their well-being.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), as advanced practice nurses specializing in anesthesia, play a pivotal role in perioperative patient care. We are often the first healthcare providers that patients encounter before a procedure, interviewing them about their medical history and developing a plan for anesthesia. In those critical moments, the trust patients place in us is profound. Beyond administering anesthesia, we alleviate patient apprehension and ensure their safety during vulnerable moments. This trust doesn’t happen in an instant; it’s something we continually refine and develop over an entire career.

The landscape of our profession is rapidly evolving, and CRNAs, like many healthcare providers, need to stay ahead of the latest developments. Emerging medications, such as GLP-1s for obesity treatment, present unique challenges, including interactions with anesthesia due to side effects like delayed gastric emptying. Similarly, the integration of artificial intelligence into anesthesia management represents another frontier where CRNAs must adapt. This knowledge wasn't part of our original training, but it's essential for upholding patient safety. That's where continued education and certification play a pivotal role.

CRNAs have long embraced lifelong learning. The NBCRNA's Maintaining Anesthesia Certification (MAC) Program revolutionizes CRNA education with longitudinal assessment, as it fosters perpetual knowledge enhancement. Instead of taking a test every four or even eight years, we assess our knowledge quarterly and stay updated on the latest anesthesia research to maintain the highest standards of practice. While this commitment isn't always visible to the public or even to other healthcare professionals, it is a core part of what enables us to confidently care for patients across their lifespan.

NBCRNA’s survey research highlights that an overwhelming 96% of patients value continuous education for CRNAs, linking it directly to their trust and confidence in our care. It’s clear that patients place an immensely high value on the continuous education and professional development CRNAs pursue, especially given the risks of anesthesia. In fact, the same survey found that 81.5% of patients trust their CRNA even more when they know the CRNA is committed to ongoing certification, like quarterly knowledge checks in a longitudinal assessment format. For patients, this commitment is more than ticking boxes—it proves that when CRNAs stay current and continuously improve their practice, we are actively building trust with our patients.

While patients trust CRNAs, there’s an opportunity to deepen that trust by clearly explaining what we do and why it matters. Continued certification is about meeting requirements but also staying current with evolving practices, which directly improves patient outcomes. The value of ongoing learning is evident, as it not only enhances patient safety but also reduces complications and accelerates recovery. Extending longitudinal assessments to continuing education and certification programs across healthcare specialties not only deepens patient trust but also highlights the critical expertise of healthcare practitioners.

Healthcare is constantly changing, and that’s why we’re here. CRNAs thrive on innovation, from new technologies to evolving treatments. But to stay effective, we must continue learning. Whether it’s integrating AI into anesthesia or understanding how new medications affect patient care, our commitment to ongoing education means staying informed and showing patients we’re always prepared for the next challenge. Continued certification proves this commitment to our patients and the healthcare industry as a whole; it not only sets a standard but actively fosters trust and excellence in patient care, demonstrating our readiness for any challenge in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Christopher Gill, PhD, MBA, CRNA, NP, FACHE, is a practicing CRNA and Chief Credentialing Officer at NBCRNA, where he leads organizational credentialing and communications activities. Dr. Gill has over 20 years of experience in healthcare.

The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) is the nation’s certifying body for the initial, continued and subspecialty certification of the more than 62,000 CRNAs. Our mission is to promote patient safety through credentialing programs that support lifelong learning. Learn more at www.nbcrna.com.