Lack of informed consent: Patient nearly dies after CRNA mishap

Imagine this scenario: You are rolled into an operating room in a surgical center for an outpatient elective procedure. But when you wake up; you’re in an emergency department, and you learn that you nearly died from anesthesia complications. Even worse, you find out that your anesthesia was provided not by an anesthesiologist, but by a nurse anesthetist.

Paul Ambruster discusses his near-death experience after receiving anesthesia from a CRNA without anesthesiologist supervision. This is a cautionary tale for patients and physicians involved in the care of surgical patients.