What is the policy landscape for consideration of nurse anesthetist practice in British Columbia?

• Main Author: Cinel, Julie
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2013
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/45265

This health policy analysis investigates the contextual landscape and possible alternatives for new legislation and regulation of a prospective role for nurse anesthetists in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Principles of basic analysis are used to address the major concepts of context, process, and actors. The normative perspective allows consideration of the influence of values in decision-making processes. American and Canadian advanced practice nursing roles, such as the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, and Nurse Practitioner, are examined for their pertinent history, including the legislative and regulatory structures that govern them. Facilitators and barriers to new role implementation add further contextual detail to this investigation. Values of decision-makers are considered in concert with past policy processes to develop viable and practical policy alternatives for the implementation of nurse anesthetists in BC.