I'm hoping to go to CRNA school and I am interested in Cardiac Anesthesia. A few years ago when I was an undergrad, I spent the summer shadowing CRNAs and MDAs in the OR at two local hospitals. None of the CRNAs did Cardiac cases. At the teaching hospital, the cardiac volume was very low and it was only Anesthesia residents. At the private hospital, the cardiac volume was high but again, it was only the MDs (most of whom were fellowship trained).

I've seen places online that say they use CRNAs for hearts, so I know that there are some out there, my question is, do any of you do hearts and if so do you do them exclusively or do you do other types of cases as well?

Do you use intraoperative TEE? Is this a procedure that a CRNA can perform and bill for? How did you learn? Was it included in your program? OJT?

I read something the other day that TEE may be a good replacement for PA cath (considering the higher risk associated with PA cath). Thoughts?

Also, again as an undergrad, I worked as a CNA/ECG Tech in a Cardiac unit and when I left, we were just starting to use Impediance Cardiography in the hopes of replacing PA caths. I've been out of the cardiac loop for the past few years now (and where I am is kind of slow to adapt to new things anyway... :-(, is this something that is catching on? Anyone have any experience with it? Any use it intraoperatively?

Bryan