Idaho § 54-1421 - CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST

§ 54-1421. CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST

(1) For the purposes of this section, "certified registered nurse anesthetist" or "CRNA" means a licensed registered nurse who has graduated from a nationally accredited graduate or post-graduate nurse anesthesia program and holds current certification as a nurse anesthetist from a national organization recognized by the board. CRNAs are authorized to provide the full spectrum of anesthesia care and related services to individuals across the lifespan, whose health status may range across the wellness-illness continuum, including healthy persons; persons with immediate, severe, or life-threatening illness or injury; and persons with sustained or chronic health conditions.

(2) A CRNA shall be responsible for the care provided by the CRNA and for obtaining professional liability insurance if the CRNA is not covered by the facility or practice in which the CRNA works.

(3) A physician shall not be liable for civil damages arising out of any act or omission relating to anesthesia services when:

(a) Such anesthesia services have been furnished solely and independently by a CRNA acting within the scope of the CRNA’s licensure, education, training, and experience, and in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and rules; and

(b) The physician did not provide direct control or supervision or expressly assume responsibility for the anesthesia services provided by the CRNA.

(4) The immunity from liability provided for in subsection (3) of this section applies regardless of whether a physician is physically present in the facility or practice setting where the CRNA is providing anesthesia services as long as the physician did not undertake, accept, or contractually agree to supervise or direct the CRNA’s anesthesia care.

(5) Nothing in this section shall excuse or immunize a physician from liability for:

(a) The physician’s own acts of negligence, gross negligence, or willful misconduct; or

(b) Any separate and independent professional services personally rendered by the physician to a patient.

(6) Nothing in this section shall:

(a) Be interpreted to create any new requirement for physician supervision of CRNAs or to restrict the practice of any other licensed health professional; or

(b) Affect or impair any requirement for facility accreditation, federal participation conditions for medicare or medicaid, or other regulatory standards that are not superseded by state law.

(7) The indemnity and immunity provided for in this section shall not limit or alter the jurisdiction of the board or the Idaho state board of medicine in regulating their respective licensees, nor shall it preclude the application of any other provision of state law.

(8) If any provision of this section or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application. To this end, the provisions of this statute are declared to be severable.

[54-1421, added 2025, ch. 199, sec. 1, p. 909.]