Which activity is included in the CRNA scope of practice?

• A. Prescribing antibiotics for infections.
• B. Performing non-anesthesiology surgery.
• C. Diagnosing unrelated medical conditions.
• D. Performing and documenting a pre-anesthetic assessment and evaluation.

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that a CRNA’s responsibilities include the preoperative phase of anesthesia care. Performing and documenting a pre-anesthetic assessment and evaluation is a foundational, ongoing part of designing and delivering safe anesthesia. This involves reviewing the patient’s medical history, current medications, allergies, prior anesthesia experiences, conducting a focused physical exam, assessing airway and cardiopulmonary risk, and outlining the anesthesia plan, including what kind of anesthesia will be used and how potential complications will be managed. It also means recording all findings and the plan so the entire perioperative team has a clear, approved plan and the patient’s consent is informed.

Prescribing antibiotics for infections isn’t the routine anesthesia task, though antibiotic prophylaxis may be used perioperatively under protocols. Performing non-anesthesiology surgery falls outside the anesthesia role, as does diagnosing unrelated medical conditions. The key point is that the pre-anesthetic assessment and its documentation are core to the CRNA’s scope of practice.