Newswise — The NFL Commissioner has invited nurse anesthetists from across central Florida to attend the Super Bowl LV Sunday, Feb. 7. Hundreds of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) from Tampa and the central Florida who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will attend the game as guests of the NFL.

“CRNAs have been deployed across the country to serve on the pandemic’s frontline of care, using their expertise to help those in greatest need,” said Erik Rauch, DNP, CRNA, NSPM-C, a CRNA from the greater Tampa Bay area.

As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs are “uniquely trained to provide critical care, anesthesia and airway expertise, making nurse anesthetists as one of the most highly valuable and sought-after healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rauch.

The NFL will be providing white masks for the healthcare providers to wear. The CRNAs will be gathering in the “healthcare heroes” parking lot when gates open and will be available for media interviews.

Nurse anesthetists have been providing anesthesia care to patients in the United States for more than 150 years. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are anesthesia professionals who safely administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States. As advanced practice registered nurses, CRNAs are among the nation’s most trusted professions according to Gallup and were recognized this month by the U.S. House of Representatives for their unique contributions.

Founded in 1931, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is the national professional association representing more than 57,000 CRNAs and student registered nurse anesthetists nationwide. Founded in 1936, the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists (FANA) represents the state’s 3,800 CRNAs.