Key Role of Anesthesia Nurses in the Treatment and Management of Patients with COVID-19

Nurses in isolation wards, intensive care units, and isolation cabins have played a crucial role in caring for patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Specialties of anesthesia nurses include airway management, ventilator care, and high-flow oxygen equipment use, among others. Because of their training and experience in emergency situations, anesthesia nurses, along with emergency nurses and critical care nurses, play crucial roles in caring for patients with COVID-19. Twenty-seven out of our hospital’s 34 anesthesia nurses were instrumental in containing the spread of COVID-19. Nurse anesthesia is a relatively new specialty in China, and its importance in emergency situations is often underestimated. Anesthesia nurses, by virtue of their training and expertise, have been pivotal in the care of COVID-19 patients. It is our sincere hope that anesthesia nurses will soon be a part of national disaster response medical rescue teams.