Nurse Anesthetists Sue California Over Hospital Staffing Rules
The California Association of Nurse Anesthesiology filed suit October 1 in San Francisco County Superior Court against the California Department of Public Health and the Office of Administrative Law. The complaint alleges state regulations improperly bar certified registered nurse anesthetists from hospital medical staff, conflicting with state law that allows licensed practitioners deemed competent to serve. CANA seeks to strike down the rules, citing 2024 enforcement actions at two Modesto hospitals that removed CRNAs from medical staff and led to cancellation of nearly 1,000 surgical procedures. CDPH denied petitions to revise the regulations from CANA and the American Nurses Association\California in September 2025, prompting this litigation.