Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5184, introducing certified anesthesiologist assistant licensure, according to an April 1 report by The Ritz Herald.
CAAs are trained to deliver anesthesia care and advanced patient monitoring techniques, working under the medical direction of anesthesiologists.
More than 20 other states allow nurse anesthetists and CAAs to practice in the physician-led anesthesia care team. Washington will become the first state in the Pacific Northwest region to authorize CAAs.
The bill is effective June 2024, the report said.