Build the Relationship Before You Need It: Connecting With Your Legislators
One of the most effective things you can do to strengthen VANA’s voice in Richmond costs nothing and takes only minutes: introduce yourself to your legislators. Lawmakers want to hear from the health care professionals who live and work in their districts. When a CRNA is already a known, trusted contact, it changes how policy conversations happen.
VANA’s goal is straightforward: we want every legislator in Virginia to know a CRNA in their district. That relationship starts with you.
Why It Matters Now
Several issues critical to CRNAs and the patients we serve are either active in the General Assembly or building toward the 2027 session. Personal relationships with legislators give VANA the standing to be heard on all of them.
- Your impact in the community. Your legislators may not know how many patients in their district rely on CRNAs for safe, affordable anesthesia care. Sharing your story puts a face to that reality.
- The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Virginia joining the NLC would allow nurses to practice across state lines more easily, expanding patient access to care. For CRNAs, however, compact membership requires that we fall solely under the Board of Nursing — rather than the Joint Board of Nursing and Medicine, as is currently the case. Legislative support is essential to advancing both goals.
- Medical malpractice insurance caps. During the 2026 General Assembly session, a bill to double malpractice caps for all health care providers was introduced. Thanks in part to VANA’s advocacy, it was converted into a data-collection measure — but a stronger version is expected in 2027. Legislators need to understand the real-world impact rising malpractice costs have on practitioners and patients, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
- Federal student loan servicing. Recent federal changes to student loan servicing have left CRNA students without coverage, creating financial barriers to entering the profession at a time when the anesthesia workforce is already under strain. The AANA, along with nine other nursing organizations, has filed suit against the federal government over these changes.
How to Connect
Start with a brief note introducing yourself — where you practice, what you do, and that you’re available to discuss CRNA practice and patient care in your community. It doesn’t need to be long. A few personal details about your role and your patients will make it more impactful than any form letter.
To help you prepare, we’ve put together a set of talking points to guide your conversations.
Ready to reach out? Click here to send your message to your legislators.
These early connections make a meaningful difference when important policy discussions arise.
Thank you for helping VANA build the relationships that protect CRNA practice and the patients we serve across Virginia.
