Their job requires a double master's degree and "seven years of study": "three years of nursing school, two years of compulsory professional practice, then two years of anesthetist specialty after admission to the competition", details Sylvie Moreddu, IADE mobilized in Marseille with around fifty other caregivers.

However, this specialty is now "undermined" by the new possibility offered to "basic nurses" to become nurses in advanced practices (IPA) and to perform, at the end of a shorter training, acts previously reserved for IADES, she says.

"People who have not passed an examination will have a more rewarding status than ours", worries Cécilia Torrent, 42, nurse-anesthetist in Auch (Gers) who displays on her blue blouse "Without status, I am bare ".

Like her, around 1,000 nurses, according to the police headquarters, had made the trip to take part in the demonstration organized in Paris between Denfert-Rochereau and the Ministry of Health.

Above the blue coats floated banners "nurse anesthetists in danger" or "the IADES need 1 dose of respect".

At the time of the fifth wave of Covid-19, several demonstrators spoke of an "untenable situation", while the IADES are particularly mobilized in operating theaters, in intensive care or in emergencies.

"We had seven starts out of a team of fifteen."

"Burnout, (...) never seen before", confides Annick B., nurse-anesthetist in Compiègne for 29 years.

To protect themselves, the IADES therefore require "a status which corresponds to our daily exercise, that is to say the status of AMPA: Medical assistant with advanced practices", allowing their autonomy to be recognized in particular, poses Isabelle, 50 years old. , nurse in Lyon, where about fifty people were gathered.

Without this recognition, the movement will continue, promise the caregivers, determined to continue their strike.

"We are not going to stop there", exclaims Cécilia Torrent, stressing that "the midwives got a little what they wanted" after many weeks of mobilization.

Nursing anesthetists demonstrate in Paris on November 25, 2021 Martin LELIEVRE AFP

On Monday, the government announced the signing with a majority of hospital unions of a memorandum of understanding for midwives, including in particular a "medical exercise bonus" of 340 euros net per month and a salary increase of 78 euros net on average.

"If they got it, why not us", hopes Annick B.

© 2021 AFP