Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

Today we bring you another wonderful conversation from our trip to the mid-year assembly in Washington D.C. Sharon and Tracy Castleman, DNP, CRNA, APN-A, FAANA were on hand when Kris Rohde, CRNA received the AANA’s Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director Award. Afterward, we invited her to join the show to hear her story, talk about the role the FPD plays in each state, and share why the sacr...

During our trip to the mid-year assembly recently, Sharon and Tracy Castleman, CRNA were having a conversation about declining student membership at the AANA when they met Haley Johnson and Kelby Stanko, who are both students at Saint Vincent College Excela Health School of Nurse Anesthesia. We decided to spend time with both of these bright, young ladies to learn more about their experience atten...

In today’s episode Jeremy & Sass talk about the flexible intubation technique and some troubleshooting tips that may help you while placing an ETT in an awake patient using the flexible intubation scope. Previously known as “fiberoptic intubation”, this is an infrequent anesthesia technique that is still pertinent today! Also, if you are attending the AANA annual congress in Seattle in August,...

In part two, we'll go on an exploration to uncover the untold chapters of Dagmar’s post trial years and witness how her victory reshaped the landscape of nurse anesthesia, breaking down barriers and paving the way for countless nurse anesthetists who followed in her footsteps. Join us as we delve into part two of our conversation about Dagmar Nelson with show historians Nancy and Sandy.   Here are...

Most people know about Dagmar Nelson in terms of her being involved in the only court trial ever to test the legality of nurses administering anesthesia, but there’s much more to her than just that. We’ll lean on Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA to learn more about how amazing she was as a woman and what happened at the trial.   Here are some of the things you’ll learn in this e...

In this episode, Jeremy and Sass review the high points of an article published in the April 2023 AANA Journal by Barry Swerdlow, MD and Lisa Osborne-Smith, PhD, CRNA titled “A Cognitive Template for Management of Perioperative Adverse Events”. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!   Here are some of the things you’ll learn on this show: What is metacognition? 2:29 Six step cognitive checklis...

The nursing industry is filled with so many bright and talented people and today’s guest is just another example of that. Ayoade (Joy) Ademuyewo, DNP, CRNA is the founder and CEO of Lokum , which helps match vendors directly with anesthesiology providers without having to go through recruiting agencies. Find out why this could be the future of work as an independent contractor and learn more about...

Jeremy and Sharon were up in Hershey for the PANA Spring Symposium and hosted a live taping of the podcast with Brett Fadgen, MSN, CFRN, CRNA. If you haven’t heard Brett’s story, it’s a remarkable one about perseverance and never giving up in the face of life’s challenges. Join us to hear all about his journey and how he became the only one-armed nurse anesthetist.     Here are some of the things...

We had a chance to spend some time with the new AANA Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer Ingrida Lusis during our time at the mid-year assembly to learn more about her background in government affairs and how she plans to strengthen advocacy by bringing state and federal affairs all under one umbrella. Join Sharon and guest host Tracy Castleman, CRNA, as we go on the offensive with our newest advocacy l...

Cannabis has several medicinal uses and is legal in several states. More and more patients are using cannabis as a medication for anxiety, pain management, and for recreational use. In this episode, Jeremy and Sass discuss the pharmacodynamics of cannabis and focus on the systemic effects of this medication. You won’t want to miss their discussion highlighting the anesthetic considerations of pati...

Voting started this week for the next round of AANA Board of Directors elections, and we want to help you get to know your candidates a little better. Thanks to our friends at the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, we will share the opening statements from the Board of Director Candidates’ Forum during the Mid-Year Assembly so you can hear first-hand from each of the talented CRNAs runnin...

The issue of reimbursement is one that we’ve covered from many different perspectives on this show but now it’s time to take the problem into our own hands. Rebecca Love, RN, MSN, FIEL is leading a commission along with Sharon Pearce, DNP, CRNA, FAANA for nurse reimbursement to tackle this broken financial model once and for all. Today we’ll tell you all about the commission’s plan and why we thin...

Emergency cricothyrotomy is a rare, but incredibly important procedure that can be lifesaving. A primary step when performing a cricothyrotomy is correct identification of the cricothyroid membrane (CTM).  In this episode Jeremy and Sass discuss the anatomy related to the CTM. They talk about palpation methods for finding the CTM, discuss current evidence for the use of ultrasound identification,...

One of the things you find out about CRNAs as they approach retirement is that their bank account might be ready for retirement but they might not be. Many people don’t consider the consequences of walking away from that daily routine of being at the hospital and interacting with colleagues, and not being prepared for that can leave you with a lack of fulfillment in retirement. Today we’ll discuss...

The military isn’t a career path for everyone but those that choose that life get an experience and training that can’t be found anywhere else. Today we spend some time with one of those wonderful people to learn more about life in the military as a CRNA and the lessons that were learned along the way. Janet Setnor, MSN, CRNA is a retired Colonel with the US Air Force Reserve Nurse Corps and someo...

Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) is a rare and dreaded complication specific to anesthesia. It’s a systemic hypermetabolic syndrome that can result in severe disability or even death. In this episode Jeremy and Sass review the pathophysiology, preoperative considerations, signs and symptoms, complications, and management of this uncommon, but significant critical event. Here are some of the things you’...

Today we’re excited to dive into a topic we’ve been very curious about with a guest we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing previously. Tom Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA is an Air Force-trained CRNA with a lot of high-level experience in anesthesia, and throughout his CRNA career, he’s really focused on two aspects of the profession: healthcare leadership and patient safety. In doing this, he’s learned so...

Are you a CRNA who feels lost in the complicated world of retirement planning? With many different accounts and investment options, it’s easy to make mistakes when it comes to your finances. In this episode, Jeremy Stanley, CFP® will cover some of the mistakes CRNAs make with their retirement plan and help you better understand how to best utilize different account types to save for the future.  ...

We all experience acute stress. Sometimes on a daily basis. In this episode Jeremy breaks down acute stress and talks about the anatomy and physiology of stress. He reviews a theory on how highly stressful situations can affect our thinking and performance. He also points out how a certain amount of acute stress is actually helpful.   Here are some of the things you’ll learn on this show: The anat...

More nurses are leaving the bedside every year and it has created a shortage nationally. If you’re listening to this podcast, you probably already know good and well about this issue. So what can be done to attract and keep more nurses? Former ANA president Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN joins us to sort through this pressing issue within the profession and share ideas about what can be done at every...

The CRNA profession continues to be a strong career path that allows you to comfortably save for retirement, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t always have a backup plan just in case. As we’ve seen over the last few years, crazy things can happen that shake up our day-to-day routines at a moment's notice. In this episode, we’ll talk with Plan B CRNA Podcast host Bobby Jones, MSN about how anyone...

Many CRNAs are returning to school to earn their Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice but is it worth it to spend the time and money to earn another degree? You can find plenty of information and discussion about DNP project topics and people that have earned their DNP, but it’s not as easy to find a thorough explanation of how to go through that process and the actual value it provides. Devin...

Even in 2023, residual paralysis from neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) is still a problem. Recently a task force developed by the ASA released guidelines for the reversal of NMBA. Jeremy and Sass examine these guidelines and talk about what they mean for current anesthesia practice.   Here are some of the things you’ll learn on this show: Background on this report and the three primary reasons...

Bill Bruce, MBA, CAE, took over as the CEO of the AANA last summer so we caught up with him to get an update on how the organization has progressed over his first eight months. It’s already been a busy term already with staffing changes and the AANA moving into a new building, but there are many policy issues to be managed and addressed as well. Join us as we find out what’s happening inside the A...

We focus quite a bit on specific people or issues in nursing, but it’s always great to take a few steps back and take a high-level view of the profession. Today we’re excited to welcome someone who has been incredibly influential and has used that position to give back through service and endowment. Becky Patton, DNP, RN, CNOR, FAAN joins the show to give us a thorough assessment of the state of n...