Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

Home values continue to rise all across the country and it has many people thinking back to the crash of 2008. Are there parallels or is this time different? Josh Mettle of NEO Home Loans joins the show to share his data and insight into the real estate market. Plus, he’ll tell us how he helps CRNAs secure a mortgage with a 1099 income.   Read more: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-134-the-stat...

The rate of suicides among our veteran population continues to rise and the number is probably higher than most people realize. The good news is people are leveraging incredible new data to improve support and care for those that need it most. Kevin Driscoll, DNP, MSN, CRNA, is the only CRNA certified in these geographic information systems (GIS) and he joins us today to share his passion for data...

There’s a relatively new concept in the healthcare industry that many of its professionals are facing and might not even realize it. The ‘Second Victim’ phenomenon hasn’t always been well-known but more and more people are acknowledging this silent epidemic that frontline workers like CRNAs are dealing with every day. Robyn Finney, APRN, CRNA, DNAP has created a peer support program called HELP –...

A significant number of people in our country are dealing with the effects of PTSD and it often goes overlooked or ignored. With the amount of added pressure CRNAs and SRNAs have due to the job, it shouldn’t be a surprise that suicides happen too often among our peers. So how do you identify issues and help those you think might be struggling? We’ve asked mental health experts Jerry Hogan, DNSc, C...

Generational differences can often be the source of disagreements and misunderstandings. It happens in every profession and nurse anesthesia is no different. Erin Martin, CRNA, DNP, is the Program Director at the Mayo Nurse Anesthesia Program and has an incredible grasp on how and why each generation is different. She joins today to provide a thorough examination of these unique communication char...

You won’t find many people on this planet that have a story to tell like Nick Zerwas. Born with congenital heart defect, Zerwas has been given six months to live on six separate occasions but he’s still here living life to the fullest. Who better to get an opinion on healthcare policy changes than someone like Zerwas, who has also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives? Join us as we hea...

It’s easy to assume that your employer insurance coverage will protect you during a catastrophic event, but that’s not necessarily the case. To truly cover your greatest asset as a CRNA, which is yourself and your ability to earn a living, a personal disability insurance policy can be a life saver. Today we talk with BrightThink Wealth Strategies insurance specialists Robert and Kyle Smith, who sp...

Most people buy an expensive car or go on an outlandish spending spree when they’re in their late-40s, but Michael Rieker, CRNA, DNP, FAAN, isn’t like most people. Instead of doing any of those other things, he used his talent and skills in nurse anesthesia to join the Army Reserve, which led to him serving in Afghanistan. Today he’ll tell us about that experience and how it’s helped him in his cu...

Agatha Hodgins earned notoriety as the founder of the AANA but a person right behind her often gets overlooked. That’s Gertrude Fife, the second president of the AANA, and she’s the next focus of our historical series. We look back on how she helped shape the organization and set the standards of education for CRNAs with the help of Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA.   Read more...

Once you decide to step away from your CRNA career, have you thought about how you want to spend retirement? As you get closer to that next chapter, it’s important to think through your lifestyle to help determine what kind of expenses you might incur and how much money you’ll need to cover it. Today we’ll tell you about the most common lifestyles that CRNAs choose and some of the financial consid...

Advocacy is the driving force behind elevating our profession and continuing to push nurse anesthetists and CRNAs forward. One of the key people advocating for us is Lorraine Jordan, PhD, CRNA, CAE, FAAN. As the Chief Advocacy Officer for the AANA and the CEO of the AANA Foundation, Dr. Jordan works tirelessly for her peers and devotes countless hours to research that benefits us all. Today we wan...

The AANA and CRNA community suffered a great loss in March with the passing of Steve Mund, DNP, CRNA, CENP, FACHE. To help remember him and his legacy in the profession, Jeremy and Sharon wanted to go back and revisit a conversation they had with him in 2019 on the future of healthcare.   See the show notes: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-123-remembering-steve-mund-with-a-past-conversation/28...

Goldie Brangman, CRNA, might be known best for becoming the AANA’s first African-American president, but there’s so much more to know about her life and career. Today we wanted to celebrate everything she accomplished, including helping save Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s life, and we do so with the help of Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA.   Read more and see additional shows her...

There’s a growing need for pain management solutions in our country and it could be the next great opportunity for CRNAs. Cheryl Schosky, DNAP, MSN, CRNA, is one of only 89 CRNAs in the country with a non-surgical pain management certification and will share everything she’s learned about the practice and why she believes it needs to become an educational track for future CRNAs.   Read more and ge...

It’s like a story right out of a Hollywood blockbuster. One that involves predawn flights, heavy military ammunitions, and a Crown Prince from the United Arab Emirates. Most importantly, it’s a secret mission involving CRNAs. Join us as we get the first-hand account of this 2017 covert operation from Lt. Col Laura Wiggins, CRNA, who was a part of this flight into Yemen.   Show notes: https://beyon...

You might know him as Bolt CRNA on social media. This new-age advocate for the profession has built a strong following through YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and now Tik-Tok. Find out how Jason Bolt, CRNA, began this journey as an ‘influencer’ and how he uses his platform to help educate current and aspiring nurse anesthetists.   Read more and find out how to connect with Jason here: https://beyondt...

The loss of a child can be the greatest weight a parent can carry through life, but Steve James, CRNA, and his wife turned a tragedy into a world-changing mission. Today we’ll learn all about this remarkable journey from Alabama to Kenya and how CRNAs are making a major difference halfway around the globe.   Show notes and additional resources: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-118-a-crnas-light...

When you look at areas of the nurse anesthesia profession that need improvement, diversity would be near the top of that list. Thanks to Dr. Lena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FAAN, there’s a mentorship program in place that is helping facilitate entry into the profession for people of color. Today we’ll spotlight that work that’s being done, share Dr. Gould’s incredible journey to this point, and discuss way...

For more than 20 years, the AANA Mentorship Program has played an integral role in the development of young CRNAs thanks to both the mentors and mentees that have committed to the annual event. Tracy Castleman, CRNA, has been deeply involved in the mentoring process so we asked her to join us to talk about the program, why it’s important for CRNAs to get involved, and what young professionals can...

If you’re in the need for inspiration, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better story than the one that Jeanne Stawiecki, CRNA, will tell on this episode. Thanks to the power of positive and determined thinking, she went from smoking two packs of cigarettes each day to setting two Guinness World Records for marathon running and mountain climbing. It’s an incredibly powerful and emotional story and...

Being the lead of an organization like the AANA takes a special set of leadership skills, but reaching that point doesn’t come without obstacles like uncertainty and doubt. Join us as we talk with AANA CEO Randy Moore, DNP, MBA, CRNA, about his journey to his leadership role and how he’s handled periods of self-doubt along the way.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthema...

After watching another historic Inauguration Day, we can’t help but notice that the country has mixed feelings about where we’re headed. You can say we’re living in a 50-50 world. So as we welcome in a new administration, what can CRNAs expect from the economy moving forward and what does it mean for your finances?   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-...

The next installment of our Presidential Leadership Series features Peggy McFadden, CRNA, BS, who actually served two terms as the AANA president. Join us as we look back on her impressive career and learn what challenges were facing the AANA in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-112-courage-to-lead-two-term-aana-presid...

While there’s plenty we want to forget about 2020, there was also a bit of history we want to spotlight. Sydney Davis, CRNA, and Taylor Rehfeldt, CRNA, became the first two CRNAs to be elected to a state legislature during the November 3 general election in South Dakota. Join us as we celebrate their story, find out why they pursued office, and learn about the issues they’re focusing on.    Read m...

In recent years, we’ve watched women rise to levels of power previously never seen. While it’s been an amazing evolution to watch, there’s still plenty of inequality in the world. Today we’ll take a look at the top issues in our country as it relates to women and discuss the pivotal roles women have played over the years. Kimberly Gordon, CRNA, and Judge April Wood join Sharon and Jeremy for a rou...