Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

Now more than ever, putting a focus on your wellness needs to be a priority for every CRNA. We all deal with stress and fatigue each day so giving our body a break is important. The good news is you’ll find a lot of resources and help from the professional organizations supporting CRNAs. Let’s find out more about those along with ways to improve wellness, and we’ll do it with NCANA President Linda...

The next episode in our presidential series brings us a conversation with Dennis Bless, APRN, MS, CRNA, who served as AANA president for 2013-14. His financial background provided the organization with a new perspective and that helped make significant changes that still live on today. We’ll hear about his experiences and talk with him about diversity, compensation, relationship-building, realloca...

Nearly a century ago, nurse anesthetists took the first steps towards standardizing education and moving towards an approval process. It was a journey that faced many challenges and took various forms before reaching the point where we are today. Betty Horton, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, and Mike Kremer, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, join the show to take us through this history of education and accreditation along with...

CRNAs already have plenty to worry about each day and it’s convenient to put finances to the side. As we’ve seen in 2020, the unexpected can happen at any time so we need to make sure you have a plan for your money. Today we’ll talk about the way CRNAs typically get off-track with their finances but we’ll also give you steps to getting everything in order.   Read more and get additional resources...

The continued growth of the CRNA profession will rely on the young generation taking charge and leading the way, and that’s exactly what Julie Linton, MSN, CRNA, is doing as the president of the WVANA. Today we’ll talk to her about the drive to be in leadership positions, why it’s important for all CRNAs to be invested, and how she developed her cow-milking skills.   Read more and get additional r...

You can argue that the passage of direct reimbursement in 1986 was one of the most significant lobbying achievements in healthcare. This process took much of the decade and spanned seven AANA presidents, including Dick and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA. We revisit those momentous years and learn more about all the hard work that went into getting direct reimbursement.   Read more and get additional resour...

Our next guest in the Presidential Leadership Series is Deb Geisler, CRNA, who served as AANA President from 2001-02. Not only did she oversee some significant issues during her year in charge, but she’s also been a part of multiple committees through the years whose decisions have shaped direction of the profession.   Read more and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/...

With so much uncertainty in our lives right now, it’s hard enough to figure out what’s going to happen over the next week much less the next year. But that’s what AANA CEO Randy Moore, DNP, MBA, CRNA, has spent a lot of time thinking about to help the organization and its members plan for the next year. Find out what he thinks will happen in the industry and the profession over the next 12 months....

You likely seek financial advice from lots of different sources. And some of those sources will certainly have good intentions, but they’ll often give bad financial advice. Let’s look at some examples and explore the reasons why we have to be very careful from whom we’re taking this important guidance.   Read more and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2496     Get...

Workers in the healthcare industry have always prioritized others over self, and that sacrifice has grown even larger during the COVID-19 pandemic. That also means we have even less time for self-care and that’s leading to an increase in anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. We're joined by Linda Stone, DNP, MSN, CRNA, and Rigo Garcia, CRNA, to talk about what you can do to help som...

Healthcare continues to evolve every year with the industry becoming more complex in the process. As changes happen, it’s important for CRNAs to be educated and put in a position to have a voice in local and national policies. Angela Mund, CRNA, has made this the focus of her career and she joins us to discuss ways to get our young professionals involved in advocacy.   Read more and get additional...

On this special episode of Beyond the Mask, we sat down with many of the candidates running for a position on the 2020-21 AANA Board of Directors. Hear more about their qualifications, their goals, and their vision for the future of CRNAs.   Read more and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-73:-candidate-interviews-for-2020-aana-election/2460/     Learn more about t...

Jamie Bailey, CRNA and Jamie Chamberlain, CRNA are the motivated women running a popular social media fitness account that promotes the balance between working and working out. They joined us on the podcast to share their story, tips for beginners, and how they stay motivated even when they aren’t.    Read more and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2419     Today'...

Our presidential leadership series rolls along with a visit from Jackie Rowles, MBA, CRNA, ANP-BC, FAAN, who served as AANA President in 2009-10. She brought a background in pain management to the position and led the organization through a transitional period for the board. Not only has she made a significant impact on the profession, but she continues to be a leader at the International level. ...

This is the conclusion to the story about Tafford Oltz, CRNA, and his antitrust victory in the late-80s, which came to our attention during a previous podcast. Find out the details to the depositions, how a few of the anesthesiologists were caught lying, and how a couple became expert witnesses. Plus, we’ll find out how it all ended and how much time and money went into the case.   Get part one he...

This is the story about Tafford Oltz, CRNA, and his antitrust victory in the late-80s, which came to our attention during a previous podcast. When we heard it, we had to talk with Taff and his wife Lori - also a CRNA - to hear how it all happened. It’s a fascinating story that hinges on a manilla folder and you’ll hear all the details that led up to the trial in part one.   Read more and get addit...

As we continue to devote our attention to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, let’s move our focus to the aid options for CRNAs. On this episode, we’ll break down the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and explain the ways in which you might be able to get some financial relief during these difficult times.   Read more and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodca...

When we finally make it through the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak, there will be stories from across the country about heroes on the front lines that saved lives and prevented disasters. Nurses everywhere are battling the virus, and one millenial SRNA is giving them a voice now through an anonymous platform.   Read more and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2370...

When we talk about COVID-19, our attention goes immediately to our own cities and states, but the US is one of more than 150 countries dealing with the pandemic right now. To get an update on how CRNAs around the globe are being impacted, we talk with IFNA President Jackie Rowles, MBA, CRNA, ANP-BC, FAAN.   Read more and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2363    ...

No one could have predicted the outbreak we’ve seen from COVID-19, and it’s served as a wake up call for many people. We’ve all been impacted financially or emotionally or both, and now we’re getting a lot of questions about how we can manage finances when income is up in the air. On this bonus episode, we’ll look at the options you have during this uncertain time.     Read more and get additional...

Nursing continues to grow its presence in politics and no one represents those achievements better than Bethany Hall-Long. The Lt. Governor of Delaware became the first nurse in the country to hold that esteemed position and she joins the show today to talk about the importance of being involved and having a voice in policy-making.   About our guest:  https://ltgov.delaware.gov/     Read more and...

Have you ever aspired to be the association president in your state but aren’t completely sure how to get there? We brought together four former state presidents for a roundtable discussion on the path to reach that position. We’ll talk about the traits you need, the importance of getting involved, and what everyone gained from the experience.     Read more and get additional CRNA resources:  http...

We continue our ‘Courage to Lead’ series by bringing Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, MS, into the studio to look back on her time as AANA President. Join us as we discuss the accomplishments, the lessons learned, and what message she wants to get across to the next generation of CRNAs.   Read more about Nancy and get additional resources here:  https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2319     Today's show r...

Choosing to become a CRNA requires a lot of hard work or dedication but the time has never been better to enter this profession. We wanted to get a better sense of the challenges and opportunities for anesthesia school students in 2020 and Dr. Kristie Hoch, DNP, CRNA, MS, RRT, from the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing will help us gain that perspective.   About the guest: Dr. Kristie Hoc...

The three women behind the Scrub Caps & Sippy Cups podcast joins us to talk about the personal side of the profession. Being a mother is such a difficult job on its own but then you add in a CRNA career and it can be a struggle at times. You’re not alone! Let’s speak candidly about the challenges and how we can lean on each other for support.   Full show notes and additional resources:  https://be...