Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

Whether you’re looking for that first CRNA job or you're a veteran in the industry, the interview process can be stressful. It’s easy to question yourself and your preparation. That’s why we wanted to bring on a guest from one of the country’s top medical centers to give you an inside look at the interview process and share tips to help you land your next job. Visit the Beyond The Mask Podcast web...

There’s some concern in educational circles that the history of nurse anesthesia has lost importance during the evolution of the profession. We want to dive into that topic today and explore the history, accomplishments, and milestones with two experts on the subject. Sandra Ouellette and Evan Koch will provide historical insight and some wonderful information on this episode. Check out the full s...

Peripheral nerve blocks are a growing type of regional anesthesia and there’s an app out there that serves as a reference guide for CRNAs. We brought on Block Buddy co-founders Scott Urigel and Jeff Molter to find out how the idea was developed and how it’s benefiting the industry. Check out the full show notes for this episode by clicking here.  ----more---- Today's rundown:  1:38 – To Block or N...

Protecting yourself should be a priority for every CRNA and often times it’s easy to think that you’re already covered. But there are many options to consider with malpractice insurance, from the policy type to the company that you purchase the policy through. John Fetcho, Director of AANA Insurance Services, joins us to these differences and clear up any misconceptions we might have. See the full...

This week, we have the pleasure of speaking with Tom Baribeault, Chief CRNA at Lexington Surgery Center and Founder of the Society for Opioid Free Anesthesia (SOFA). He discusses his personal experiences with eliminating opioids in his own practice, and the challenges of breaking away from standard anesthesia practices. Tune in to find out what kind of opoid replacements are being used, as well as...

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which went into effect at the beginning of this year, created a lot of changes that will heavily affect the taxes that CRNAs pay over the next several years. Jeremy will walk you step-by-step through some new options that you should consider taking advantage of, as well as some hazards that could trip you up if you're not in the know.

We turn the spotlight now to Helen Lamb, who spearheaded the efforts to standardize education across nurse anesthesia programs nationwide. Her vision for the future of nurse anesthesia education led to certification and accreditation and resulted in the very first standard curriculum for CRNAs.

This week, we'll continue our Historical Series with a look into the life and career of Alice Magaw. With a keen attention to detail and an unprecedented record of safety, she gained recognition around the world as a leader, teacher, published author and innovator in her field, and ultimately became known as the mother of anesthesia.

Caroline Killmon and Ashley Fedan are back, and this time they're teaming up to discuss the CRNA and SRNA presence on social media, and the bullying that has begun to pervade various platforms. We'll explore important issues such as the expectations of students versus practicing CRNAs, the disconnect between people's actions inside and outside of social media, and the importance of knowing your au...

So, you want to get involved in CRNA advocacy, but you don't know how.  Or, you want to be involved, but you don't want to be the actual person doing the advocating.  That's okay! Kimberly Gordon, faculty member at Wake Forest School of Medicine, is here to share her insights into CRNA state advocacy.  We'll talk about how to build positive relationships with legislators, the importance of partner...

Caroline Killmon, student at Wake Forest and student representative to the AANA Education Committee, joins us to talk about some of the barriers to student leadership within the nurse anesthesia community. We'll unpack issues such as bullying within the nursing profession, generational differences, millennial stereotypes, work-life balance and much more.

We've talked in a past episode about the doors that could very well be opened by a switch to the Nurse Anesthesiologist descriptor. However, what kind of unintended consequences might we face as a result? This week, we'll shift perspectives and speak with four nurse anesthesia educators about how they believe this change would affect not only their own particular educational programs, but CRNA stu...

June 10, 2019 is the 30th anniversary of IFNA, and to celebrate, we're talking to Sandra Ouellette, who was one of the founders of the organization as well as a past president of IFNA. She'll give us a brief history of the organization from the earliest discussions to present day. We'll also hear from Jackie Rowles, current president of IFNA, about how the federation has made enormous strides over...

It's unfortunate but true, that as much time as CRNAs spend in school, there's little to no education offered on personal finance. So this week, Jeremy is bringing us a crash course. We'll get some simple tips on dealing with topics like budgets, debt, and insurance, and we'll learn what it takes to build a strong financial foundation and become a truly wealthy CRNA.

We finally got a chance to talk to Mike McKinnon, past president of the Arizona ANA, and he has a wealth of information to share about Anesthesiologist Assistants in the current healthcare environment. What kind of role do AAs play in overall healthcare costs, access to care, and the greater objectives of the ASA? What kinds of risks do they pose to CRNAs? We'll dive into these pressing issues, as...

This week, we speak with special guest Jenny Schmitt, President of the Oklahoma ANA, about the troubling state of the Oklahoma healthcare system. Amidst this struggle, the Oklahoma State Medical Association has launched a ruthless million-dollar anti-CRNA campaign aimed at frightening patients about receiving care from CRNAs. Jenny discusses how local CRNAs have fought to be heard, and why she bel...

Current AANA CEO Randall Moore, DNP, MBA, CRNA joins us live at the Mid-Year Assembly to discuss some thought-provoking hypotheticals. Who would advocate for CRNAs if the AANA didn't exist? How would the profession be different today without the organization? Find out on our first episode of the "What If" Series.

We're joined this week by Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs for the AANA, Ralph Kohl. Ralph has his finger on the pulse of all the current Congressional topics relevant to CRNAs, and he works each day to advocate for our goals as an organization.  He'll share with us why it's essential for CRNAs to get involved in advocating both locally and nationally, as well as some simple ways you...

At the mid-year assembly we took the opportunity to extend an offer to all the candidates running for office in the upcoming AANA elections to join us for a few minutes on this podcast. Not all candidates took us up on the offer, but all were invited. On this episode, you'll get to hear the candidates that did participate outline their platforms and vision for the future of the AANA. ----more----...

This week, we'll continue the topic of how CRNAs can plan for a successful retirement. We'll talk about when you should take social security, how much money is safe to withdraw from your savings, and how taxes will affect you. We'll even take a look into a lesser-known way that high income earners like CRNAs can contribute to Roth IRA accounts and lower their tax burden in retirement.

If you're like many CRNAs, retirement is not too far off in the distance. And the first step in preparing for retirement is knowing what to expect. How can you maintain your current lifestyle when you walk away from a regular paycheck? What kind of expenses will you encounter? Jeremy will help get your wheels turning on this first part of the CRNA Retirement Ready series.

Special guests Carole Doyscher and Joe Rodriguez join us for a spirited debate discussing how the CRNA title may or may not have become a limitation to growth and understanding of the profession as a whole. However, what should CRNAs be called instead? What are the potential repercussions of this kind of change? The answer is not so simple.

We continue our historical series with a journey back into the very first years of nurse anesthesia where Agatha Hodgins began her career. Following a quite unexpected series of events, Agatha would ultimately become the foremost anesthesia expert and educator of her time, as well as the founder of the AANA.

Former AANA presidents Richard and Sandra Ouellette pay us a visit to share the story of how the National Commission On Nurse Anesthesia Education was brought about in a time of turmoil to rebuild CRNA educational programs from the bottom up.

Chris Bettin and Dan Lovinaria, two of the creative minds behind National CRNA Week, make a special appearance. Tune in to find out why more and more CRNAs and SRNAs are getting involved in promoting their profession, and why the importance of this event extends far beyond a single week.