Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

Season two of Grade 1 View begins with a transition featuring new voices, new perspectives, and the same commitment to honesty, community, and growth. As we hand off the torch to a new group of future CRNAs, founding host Olivia Conn, RN, DNP introduces the new host team: Nicolas Alexander, BSN, SCRN, CCRN; Levi Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN; Mackenzie Lane, BSN, RN, CCRN; and Kelsey Muir, BSN, RN, CCCRN. Through candid introductions and rapid-fire questions, you get to know the people behind the microphones, not just where they are in CRNA school, but the winding paths that brought them here. From non-linear career journeys and long-distance relationships to favorite comfort shows, coffee orders, and unexpected habits picked up during anesthesia training, we’ll keep things light as we kick off the new year. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 🎙️ Introducing the Season Two Hosts 🧭 Non-Linear Paths to Nurse Anesthesia 🤝 Why Community Matters in CRNA School 😂 Keeping It Human 🚀 Setting the Tone for Season Two   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/grade-1-view/ Visit the AANA Resident Hub: https://www.aana.com/resident-hub/  Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

We’re back once again for our annual conversation with NorthStar Anesthesia CEO Adam Spiegel and Chief Anesthetist Officer/Executive Vice President of Clinical Strategy Randy Moore, DNP, MBA, CRNA to provide us with a state of the profession as we begin 2026. They’re here to help us make sense of the ever-evolving anesthesia ecosystem by explaining what’s going on in our space right now and telling us where they think we’re headed. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: Current state situation in the anesthesia business sector Status of CRNA supply shortage and its impact on the labor market What’s going on with private equity supported firms? Current state of hospital and outsourced anesthesia firms relationships What’s going on with hospitals today?   Learn more about Northstar Anesthesia: https://northstaranesthesia.com/our-culture/our-leadership/    Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

As we finish up wellness month, today’s conversation is about substance use disorder, recovery, and how people think about intentional living around this time of the year. Hosts Nickie Damico and Louisa Martin are joined by Bridget Petrillo, MS, CRNA and Rodrigo Garcia, CEO of Parkdale Center of Professionals, for an honest, deeply personal conversation about SUD, recovery, stigma, and hope within the anesthesia community. Drawing from their own lived experiences, our guests explain why anesthesia providers face unique occupational risks, how shame and fear often delay getting help, and why recovery is not only possible but life-giving. The discussion also highlights the importance of peer support, education, and institutional resources, including the AANA Helpline, Wellness Ambassador Network, and Anesthetists in Recovery (AIR) meetings. As the year comes to a close, we turn our focus to intentional living, gratitude, and wellness, especially during the holidays, when stress and isolation can intensify. The 24/7 confidential, AANA Helpline (800-654-5167) answered by addiction professionals to improve access to help for SUD. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🧠 Why Anesthesia Is an Occupational Risk for SUD 🤝 Recovery Stories That Change Lives 📞 The Power of Peer Support & the AANA Helpline 🏫 What Educators Can Do Differently 🌱 Intentional Living, Gratitude & Wellness in 2026   Follow @AirwayExchangePodcast on Instagram Submit a Topic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/airway-exchange-podcast-request   Be a part of EDGE: Educate. Develop. Grow. Engage. >>  https://www.aana.com/premier-event/edge/   Find out how Parkdale can help: https://parkdalecenter.com/ Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

As the year comes to a close, many CRNAs find themselves focused on family, travel, and well-deserved rest. But year-end is also one of the most important times to pause and take stock of your financial picture. Small, intentional decisions made before December 31 can have an outsized impact on your long-term success. In a special holiday episode of Beyond the Mask, Jeremy and Sharon walk through a ‘CRNA Christmas list’ with 12 financial moves designed to help you finish the year strong and start the next one with confidence. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 💰 Roth, Retirement & Tax Strategy Decisions - Why tax diversification matters and how Roth strategies fit long-term plans. 📒 1099 & Bookkeeping Cleanup - What independent CRNAs should finalize before December 31st. 🛡️ Protecting Your Family & Income - Beneficiaries, disability insurance, estate planning, and risk management. 🎯 Setting Intentional Goals for the Year Ahead - Turning income into progress with clear financial goals and direction.   Get comprehensive planning for CRNAs: https://www.crnafinancialplanning.com/ Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1 

After a full year of conversations, shared experiences, and hard-earned lessons, the first season of Grade 1 View has reached the finish line. In this final wrap-up episode with our first four hosts, we’re reflecting on what it truly takes to survive and grow through nurse anesthesia school, clinicals, graduation, and the transition into practice. Today’s show is honest, personal, and often humorous, covering everything from the emotional toll of clinical rotations to the shock of becoming a “real” CRNA overnight. Find out what surprised us the most, the moments that nearly broke us, and the experiences that ultimately shaped our confidence, resilience, and identity as anesthesia providers. Thank you for being a part of the journey, but stay tuned for the next iteration of the show. We’ll have four more SRNAs or RRNAs taking the reins for year two, and that announcement will be coming soon! Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 🎓 Graduation, Boards & the Reality of “Being Done” 🏥 Clinical Rotations: Confidence, Humility & Growth 💼 The First Months as a New CRNA 🧠 Mental, Emotional & Physical Toll of Training 🌱 What We’d Tell Our Past Selves   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/grade-1-view/ Visit the AANA Resident Hub: https://www.aana.com/resident-hub/  Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

Vaping has exploded in popularity among teens, young adults, and even surgical patients who don’t think of themselves as “smokers.” But for anesthesia providers, vaping is not harmless. It brings new airway, cardiovascular, and pharmacologic challenges to the OR.   This week we’re joined by Beth Wilkes, DNAP, CRNA, CHSE, FAANA to break down what CRNAs must understand about vaping: how these devices work, what chemicals they contain, why adolescents are drawn to them, and the rapidly emerging evidence on how it’s impacting anesthesia. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🔥 What’s Really Inside an E-Cigarette 🫁 Respiratory & Airway Risks ❤️ Cardiac & Hemodynamic Effects ⚕️ Anesthetic Considerations 🧨 Device Dangers   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

As our wellness theme continues, today we’re focused on student wellness, which is essential to producing competent, confident, and emotionally healthy CRNAs. Erin and Greg welcome Matthew Zinder, DNAP, CH, CRNA, practice owner, educator, wellness researcher, and co-founder of Program Prep, to break down the realities of stress inside anesthesia programs and what both faculty and students can do about it. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🧠 ICU culture follows students - Care for others → ignore self. 😷 COVID changed baseline stress - PTSD + chronic stress entering programs. 🎢 Type-A struggle with “square one” - Big fish → beginner again. 🧘‍♂️ Wellness must be structured - Integrated modules, daily practices, real tools. 💬 Check-ins matter - Safe spaces + simple techniques improve outcomes.   About our guest: https://www.matthewzinder.com/about Follow @AirwayExchangePodcast on Instagram Submit a Topic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/airway-exchange-podcast-request Be a part of EDGE: Educate. Develop. Grow. Engage. >>  https://www.aana.com/premier-event/edge/   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

The political and legal landscape of nurse anesthesia is constantly shifting for CRNAs and the threats to our autonomy are real. But so are the opportunities, and that’s why we wanted Elizabeth Bamgbose, PhD, CRNA to join us for this conversation.  She’s a CRNA, educator, practice owner, and a fierce political advocate, and we’re going to break down everything CRNAs must understand about scope of practice, opt-out rules, bylaws, credentialing, and how power structures shape your daily practice more than most realize. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🏛️ Know Your Regulators - State Nurse Practice Acts, Boards of Nursing, and CMS rules all affect scope — and don’t always agree. 📜 Bylaws = Your Real Power - Institutional bylaws can override practical independence, even in opt-out states. 🗳️ Opt-Out Isn’t a Free Pass - Federal opt-out removes supervision defaults but hospitals can still require supervision internally. 🧭 Political Literacy Matters - CRNAs who avoid politics still live inside political decisions. Knowing the system protects your practice. 🤝 Use Your Practice Division - Your state practice division and lobbyists are crucial allies when your institution or regulators push back.   About our guest: https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/elizabeth-blu-bamgbose/ Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

The “Big Beautiful Bill” has created some concerns in the nurse anesthesia community, especially for future CRNAs who were left wondering what it means for their education, their financial reality, and the future of the profession. In this special episode of Grade 1 View, Greg Collins, DNP, CRNA and Michelle Canale, DNP, CRNA, APRN, FAANA join Olivia and Kevin to break down what the Department of Education’s proposed borrowing caps really mean. They explain why the issue goes far beyond degree nomenclature, why CRNA education is so costly to deliver, and how the new limits could create barriers for students who simply cannot work during training. This latest legislation is just another reminder that advocacy for our profession is as important as ever. Current and future CRNAs need to be proactive in voicing their concerns and participating in advocacy efforts, and the AANA is there to help provide updates and actionable steps to help you stay informed and involved. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 💸 The Real Issue: Borrowing Caps 🏥 CRNAs Are Trained Like Physicians 🧑‍⚕️ A Workforce Crisis Is Already Here 📣 Advocacy Will Decide the Outcome 🌱 The Profession Is Still Worth It   Check out Greg on the Airway Exchange Podcast: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/airwayexchange/ Learn more about the AANA Board of Directors: https://www.aana.com/about-us/leadership/board-of-directors/ Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/grade-1-view/ Visit the AANA Resident Hub: https://www.aana.com/resident-hub/  Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

Direct laryngoscopy vs. video laryngoscopy — which one should be the standard? In this lively and highly practical clinical debate, Sharon and Jeremy are joined by CRNA leaders Laura Ardizzone, MS, MBA, DNP, CRNA and Karen Maresch, DNAP, CRNA to explore the evidence, training differences, outcomes, technology trends, and real-world experiences behind DL and VL. We’re going to dig into everything from first-pass success rates and airway injuries to teaching techniques, skill deterioration, and why newer providers often learn differently than seasoned clinicians. Is one truly better than the other? We’ll weigh both sides to try to answer that question today. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🔍 DL vs. VL Basics – The core differences and why clinicians care. 👀 Training & Teaching – How VL improves education and real-time coaching. 🩺 Safety & First-Pass Success – Why VL boosts outcomes, especially in difficult airways. 🧠 Skill Retention – Why DL skills fade without practice — and VL isn’t immune either. 🤖 The Future: Tech & AI – How imaging, documentation, and decision support will reshape airway management.   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1