Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

We’re excited to get the opportunity to sit down with someone who holds an incredibly unique position in our industry. Jorge Valdés, DNP, CRNA, APRN, FAANA, is the rare trifecta of a male nurse, minority and a CRNA in the dean’s chair at Florida International University. His rise from starting as a CRNA 21 years ago to becoming the head of a nursing school was not the path he anticipated, but Dr. Valdés has fully embraced the opportunity to impact nursing education and be a tremendous advocate for the profession. Join us as we learn more about his journey, his view on the future of healthcare, and the important role educators play in our profession.   Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: What challenges are facing CRNA educators right now? The best place to start if you’re considering education is to be a preceptor. The path from being a CRNA to becoming an active dean. What does he see for the future of the profession? The role he’s played in advocacy in Florida.   About our guest: https://cnhs.fiu.edu/about/faculty-staff/profiles/jvalde.html   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/   Get the CE Certificate here: 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

An amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) remains one of the most devastating conditions in obstetric practice. In today’s episode, Sass and Jeremy review the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, and management of this rare, but lethal condition. Included in the management of an AFE is the administration of a trio of medications known as A-OK (Atropine, Ondansetron, and Ketorolac). If you want to brush up on current management techniques for an AFE, hit play…because it’s go time!   Here are some of the things we’ll discuss in this episode: An example of this happening recently where Jeremy works. How the body reacts when an amniotic fluid embolism occurs. Who is most at risk for developing AFE? Signs and symptoms to pay attention to. The treatment and management of a patient suffering from AFE. What is the AOK treatment?   About our hosts: https://kpatprogram.org/about-the-school/faculty.html    Visit us online: http://beyondthemaskpodcast.com    Get the CE certificate here: 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

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a nurse who’s impacted her state like our guest today has done in North Carolina. Gale Adcock is serving her term in the NC Senate after eight years in the NC House and seven years on her local town council. Those 16 years in office have given her a seat at the table and she’s used it to provide nurses across the state with an advocate to speak on their behalf. Today we’re sharing our conversation with her from the NCANA Meeting, where she was also surprised with two well-deserved honors.      Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Senator Adcock finds out she has been awarded the Legislator of the Year Award by the NCANA and named an honorary member of the NCANA. Her four-decade background in nursing and how she got into politics. Why she feels nurses have the makeup and the background to be great leaders and elected officials. How to properly communicate with your local representative in a way they’ll pay attention and take notice. The status of the SAVE Act and why it hasn’t passed yet. How can CRNAs become more comfortable in the advocacy arena. What can you do to affect other elections that would be helpful to you as a CRNA?   About our guest: https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/436   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/   Get the CE Certificate here: 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

Today we are going to discuss the uncertainties surrounding healthcare restructuring and why it’s critical for anesthesia to play an influential role moving forward. We’re excited to do that with guest host Angela Mund, DNP, CRNA, and Kevin Smith, MBA, CRNA, MSN, APRN of North American Partners in Anesthesia. We’ll have a roundtable discussion about where the anesthesia profession is headed and how CRNAs can create influence at local levels.    Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Why he feels like there’s no real influencer in the healthcare industry. The role that anesthesia plays in healthcare and what we have to do to take a seat at the table. His fears about healthcare restructuring and where we’re headed. Why it’s important for there to be positive messaging on the ground to offset the negative associated with many CRNAs leaving institutions. What can we do to prepare graduates to work with companies like NAPA to create influence? How social policy plays into current legislation.   About our guest: https://napaanesthesia.com/who-we-are/kevin-smith/   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/   Get the CE Certificate here: 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

This is a super fun episode where we welcome Mark Gabot, DNP, CRNA, FAANA on the show as a cohost. Mark and Jeremy presented at the 2023 AANA Annual Congress in Seattle and recorded this episode at the same time. Jeremy and Mark talk about how we think during a crisis, the unconscious biases that exist and they focus on a cognitive template for crisis management that can help formulate a working diagnosis of the perioperative problem, and then zero in on appropriate management. They also have some fun with some guests in the audience and invite them up on stage to talk more about their areas of expertise. Jeremy and Mark first invite one of the authors of the published Cognitive Template article (Lisa Osborne-Smith, PhD, CRNA, FAANA) up on stage to talk more about the utilization of the template. They next invite the Cormac O’Sullivan, PhD, CRNA, ARBP, FAANA to talk about simulated crises at the AANA Annual Congress. Finally, they invite both Sharon Pearce, DNP, CRNA, FAANA and Jeremy Stanley, EA, CFP®, AIF® up on stage to talk about the origins of the Beyond the Mask Podcast.   Here are some of the things we’ll discuss in this episode: How we develop our own mental model of what to follow in terms of treating a patient. The two modes of thinking when we make rapid decisions. The research on cognitive errors and biases. Background on the cognitive template article from Oregon Health & Science University. Simulation training with Dr. Cormac O’Sullivan. Background on the Beyond the Mask Podcast and how it got started.   For more on the cognitive template, check out this earlier episode where we go deeper into the topic: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/managing-perioperative-crises-with-a-cognitive-template/4242/   About our hosts: https://kpatprogram.org/about-the-school/faculty.html  Visit us online: http://beyondthemaskpodcast.com  Get the CE certificate here: 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

Today we’re going to turn our attention back to the financial side of our CRNA discussions and focus on the issues that can creep into a marriage when it comes to money. That’s something many couples will argue over so we want to make sure you’re addressing the minefields that might test any marriage.   Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Why it’s important for you to know how your partner feels about money before you get married. Figuring out whether you should combine finances, keep them completely separate, or do some combination of the two.   Determining what your priorities are for life and your career and focusing on how your finances play into that. Being on the same page about debt. Should you consider a prenup before marriage? The steps you need to take with an estate plan after you get married.   Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ Get the CE Certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf

Sacrifice is part of the job when you’re a nurse. We all understand that comes with the territory. But there’s an even greater level of sacrifice for those who try to be advocates and leaders within the profession. Today we’re joined a gain by guest host Tracy Castleman, DNP, CRNA, APN-A, FAANA, and Yana Krmic, MSN, CRNA, APRN to discuss the obstacles we’ve all faced throughout our careers. We explore what it means to be a leader in a challenging profession, the personal experiences that define our career trajectories, and the value of finding purpose in the work we do.   Here are some of the things you’ll learn on this show: Her journey from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1997. Yana’s pathway to leadership and the obstacles she faced as she tried advance her career. The five step process in becoming an advocate. Leaders aren’t always rewarded in our profession and it means we make sacrifices. What causes some CRNAs to be unsupportive of others in the profession. The things from the work we did during COVID. Would Yana have done things differently if she could go back?   Visit us online: http://beyondthemaskpodcast.com  Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf

We all have the current requirement to take the CPC Assessment for recertification, and many of our colleagues are asking us “How can I prepare?”. In an effort to help get our CRNA nation in the mode of answering questions… Jeremy and Sass are going to start doing occasional question and answer episodes. In this episode they go over respiratory and cardiac physiology questions. This will bring you right back to CRNA school (for better or worse), so have fun!   Here are some of the things we’ll discuss in this episode: A review of Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction When increased, which factor increases myocardial oxygen consumption to the greatest degree? Which factors cause a leftward shift in the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve? Which vascular response occurs during hypotension? Which inspiratory muscles are involved with a supplemental inspiratory effect during times of respiratory distress? Which cardiac responses are associated with bradycardia?     About our hosts: https://kpatprogram.org/about-the-school/faculty.html  Visit us online: http://beyondthemaskpodcast.com  Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf

Our guest today has quite the story to tell about advocacy but it’s not the same advocacy we normally discuss on the show. Maureen McCartney Anderson, CRNA has been in-volved with her state association in New Jersey for a number of years and was on the path of advocating for professional rights, but that changed dramatically when her baby was born with handicaps. Now she’s pouring much of her energy into advocating for the special needs children’s population and making a difference in her community with the help of other CRNAs. She realized quickly that some children were being left behind at the playground because they lacked inclusive options for children and adults of all abilities. So she took on the task of advocating for an inclusive playground in her local community of Mansquan, New Jersey. In doing so, they developed a charity called Friends of Manasquan Parks and Recreation to help expand the mission and vision they had for recreation initiatives.  Things really took off when the group ‘CRNA Moms’ got involved and the two-year project was officially completed in December 2022. Today we’ll learn more about Maureen’s advocacy efforts and how the CRNA community rallied around a wonderful cause.   Here are some of the things you’ll learn on this show: The story of how this mission became a top priority for her after her son were born. How she’s helped educate people on the need for inclusivity. The back-and-forth efforts they went through on design and why they cared so much about making it fun for everyone. The incredible support she received from the CRNA community after reaching out to the CRNA Moms Facebook group. The different fundraising efforts they took on to raise money for this $900,000 project. What’s next for Maureen and the charity?   Visit us online: http://beyondthemaskpodcast.com  Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf

Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) is rapidly gaining recognition for its effectiveness in alleviating acute and chronic pain, as well as anxiety. When we heard Angel Jaap, CRNA speak about this at the AANA Spring Symposium, we wanted to bring her on to learn more about this alternative therapy. You’ll understand why she wants more nurses to learn this protocol after you hear some of the applications and success stories she shares today.   For those that aren’t familiar with BFA, patients undergo insertion of five auricular semi-permanent (ASP) needles to the following traditional ear acupuncture points bilaterally: Cingulate Gyrus, Thalamus, Omega 2, Point Zero and Shenmen. Angel learned about this over the past few years and has instituted a Pilot program through Whole Health within VISN 4 which allows RNs to perform BFA for veterans thereby increasing veterans access to this safe, effective pain management therapy.   You’ll learn more about that and have a much better understanding of BFA after listening to our conversation during our trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania.   Here are some of the things you’ll learn on this show: How therapeutic touch works and why it makes you feel the way it does. How BFA was developed and why the VA began incorporating this into patient care. What does a day at work look like for Angel? Angel shares a wonderful success story about treating a veteran and PTSD. The smaller needles used in BFA have been effective for people scared of needles.   Visit us online: http://beyondthemaskpodcast.com  Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf