Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

No matter how closely you follow standard of care, mistakes can be made in the operating room. CRNAs often get named in claims, even if they did everything right, so it’s important to be aware of how this happens. Marjorie Everson, PhD, CRNA, has been studying closed claims and there are plenty of findings that she hopes can help CRNAs and SRNAs in the future.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/2936-2/2936/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode:  3:12 – Introducing Marjorie 6:11 – Why is this so important for CRNAs? 7:39 – Defining closed claims 9:26 – Key Findings 12:31 – Why does it happen to experienced CRNAs? 19:03 – Any follow-ups? 24:25 – Story about turning patient away 28:19 – Unexpected findings 32:23 – Are students taught how to say no? 35:19 – Violations that were found 41:34 – Final thoughts from Marjorie 42:24 – Lightning Round

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-state-of-the-us-housing-market-crash-or-opportunity/2931/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode:  2:33 – Introducing our guest Josh 3:48 – His background 6:44 – The book that impacted Jeremy 9:45 – Who are you mentoring? 13:36 – 2008 housing crash 17:04 – How today’s housing market isn’t like 2008 18:53 – Josh’s view of the real estate market 24:12 – Does this take into account census data? 26:42 – Existing homes for sale 28:37 – The demand side of the equation 37:47 – What should you be doing today in real estate? 41:05 – Mortgages for 1099 employees 46:34 – Commercial properties 50:07 – Final thoughts  

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, how it’s being used to serve veterans, and the other possibilities that could come from GIS.   Read more here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-133-how-geographic-information-systems-are-being-used-to-identify-veteran-suicide-risk/2924/   Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   The show rundown for this episode: 3:20 – Welcome Kevin!   4:32 – Background on Kevin 9:33 – Who’s at risk for suicide?   12:15 – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 17:21 – What the data can teach us 23:16 – Who can access this data? 25:32 – Using this to help veterans 29:22 – What else he uses GIS for 37:38 – How CRNAs & SRNAs can use this data 42:51 – Process of plotting 47:11 – Tracking the type of cases CRNAs are working 51:45 – Final thoughts

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 – Healing Emotional Lives of Peers – that is working diligently to improve the lives of anesthesia providers, and she joins the show today to help us better understand this phenomenon and how it’s affecting our industry.   Read more here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-132-the-silent-epidemic-in-healthcare-second-victim-phenomenon/2919/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode:  3:14 – Background on Robyn   4:10 – Why this topic is important   6:34 – What is the third victim? 8:45 – Symptoms 11:09 – Stigmas   18:11 – Events that cause this   22:36 – Second Victim Peer Support Program 25:36 – Institutional support 29:31 – What kind of support is beneficial?   32:12 – More resources 36:25 – Challenges she faced 41:03 – Training she’s doing 46:17 – How will this play out with COVID 50:58 – Final thoughts

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, CRNA and Chuck Griffis, PhD, CRNA to join the show to help us all learn more about the struggles people are facing and what can be done to prevent suicides in the future.   Read more: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/2915-2/2915/   Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode:  4:31 – Background on Jerry 8:40 – Background on Chuck 13:15 – Why this topic is so important right now   16:19 – How PTSD goes undiagnosed 21:48 – Examples of PTSD in CRNAs 25:54 – The amount of people affected by this   29:26 – CRNAs prone to suicide   34:35 – If you know someone that might be facing this    41:08 – Statistics 42:43 – Resources the AANA offers 50:25 – How do you know if you have PTSD?   56:27 – Improving education 59:53 – Study Griffis is doing

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 characteristics and how we can use them to improve education.     Read more: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-130-generational-challenges-and-opportunities-in-srna-education/2908/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode:  2:55 – The root of miscommunication 4:34 – Erin’s background 5:38 – The differences in each generation 9:36 – Influences on each generation 19:47 – How this impacts nurse anesthesia 26:14 – Communication preferences 28:45 – Relating to a different generation than your own 32:27 – How do we bridge this gap? 35:44 – Relating to Millenials 37:00 – Inclusion 42:38 – Understand each other’s weaknesses

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 hear his amazing story of beating the odds and how he’s overcoming his greatest fear of wasting precious time by trying to make a difference.   Read more: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-129-given-6-months-to-live-healthcare-policy-from-the-patients-perspective/2899/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode:  3:23 – Introducing our guest today 5:32 – Nick’s health history 10:26 – Surviving the Fontan procedure 13:01 – Being told 6 months left to live multiple times 16:00 – Julie interviewed for anesthesia school 19:57 – How has this shaped Nick 25:44 – His decision to run for public office at 25  28:40 – Health policy 32:34 – CRNA’s role in policy-making 36:48 – Pitting people against each other 40:22 – What is important to all elected officials? 43:15 – How effective are emails? 43:15 – Closing thoughts 50:03 – Lightning round  

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 specialize in working with CRNAs, to learn about the why this coverage is so critical.   Read more and get additional financial resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-121-how-crnas-can-protect-their-greatest-asset-yourself/2838/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   Learn more about Disability Insurance: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Disability-Flyer-For-Web-maybe-make-a-PDF.docx    What we discuss on this episode:  2:01 – Welcome our guests today 3:23 – What we’re talking about today 4:10 – Background on Robert and Kyle 5:03 – The companies that offer disability insurance 7:26 – Do you have adequate coverage through your employer? 11:56 – Have an emergency fund 14:37 – What if anesthesia is the cause of your disability? 17:01 – Understanding your employer policy 19:01 – How does age effect your policy? 24:05 – Financial planning process 25:19 – Plans for 1099 vs W-2 30:04 – Story about someone that didn’t insure 33:21 – Advantages of working with BrightThink Wealth 36:23 – How to get in touch with Robert and Kyle 38:33 – Lightning Round

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 current role at Wake Forest University.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-127-a-crnas-experience-being-deployed-to-afghanistan/2886/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode: 2:14 – Welcome in our guest 3:58 – Deployment to Afghanistan 8:11 – How busy was he 11:27 – Providing anesthesia to civilians   12:48 – Conditions overseas right now   14:47 – What a typical day looked like   17:06 – Transitioning back to real life   20:20 – Very limited connectivity on deployment 21:02 – School while he was away 22:52 – Top things he learned 25:29 – Benefits of the military 26:41 – Final thoughts

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 and get additional financial resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-123-gertrude-fifes-lasting-impact-on-education-and-the-aana/2880/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss on this episode:  2:10 – Welcome Sandy and Nancy 5:22 – Early part of her life 6:49 – Contributions to clinical anesthesia 13:39 – Contributions to AANA 24:38 – Elected NANA president 27:52 – Real proponent of an accreditation program 34:15 – An organizer and promoter 36:27 – Membership categories 39:02 – What annual dues would be today based on inflation 40:55 – Settings standards for education 45:37 – Woman of many talents 47:46 – Dagmar Nelson Trial 45:37 – Disagreement between Hodgins and Fife 51:59 – First qualifying exam 54:54 – Other awards 56:45 – Her life’s work and its relevance today