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When you look at areas of the nurse anesthesia profession that need improvement, diversity would be near the top of that list. Thanks to Dr. Lena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FAAN, there’s a mentorship program in place that is helping facilitate entry into the profession for people of color. Today we’ll spotlight that work that’s being done, share Dr. Gould’s incredible journey to this point, and discuss ways to keep increasing diversity in the operating room.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-117-a-hand-up-how-dr-lena-gould-edd-crna-faan-is-improving-diversity-in-nurse-anesthesia/2814/    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:  2:17 – Welcome our guest today, Lena Gould.  6:47 – Her first trip to an AANA annual meeting  9:26 – How education saved her during homelessness  14:54 – HRSA grant 18:58 – The beginning of the diversity and mentorship program 23:49 – How she found out about nurse anesthesia 27:47 – Stats on nurses of color 31:38 – Financial barrier to entry 38:33 – An equity issue  40:18 – Lightning Round

For more than 20 years, the AANA Mentorship Program has played an integral role in the development of young CRNAs thanks to both the mentors and mentees that have committed to the annual event. Tracy Castleman, CRNA, has been deeply involved in the mentoring process so we asked her to join us to talk about the program, why it’s important for CRNAs to get involved, and what young professionals can expect to get out of this experience.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-116-importance-of-mentoring-in-crna-leadership-development/2805/    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:  4:47 – Background on Tracy    7:13 – Why mentoring is important 9:28 – The first mentoring program 10:55 – Growth of the program 12:17 – Reasons mentorship is important for CRNAs  14:37 – Key attributes of mentors and mentees 17:51 – How someone can get involved 19:16 – What happens on-site 28:31 – Charitable arm of NJANA 34:06 – Final thoughts on today’s topic

If you’re in the need for inspiration, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better story than the one that Jeanne Stawiecki, CRNA, will tell on this episode. Thanks to the power of positive and determined thinking, she went from smoking two packs of cigarettes each day to setting two Guinness World Records for marathon running and mountain climbing. It’s an incredibly powerful and emotional story and one you don’t want to miss.   Read more here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-115-summit-your-everest-a-crnas-story-of-peaks-valleys-and-world-records/2796/    About our guest: https://jeannestawiecki.com/biography/    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:  3:02 – Background on Jeanne and her accomplishments 6:35 – Her childhood 9:54 – Why she began smoking 13:04 – Marathon running begins 18:54 – Changing her thoughts and mindset 21:53 – The goal of 7 marathons on 7 continents 27:33 – Health challenges 30:27 – Second Everest attempt 35:23 – Climbing travel   47:13 – What she’s doing now 48:52 – The incredible story of how she summited Everest 56:30 – Final message on being conscious every day

Being the lead of an organization like the AANA takes a special set of leadership skills, but reaching that point doesn’t come without obstacles like uncertainty and doubt. Join us as we talk with AANA CEO Randy Moore, DNP, MBA, CRNA, about his journey to his leadership role and how he’s handled periods of self-doubt along the way.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-114-crucibles-of-leadership-overcoming-fear-doubt-and-uncertainty-to-find-your-voice-with-aana-ceo-dr-randall-moore/2791/    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:  2:00 – Why is this topic important? 4:09 – Developing leadership style 7:46 – His role vs what he expected 13:05 – Essential skills of leadership 17:12 – Struggling with being happy 25:28 – Learning from failure 27:43 – The role his wife played 29:34 – What he’s good at 31:45 – The hedonic treadmill 35:03 – Advice he’d give to aspiring leaders

After watching another historic Inauguration Day, we can’t help but notice that the country has mixed feelings about where we’re headed. You can say we’re living in a 50-50 world. So as we welcome in a new administration, what can CRNAs expect from the economy moving forward and what does it mean for your finances?   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-113-life-in-a-50-50-world-preparing-crnas-financially-for-2021/2780/    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:  2:27 – Why we’re talking about this today 3:10 – The Social Dilemma 5:20 – New stimulus money 7:45 – Have we always had this large divide? 9:00 – The stock market 12:11 – Event-driven economic problems 14:47 – Tax concerns 18:16 – Investing in the market this year 22:15 – The key is having a plan

The next installment of our Presidential Leadership Series features Peggy McFadden, CRNA, BS, who actually served two terms as the AANA president. Join us as we look back on her impressive career and learn what challenges were facing the AANA in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-112-courage-to-lead-two-term-aana-president-peggy-mcfadden-crna-bs/2775/    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: 3:17 – Background on Peggy’s life and career 5:25 – Challenges of the first term 16:10 – Replacing the Executive Director 19:00 – Medicare reimbursement 23:58 – Back for a second term 27:07 – Highlights of the second term 33:56 – What would she do differently? 36:29 – Her message to young CRNAs 39:58 – Running for public office 41:40 – Her hobbies 44:25 – Final thoughts

While there’s plenty we want to forget about 2020, there was also a bit of history we want to spotlight. Sydney Davis, CRNA, and Taylor Rehfeldt, CRNA, became the first two CRNAs to be elected to a state legislature during the November 3 general election in South Dakota. Join us as we celebrate their story, find out why they pursued office, and learn about the issues they’re focusing on.    Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-111-finally-two-south-dakota-crnas-elected-to-state-legislatures/2769/    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:  4:23 – Welcoming our special guests today 8:34 – Did they plan for this career in politics? 9:31 – Background on the election 13:54 – Innovative ways to campaign 15:51 – What made them go down this path? 21:33 – How much money was raised? 24:21 – Did the anesthesiologists come after you? 26:25 – Marketing as a nurse vs nurse anesthetist 29:02 – Why women and moms should run for office 30:47 – How has your family handled this? 36:19 – The issues Taylor wants to tackle 39:57 – Did being a nurse help your campaigns?

In recent years, we’ve watched women rise to levels of power previously never seen. While it’s been an amazing evolution to watch, there’s still plenty of inequality in the world. Today we’ll take a look at the top issues in our country as it relates to women and discuss the pivotal roles women have played over the years. Kimberly Gordon, CRNA, and Judge April Wood join Sharon and Jeremy for a roundtable discussion.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-110-a-conversation-with-powerful-women/2760/    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:  3:06 – Is Jeremy ready for this show?   4:25 – Introducing our guests   10:33 – Amy Coney Barrett 15:35 – Coronavirus impact on elections 21:22 – Great quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg 25:38 – Should the Supreme Court be a lifetime appointment?   36:36 – The Equal Rights Amendment 39:57 – Woman’s role in the family    53:40 – Why has the ERA never passed?   55:59 – Making less money than male counterparts   1:02:17 – Do women put their careers on hold for family? 1:08:55 – Are men okay with women making more? 1:12:10 – Jeremy’s cat

We’ve finally reached the end of 2020 and everyone is looking forward to turning the page to a new year. These past ten months have been a financial burden on so many CRNAs and their family and friends, but now is an opportunity to assess your future and make the changes you need. Financial planning can feel overwhelming so we put together a checklist to guide you through the most important areas of your money.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-109-goodbye-2020-how-to-financially-prepare-for-2021-and-beyond/2754/    Learn more about CRNA Financial Planning: https://www.crnafinancialplanning.com/    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:  6:52 – How Sharon & Jeremy feel about the vaccine   9:49 – The financial topics we’re going to cover on this show 12:03 – Are you scared?    13:21 – People have spent less this year 14:58 – Make sure you have your emergency reserve fund 16:20 – Should you refinance your mortgage? 20:00 – Have you checked your credit recently?   26:21 – Investing considerations for 2021 29:20 – Where will taxes go in the future 31:52 – Retirement contributions 33:20 – College funding 34:20 – If you’re getting close to retirement 38:32 – Charitable giving 41:54 – Estate planning 46:55 – Thoughts on the continuing rise in CRNA salaries. 49:32  – What could the government do differently?

When you think back on the history of the AANA, few people left a legacy like John Garde, CRNA, MS, FAAN. A former President, Education Director, and Executive Director, Garde played a critical role in the growth and prominence of the organization and he made a positive impact on so many CRNAs. Today we honor his legacy and share our memories of this gift to our profession, and we’ll have the help of Nancy Bruton-Maree and Sandy Ouellette to do it. Plus, we’ll have a special montage at the end of the episode that you won’t want to miss.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-108-honoring-the-legacy-of-john-garde-crna-ms-faan/2749/    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 show:  1:57 – Honoring John Garde on today’s show 3:07 – He remembered everyone 4:51 – John’s early life 8:18 – How he became a nurse anesthetist   9:50 – Some of his major contributions to the profession and AANA 12:20 – A lot happening with the AANA in the early 1980s   14:24 – The other organizations he served   16:14 – John’s leadership style at the AANA 21:56 – The awards he received 23:18 – Quotes about John 26:36 – Work hard, play hard 28:40 – The t-shirt he got at retirement 30:32 – Closing thoughts on John 37:37 – Special montage to honor and remember John

None of us will soon forget this year, but 2020 has been especially life-changing for Christen Roberts, CRNA. Over the past year she’s created Bambu bracelets to support healthcare workers across the country and became the first Mrs. Georgia American. Both platforms have given her an opportunity to increase awareness for the CRNA profession and she joins us to tell us about this amazing journey.     Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-107-mrs-georgia-american-using-her-platform-for-crna-awareness-and-support-for-healthcare-workers/2744/    About our guest: https://bambustrong.com/    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 show:  2:38 – Welcome in Christen Roberts, CRNA and Mrs. Georgia American 6:50 – Her background as a CRNA 9:12 – Anesthesia school 13:06 – Why this topic is important to her 15:00 – How the idea for bracelets came to be 18:40 – Financial challenges for 1099 employees   20:52 – Why she competed for Mrs. Georgia American 23:16 – How she’s using her platforms to bring awareness to the CRNA profession   25:09 – The upcoming national pageant   26:18 – Explaining what CRNAs do 28:53 – Their goals for the bracelets and how to get one 31:17 – How they socially distanced at the pageant 33:04 – Her favorite word 34:26 – Is your Christmas tree up? 35:33 – A final message from Christen

The wide-ranging effects of COVID on the healthcare system have been well-documented, but what impact is this pandemic having on nurse anesthesia students and educational programs? Erin Martin, CRNA, DNP, is the Program Director at the Mayo Nurse Anesthesia Program and has seen the changes first-hand. She joins the show to share her experience this year and tell us what it could mean for the future of the profession.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-106-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-nurse-anesthesia-educational-programs-with-erin-martin-crna-dnp/2738/    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 show:  2:33 – Welcome in Erin Martin  3:52 – Why this is an important topic 5:27 – Program admissions 8:27 – What’s been the biggest challenge? 10:20 – Dealing with the lack of PPE 12:31 – How she helped students on the mental health side 16:06 – Repercussions for being out of clinical for six weeks 21:21 – Experiences that students are missing out on  26:13 – New students haven’t ever been in a room together 29:26 – What happens after this all stops? 31:31 – What would you tell someone thinking about applying to an anesthesia program? 34:53 – Showing empathy to these students  37:37 – Final message from Erin 

As we’ve learned in 2020, having more nurses in leadership and decision-making positions would benefit the entire country greatly. One nurse that’s embracing their power to bring change is Erin Murphy, RN. After years in the nursing profession, she transitioned into politics 15 years ago and served as a state representative for more than a decade, became the first nurse to run for governor, and recently became a Minnesota State Senator in 2020. Listen as she shares her experience, the role of nurses in politics, and her ideas for getting more people involved.   Read more about the show: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-105-nursing-policy-and-politics-with-minnesota-state-senator-erin-murphy/2731/    About our guest: https://www.murphyfor64.com/    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 show:  1:49 – Welcome in, Erin 2:52 – Background on Erin 5:00 – Her experience in politics 9:42 – Door knocking on the campaign trail 13:21 – Balancing work and politics 17:42 – Her experience running for governor 21:41 – How can nurses get past the negatives and want to run for office? 25:51 – What would the pandemic looked like if a nurse was in charge? 28:10 – We need more nurses in public office 32:33 – Final message to nurses 34:00 – Sharon’s biggest takeaway from this conversation

Few people had an impact on nursing and the nurse anesthesia profession like Ira P. Gunn, CRNA, MLN, FAAN. Widely regarded as a visionary in the profession, Gunn’s legacy lives on through many different capacities. To help us better understand her life and accomplishments, Nancy Bruton-Maree and Sandy Ouellette join us to share what they know about Gunn and what they learned from working with her.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-104-how-ira-gunn-shaped-nurse-anesthesia-through-service-education-advocacy/2716/    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 show: 2:53 – Nancy and Sandy joining us again in studio 3:30 – Today we’re talking about Ira Gunn 4:35 – Background on Ira Gunn and her early years 8:02 – Developing her life mission and vision 10:14 – Her career in the military 14:48 – Dr. Weeks served under Ira Gunn 17:03 – Her many gifts to nursing and nurse anesthesia profession 23:52 – Nancy tells a story about a time Ira saved her 27:25 – Awards and honors she received 28:54 – How was she viewed by her professional friends? 35:29 – What beliefs did she instill us that still has relevance today? 40:15 – Final Thoughts on Ira

We don’t have to go very far back to find the guest on the latest installment in our Presidential Leadership Series. Garry Brydges PhD, DNP, MBA, CRNA, ACNP-BC, FAAN, in the AANA, served as the AANA president for the 2018-19 year so his experiences are still very fresh. Join us as we look back at the challenges of his term, the lessons learned, and why self-reflection has become part of his daily life.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-103-courage-to-lead-2018-19-aana-president-garry-brydges-phd-dnp-mba-crna-acnp-bc-faan/2717/    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 show:  1:27 – Traveling during COVID 3:19 – Welcome in Garry Brydges 5:12 – Garry’s extensive educational background 8:16 – Was going to law school when elected AANA president 11:20 – Looking back on his presidency. Why did he decide to run? 19:48 – Why Garry was the right person for a role the board. 24:38 – Meetings are such a wonderful opportunity for presidents 27:38 – Challenges Garry faced during his year 36:26 – Leveraging social media 42:08 – Advocacy issues during his presidency 45:16 – The most valuable leadership lesson he learned 50:56 – A message to the younger CRNAs 52:40 – Garry’s athletic career

While the CRNA profession continues to remain steady and strong, we’re at a critical point in time if things are going to stay that way. What can be done to motivate and engage the younger generations of CRNAs to be active and involved? We put together a panel for the CANA to discuss the future of the profession and its organizations.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-102-what-does-gen-x-y-and-me-believe-is-the-future-of-nurse-anesthesia-profession/2710/    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 show: 2:08 – Today we’re recording for the CANA with some special guests 4:44 – Different generations 6:07 – What will take to move the profession forward? 8:02 – Building on the foundation that’s been laid 10:31 – Will it take a threat to a profession to get CRNAs to become engaged?  16:11 – Why did you feel compelled to join the AANA? 19:16 – Going through the program with children 20:58 – How to move our profession forward?  23:07 – What’s the solution to public awareness problem? 26:49 – How do you feel about the name change to anesthesiologists?  30:22 – Any pushback from physician anesthesiologists? 33:45 – How important is it to have a unified front on this issue? 36:51 – Ways to attract younger generations to the AANA 42:20 – Should business background be more of a priority during training? 45:09 – The role of social media 49:06 – Final thoughts from each of our guests 

The dynamic field of psychotropic medication has seen groundbreaking results with the introduction of dissociative therapies. This episode hopes to shed light on the use of ketamine for mental health and chronic pain relief and put an emphasis on how CRNAs are uniquely positioned to benefit from its application. Dr. Nicholas Kalynych and Brian Hogan of Sunbelt Wellness Institute will join the show to help us do that.   Read more about the show here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-101-how-ketamine-infusion-therapy-is-treating-mental-health/2700/   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: 2:22 – What we’re talking about today 3:04 – Background on our guests 6:32 – What’s important about this topic right now? 7:21 – This history and uses of ketamine 10:28 – Microdosing   12:52 – Stigma of mental health   14:25 – Ketamine with other anti-depressants 16:19 – What’s the stigma attached to ketamine 18:09 – How their business got involved with this treatment.   21:23 – Insurance not covering this right now    22:36 – How can CRNAs get more involved with this?   24:30 – Why CRNAs are uniquely qualified 27:39 – How did these uses for ketamine come about? 30:24 – The role of a psychiatrist 34:30 – How they help people get started with this. 38:53 – How is COVID impacting supply? 45:03 – Final message on the topic  

We’re celebrating 100 episodes with a fascinating look to the future of health. Shawna Butler, RN, MBA, has been leading the charge towards merging clinical care, technology, and sustainable business models and much of that conversation centers around the true value of nurses. Join us as we learn all about the work and research Butler has been doing, where the industry is headed from a technology standpoint, and what needs to be done to continue moving our profession forward. This show is going to be a celebration and a reflection on an exciting first 100 episodes, and we also have a special message to share with Sharon and Jeremy.   Read more about the show here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-100-driving-innovation-technology-in-healthcare-with-shawna-butler-rn-mba/2694/    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: 0:36 – Celebrating 100 episodes with a surprise 6:36 – Sharon & Jeremy look back on 100 episodes 8:38 – Welcoming in our guest today 9:29 – Background on Butler’s health and tech background 12:27 – Money is the root of many issues 14:57 – We don’t quantify nursing 22:24 – What her podcast is all about 30:22 – How to get policy changes to push nurses forward 35:38 – Examples of what nurses are doing now to innovate 41:58 – How is technology changing nursing?  49:07 – Changing the way nurses view the problems we face. 55:11 – How to get nurses the business training to become an entrepreneur 1:02:03 – A 100th episode request for Butler 1:03:33 – What does the future hold for the podcast? 1:07:27 – A final, inspirational message from Butler

Nearly 10 years ago, the NBCRNA introduced the Continued Professional Certification program much to the surprise of many people in the profession. That announcement came just a few days before former AANA president Debra Malina, CRNA, MBA, DNSc, took office, and it led to many difficult discussions and decisions. Join us as we take you back to 2011-12 and into those meetings, and then find out what Malina remembers most about her time leading the organization.   Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/courage-to-lead-2011-12-aana-president-debra-malina-crna-mba-dnsc/2687/    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 show:  3:00 – Introducing our special guest today 4:57 – Her history in nursing 6:14 – The challenges of her presidency started with NBCRNA and CPC 15:09 – Fallout from the CPC program 16:34 – Another thing they looked at was cutting expenses 21:18 – Helping fund Council on Accreditation 24:53 – Reimbursement advocacy 26:58 – Article written an anesthesiologist in March 2012 31:02 – What happened with removing supervision during her term. 32:42 – Supervision win for Air Force 36:33 – Most important leadership lessons learned 38:53 – Her final message for younger CRNAs  

Politics carry a connotation that’s gotten worse in recent years, but that’s why it’s even more important for nurses to be a part of the decision-making process. As we continue lobbying on this podcast for activism and involvement, we brought on a guest that took that leap nearly 15 years ago. NC House Representative Gale Adcock, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, will explain why nurses are so effective in leadership roles and why this topic is so important in 2020.   Read more about the show here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-98-why-nurses-make-effective-elected-officials-at-every-level-of-government/2666/    Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   What we discuss today:  2:40 – Welcome in our guest, Rep. Gale Adcock. Some background on her 3:43 – Why this topic today is important  5:24 – Ways to get involved without running for office. 6:50 – Don’t be intimidated by your legislators 10:38 – Political Action Committees 19:30 – When she ran for Town Council 24:10 – What helped her win  28:13 – Why don’t more nurses run?  31:40 – What have you liked and disliked about serving? 36:44 – When people get to know you as a person, things change.