Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

When Systems Fail: The Fungal Meningitis Outbreak in Mexico

Recorded live from the IFNA World Congress in Australia, we sat down with physician and Dr. Jonathan Chejfec of the Mexican Federation of Colleges of Anesthesiology to examine one of the most significant patient safety events in recent anesthesia history. Together, they explore how healthcare can move from blame to learning, why human factors matter, and what organizations everywhere can do to build safer systems before tragedy occurs.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🌍 The Mexico Outbreak – Understanding what happened and why it mattered
⚠️ Systems vs. Individuals – Why catastrophic failures rarely stem from one mistake
🧰 Unsafe Workarounds – How everyday adaptations became normalized
✈️ Lessons from Aviation – Building proactive safety cultures
🤝 The Patient Perspective – Why those affected should help redesign healthcare systems
 
About our guest: https://wcna2026.com/speakers/dr-jonathan-chejfec/
Join Sharon at the Nurse Anesthesia Update in the Bahamas: https://www.nurseanesthetist.com/events/nurse+anesthesia+update+2026/
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/
Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Airway Exchange – Ep. 21 - The Science Behind Fair Testing with Dr. Yasmine Campbell

In this episode of Airway Exchange, Erin and Greg sit down with Yasmine Campbell, DNP, CRNA, APRN, CNE, CHSE, FAANA, a clinical associate professor at Florida International University and member of the AANA Education Committee. The episode discusses strategies for writing better exams, the growing role of AI, and creating meaningful professional development opportunities for CRNA faculty.
​Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
📊 Item Analysis – Using data to improve exams and fairness
🎓 Board Preparation – Helping students succeed on the NCE
🧠 Test-Taking Skills – Building confidence beyond content knowledge
🤖 AI in Education – Opportunities, concerns, and responsible use
👩‍🏫 Faculty Development – Strengthening the future of CRNA education
 
Follow @AirwayExchangePodcast on Instagram
Submit a Topic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/airway-exchange-podcast-request
 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
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

AANA Hackathon: Innovation Isn’t Just for Tech Companies

Healthcare innovation is often associated with software developers, startup founders, and technology companies. But what if some of the most important solutions to healthcare's biggest challenges are sitting inside operating rooms, classrooms, and clinical settings every day? CRNAs and nurses see problems firsthand, yet they are rarely invited into the rooms where solutions are created.
In this episode, Sharon and Jeremy welcome nurse entrepreneur Rebecca Love, RN, MSN, FIEL and AANA Senior Innovation Specialist Cherissa Jackson to discuss the upcoming AANA Hackathon at the AANA Annual Congress. This event creates a space for clinicians, educators, students, and innovators to collaborate and develop solutions for the daily challenges CRNAs see firsthand.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
💡 Innovation Mindset – Learning to think beyond the status quo
🤝 Collaboration – Solving problems through teamwork
🚀 Hackathon Experience – What participants can expect
🎤 Finding Your Voice – Empowering CRNAs to lead change
🏥 Future Solutions – Improving healthcare through innovation
 
Reserve your spot at the 2026 AANA Hackathon: https://share.hsforms.com/1IVEbc-ymRGejiLnE8eRmuw4rpz6?utm_campaign=Congress26&utm_source=aana_com&utm_medium=congress_events_page
Join Sharon at the Nurse Anesthesia Update in the Bahamas: https://www.nurseanesthetist.com/events/nurse+anesthesia+update+2026/
 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/
Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Grade 1 View – S2, E13 – Navigating Malpractice Insurance: A Must for Future CRNAs

Today we’re tackling something that every single SRNA needs to understand before signing their very first employment contract, and that’s protecting our livelihood once we graduate.
In this episode of Grade 1 View, hosts Mackenzie and Nicolas sit down with Bryan Doyle, ME, RPLU, Acting Vice President of AANA Insurance Services and Lisa Kiska, RPLU+, Supervisor, Underwriting & Customer Service at AANA Insurance Services to break down the essentials of malpractice insurance to better prepare every SRNA for the realities of the workplace.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🛡️ Malpractice Basics – What every SRNA should understand
📄 Contract Pitfalls – Hidden insurance clauses to watch for
💰 Tail Coverage – The expensive surprise many providers miss
⚖️ Claims & Lawsuits – What happens when you're named
🏥 1099 vs W2 – How insurance responsibilities change
 
Get a Malpractice Estimate from AANA Insurance Services: https://malpracticeinsurance.aana.com/get-estimate/
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

Stories That Can Heal with Rosa Hart

Nurses are consistently ranked as the most trusted profession in America. So why aren't more nurses helping shape the conversations that influence healthcare policy, patient education, technology, and innovation?
In this episode of Beyond the Mask, Sharon and guest co-host Laura Ardizzone, MS, MBA, DNP, CRNA welcome Stroke Certified Registered Nurse, podcaster, author, and healthcare communicator Rosa Hart for a conversation about the power of storytelling, communication, and advocacy in modern healthcare.
Drawing from her experiences in stroke care, podcasting, and healthcare media, Rosa explains why nurses possess a unique ability to translate complex medical information into meaningful conversations that patients and families can understand. She shares how witnessing remarkable stroke recoveries inspired her passion for education and discusses how communication may be one of the most overlooked clinical skills in healthcare.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🗣️ Nurses have a unique ability to translate complex healthcare information.
🧠 Most strokes are preventable through better health management and blood pressure control.
🎙️ Storytelling and media can educate far more people than one-on-one interactions alone.
💡 Healthcare professionals shouldn't wait for permission to share their expertise.
🚀 Small voices can create big change when focused on solving problems.
 
About our guest: https://nurserosaspeaks.com/
Join Sharon at the Nurse Anesthesia Update in the Bahamas: https://www.nurseanesthetist.com/events/nurse+anesthesia+update+2026/
 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/
Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Airway Exchange – Ep. 20 – Teaching Resilience in Nurse Anesthesia

CRNA education has never been more demanding.
As nurse anesthesia programs have evolved into rigorous 36-month doctoral programs, educators are seeing increasing levels of stress, anxiety, burnout, and mental health challenges among students.
So how can faculty better support students while maintaining the high standards required of the profession?
In this episode of Airway Exchange, hosts Nickie and Erin welcome Gerard Hogan, DNSc., APRN-BC, CRNA, FAANA, LtCol, USAF (ret.), psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, educator, and researcher, for an important conversation about resilience in nurse anesthesia education. Dr. Hogan discusses his research on resilience among nurse anesthesia residents and explains why resilience is a skill that can be taught, strengthened, and developed over time.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🧠 Resilience is a skill that can be taught and strengthened.
💬 Students should never be afraid to ask for help.
🌱 Small habits like mindfulness and reflection build resilience over time.
🤝 Faculty play a critical role in creating supportive learning environments.
⚖️ High standards and compassion can coexist in CRNA education.
 
Follow @AirwayExchangePodcast on Instagram
Submit a Topic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/airway-exchange-podcast-request
 
About our guest: https://pc.fsu.edu/person/gerard-hogan-dnsc-aprn-bc-crna-faana-ltcol-usaf-ret
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
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 Power of Storytelling in Healthcare with Mary Ellen Miller

Every healthcare professional carries a story.
Some are inspiring. Some are heartbreaking. Some quietly shape who we become as clinicians, educators, leaders, and people.
But what happens when those stories are never told?
In this episode of Beyond the Mask, Sharon and guest co-host Laura L. Ardizzone, MS, MBA, DNP, CRNA welcome nurse educator, author, and storyteller Mary Ellen Miller, PhD, RN, PHNA-BC for a powerful conversation about narrative medicine, reflective writing, grief, healing, and the courage it takes to share personal experiences with the world.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🩺 Narrative medicine reminds us that listening to patients' stories is just as important as clinical expertise.
✍️ Reflective writing and journaling can help healthcare professionals process difficult experiences and avoid carrying them alone.
❤️ Many forms of grief often go unrecognized and unspoken.
🚀 Sharing your story takes courage, but perseverance through rejection can create meaningful impact for people facing similar challenges.
 
Join Sharon at the Nurse Anesthesia Update in the Bahamas: https://www.nurseanesthetist.com/events/nurse+anesthesia+update+2026/
Get a copy of Secret Sorrow: https://nongrandparent.com/
About our guest co-host: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/laura-ardizzone
 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/
Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Grade 1 View – S2, E12 - Building Community, Belonging, and Pride in Nurse Anesthesiology

June is Pride Month, and on this episode of Grade 1 View, Levi and Kelsey sit down with John Gianitsis, MSNA, CRNA and Carlota Izaguirre, DNP, CRNA and from the Nurse Anesthesiology Pride Foundation (NAPF) to discuss representation, belonging, mental health, and community within the nurse anesthesia profession. We’ll also explore the organization's evolution from GALA to NAPF and the important role it plays in supporting LGBTQ+ CRNAs, students, and allies.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🏳️‍🌈 Representation matters. Patients and providers benefit when healthcare teams reflect diverse communities.
🤝 Community can be a powerful antidote to isolation, especially during CRNA training and early practice.
🧠 Mental health support, mentorship, and meaningful relationships are essential for long-term success.
💬 Inclusive patient care often comes down to simple acts of respect, communication, and advocacy.
🎓 NAPF continues to support future CRNAs through scholarships, networking opportunities, and professional development.
 
About our guest: https://www.crnapride.com/
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