Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

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 Nicholas 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

Life as an Anesthesia Director in Rural Alaska with Dr. April Erickson

Could you imagine working in a rural location where access is truly a lifeline for people? Today’s guest is April Erickson, DNP, CRNA, an ​Alaska ​based ​nurse ​anesthesiologist ​and ​anesthesia ​medical ​director ​with ​more ​than ​15 ​years ​of ​experience ​in ​rural ​independent ​practice.
Sharon and guest host Jackie Rowles, DNP, MBA, MA, CRNA, ANP-BC, NSPM-C, FNAP, FAANA, FAAN, sit down with April to discuss frontier medicine, independent practice, leadership, and what it truly means to provide care where access is critical but not guaranteed.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🚁 Weather and geography can delay patient transport for days
🐻 Providers manage unique trauma cases including bear attacks and fishing injuries
⚖️ Leadership and advocacy are essential for protecting independent practice
🧠 Solo practice demands constant vigilance and multiple contingency plans
🌍 Frontier medicine requires creativity, resilience, and broad clinical expertise
 
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 19 - CRNA Admissions: A New Approach to Candidate Assessment

What if CRNA school interviews have been measuring the wrong things all along?
In this episode of Airway Exchange, Vicente Gonzalez, DNP, CRNA and Ann Miller, DNP, CRNA, faculty from Florida International University, break down their groundbreaking new admissions interview process designed to assess what traditional interviews often miss: resilience, adaptability, teamwork, critical thinking, and emotional regulation.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🧠 Traditional CRNA interviews often reward rehearsed answers—not authentic ability
🎯 The new process focuses on resilience, critical thinking, and adaptability
🤝 Teamwork and communication are assessed in live group scenarios
⚖️ Structured rubrics help reduce interviewer bias
💉 CCRN-level knowledge is used instead of anesthesia-specific trick questions
 
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

Florence Boswell: The Forgotten CRNA Pioneer Who Took to the Skies

Most CRNAs have never heard the name Florence Boswell.
But maybe they should have.
In this fascinating historical episode of Beyond the Mask, former AANA president Debra Malina, CRNA, MBA, DNSc, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, uncover the remarkable story of Florence Boswell, a nurse anesthetist, aviation pioneer, charter member of the National Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and one of the earliest women pilots in America.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🏛️ She signed the original NANA charter in 1931
🧠 Boswell trained under anesthesia pioneer Agatha Hodgins
🌍 She became one of the earliest instrument-rated female pilots in the world
🚁 Florence founded her own aviation company in Ohio
👩‍⚕️ Early nurse anesthetists often faced major professional and societal barriers
 
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