Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

Airway Exchange – Ep 5 – Faculty Mentorship: Transitioning from Clinician to Educator

In this episode of Airway Exchange, the team explores the transition from clinician to educator and the role mentorship plays in the process. Becky Motykiewicz, DNAP, CRNA joins Nickie Damico, Erin Martin, and Greg Collins to discuss what drew her to teaching, how mentorship shaped her journey, and the emotional realities that come with stepping into academia.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
👩‍🏫 Mentorship matters — a simple tap on the shoulder can change a career.
🌱 Identity shift is real — moving from expert clinician to novice educator brings imposter syndrome.
🧠 You don’t have to be perfect — your first lecture won’t be your best, and that’s okay.
💬 Students are the reward — watching their confidence grow is what keeps educators going.
💼 Work–life balance takes intention — boundaries, breaks, and movement are essential.
🩺 Keep your clinical practice — maintaining skills supports credibility and satisfaction.
 
Didactic Educator Micro-Credential Information: https://crnaeducationedge.aana.com/Public/Catalog/Details.aspx?id=mEigQMFxphlUI%2fEvoRx8Fg%3d%3d&returnurl=%2fUsers%2fUserOnlineCourse.aspx%3fLearningActivityID%3dmEigQMFxphlUI%252fEvoRx8Fg%253d%253d 
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Expanding Nurse Anesthesia Education and Practice in Low-Income Countries

What does it take to deliver anesthesia in a hospital with no ventilator, scarce medication, and power that cuts out mid-surgery?
Today we’re joined by Dr. Mark Newton, pediatric anesthesiologist and longtime medical missionary, Mary Mungai, one of Kenya’s first licensed nurse anesthetists and a leader in anesthesia education across East Africa; and Jackie Rowles, IFNA President and founder of Our Hearts Your Hands will take ​you ​far ​beyond ​the ​walls ​of ​the ​US ​Hospitals ​and ​surgery ​centers ​into ​low ​income ​countries ​where ​nurse ​anesthetists ​are ​delivering ​care ​under ​some ​of ​the ​most ​resource-limited ​and ​demanding ​conditions ​in ​the ​world.
 
Together, they share extraordinary stories of resilience, courage, and compassion — from training the first nurse anesthetists in Kenya to bringing safe anesthesia to war-torn regions like South Sudan and Somaliland. It’s a look at how education, mentorship, and global partnerships are transforming access to safe surgical care — one provider, one patient, and one country at a time.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🌍 Global Perspective: An inside look at CRNAs serving in Africa’s most resource-limited hospitals.
🇰🇪 Kenya’s First Nurse Anesthetist: Mary Mungai’s story of building training programs from the ground up.
💉 Training the Trainers: How education multiplies impact across borders.
⚕️ The Supply Crisis: Performing surgery without halothane, oxygen, or IV fluids.
🤝 Collaboration Over Competition: How CRNAs and physicians work side by side to save lives.
💖 A Global Call to Action: “We didn’t choose where we were born — but we can choose to help.”
 
Learn more about Our Heart Your Hands: https://www.ourheartsyourhands.org/ 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
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
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Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Grade 1 View – Ep. 25 – The Backbone of Rural Anesthesia

This week we’re shining a light on the critical role that CRNAs play in rural healthcare, especially in honor of National Rural Health Month (November). Hosts Kevin and Olivia are joined by two dedicated CRNAs, Pete Hext and Hayden Hayes, who share their personal experiences and the unique challenges they face while providing anesthesia care in rural Texas.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🌾 CRNAs provide over 80% of anesthesia care in rural America, often as the only provider for miles.
💉 Independence and collaboration are key — every case requires adaptability and calm under pressure.
🚑 Real-life stories reveal the high-stakes moments that test skill and composure in small-town hospitals.
🤝 Long-term patient relationships create trust, community connection, and professional pride.
🧠 Key advice: Stay humble, stay safe, and let your anesthesia do the talking.
 
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Fighting for a Cure: A CRNA’s Mission Against Type 1 Diabetes

What happens when a CRNA’s professional expertise meets a parent’s fight for their child’s life?
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Sharon and her daughter Danielle—who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age five—sit down with Devin Holt, CRNA, advocate, and father to a young daughter living with type 1 diabetes.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
💉 A Parent’s Fight: Devin shares his daughter’s rare and early diagnosis story.
🧠 Hope Through Science: New research and emerging treatments that could lead to a cure.
❤️ Turning Pain Into Purpose: How advocacy and education became Devin’s mission.
🩺 CRNA Perspective: The role anesthesia providers play in supporting diabetic patients.
👩‍👧 Generational Impact: Sharon and Danielle reflect on living with type 1 diabetes across decades.
🙌 Shared Hope: A story of perseverance and the belief that a cure is coming.
 
Join the Crushing T1 Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1390799941761436/
Follow Crushing T1 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crushingt1
 
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The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
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
Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Airway Exchange – Ep 4 – Building a Sustainable Nurse Anesthesia Workforce

In this episode of Airway Exchange, we explore the state of the nurse anesthesia educator workforce with a special focus on faculty stabilization. We’re spending time with Terrica Durbin, DNP, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, who is the Director of the School of Nursing at Western Carolina University and ​a ​Fellow ​in ​the ​AANA. A passionate advocate for rural health and the workforce in nurse anesthesia education, Terrica discusses the challenges and rewards of working in academic roles.
She’ll also share insights on the future of nurse anesthesia education, from faculty retention to the pressing need for mentorship. With her deep commitment to both rural health and stabilizing the workforce, Terrica provides us an invaluable perspective on the evolution of nurse anesthesia programs across the country.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
💼 Faculty Stabilization: Tackling turnover rates and faculty vacancies in anesthesia education.
🌱 Mentorship Matters: The vital role of mentorship in faculty retention and growth.
💸 Salary Discrepancies: Addressing the gap between clinical and academic salaries.
💪 Future Workforce: Preparing for the demand of nurse anesthetists in the years ahead.
🤝 Support Systems: The need for better support systems to retain new faculty members.
 
Get Involved! Committee applications open in March: https://www.aana.com/about-us/leadership/committees-overview/
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Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
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Who Really Leads in Anesthesia Care?

What happens when a CRNA challenges one of the most controversial questions in anesthesia: Who really leads anesthesia care? That’s the title of the new book by Yana Krmic, MSN, CRNA, APRN, who returns to the show to discuss a topic that cuts to the heart of one of the most important and often misunderstood questions in our profession. Today, she walks us through her journey as an immigrant, the research behind the book, and the dynamics shaping the narrative around anesthesia. 
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🌍 Her incredible journey – From Siberia to CRNA leader, Yana’s story celebrates resilience and advocacy.
🗣️ Voice & visibility – Why every CRNA should tell their story and own their professional identity.
⚖️ Leadership & truth – Addressing misconceptions about “team models” and who truly provides anesthesia.
✍️ Inspiring others – Yana explains how she self-published through Amazon KDP and why more CRNAs should write.
 
Connect with Yana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yana-krmic-73666961/
Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Scenes-Anesthesia-Responsibilities-Professionals/dp/B0DVC7MDBR
 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
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
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Grade 1 View – Ep. 24 – CRNA School Recap: The Real Journey

What does it really take to make it through CRNA school, and what happens after the boards are over? Today, Kevin reconnects with former classmates Madison Martin and Nicole Strickland to reflect on their long journeys to becoming CRNAs. Every path to an anesthesia career is unique, and the joy is often found in the process of growth and learning. This episode will give you a candid, first-hand look at the challenges and opportunities that await you.  
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
✨ Real stories behind why each guest chose the CRNA path
📚 How to handle rejection in the application cycle (and why “not yet” isn’t “no”)
🧠 Board prep tips: what actually worked, what didn’t, and how it felt
❤️ Balancing family, grief, and life outside of school
🌍 Life goals after graduation: from travel dreams to clinical confidence
 
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Scammers Are Smarter Than Ever: How CRNAs and their Families can Protect Your Identity—and Your Future

Scammers have evolved far beyond poorly written emails and suspicious phone calls. Today’s scammers are sophisticated, patient, and increasingly equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) tools that mimic real voices, copy official websites, and create personalized messages that look and sound legitimate. Jeremy has seen this happen all too often and will use this episode as an opportunity to help CRNAs identify red flags and apply real-world strategies to protect their future. 
⚠️ Scammers evolve fast – AI and data breaches have made fraud more convincing than ever.
🧠 Emotional targeting – Loneliness, fear, and urgency are common triggers scammers exploit.
💻 Red flags – Pop-ups, “suspended accounts,” and unknown senders are warning signs.
🛡️ Use smart tools – Fraud alerts, credit freezes, and services like EverSafe add extra protection.
📲 Educate your family – Talk openly with parents and loved ones about scam awareness.
 
Find out how customized planning can help you reach your goals: https://crnafinancialplanning.com 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
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
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