Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

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

Grade 1 View – S2, E11 – The Truth About Your First Year as a CRNA

What really happens after CRNA school ends?
In this episode of Grade 1 View, former host Kevin Chem, DNP, CRNA returns to the show nearly a year into practice to talk honestly about the transition from SRNA to CRNA, from the stress of boards and credentialing to the emotional reality of walking into the OR independently for the first time.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
📚 Consistency and repetition matter more than using multiple study resources
🏥 The first few months as a CRNA come with real growing pains
🤝 Strong workplace culture and mentorship matter more than people realize
🌍 CRNAs are making a growing impact globally through IFNA initiatives
🎓 Graduation is not the finish line—professional growth continues afterward
 
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

What We Learned at the IFNA Congress in Australia

What happens when anesthesia providers from around the world come together in one place?
In this special recap episode of Beyond the Mask, Sharon is joined by Erin Foley, DNAP, MSNA, CRNA, FAANA, and TxANA Vice President Jennifer Andersen, MSNA, CRNA to look back on their experience attending the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists (IFNA) Congress in Australia. Find out what we learned, what surprised us, and why these meetings matter so much to our profession.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🏛️ Many countries are still fighting for recognition and autonomy
🎓 The U.S. remains a global leader in nurse anesthesia education and practice
🤝 International collaboration strengthens advocacy and leadership efforts
💉 Providers worldwide face different challenges but share common goals
📈 Many countries are working toward higher education standards and expanded scope
 
Learn more about the IFNA World Congresses: https://ifna.site/etusivu/congresses/
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 18 - The Next Era of CRNA Education with Dr. Hallie Evans

What does the future of CRNA education actually look like? In this episode of Airway Exchange, hosts Nickie and Greg sit down with Hallie Evans, DNP, CRNA, APRN, CNE, FAANA, to explore some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing CRNA education today, including faculty shortages, mentorship, innovative teaching methods, competency-based learning, and the growing role of AI in healthcare education.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🎓 Mentorship Matters
🤖 AI Is Entering Education
🧠 Stigma Impacts Learning
🩺 CE Is Evolving
🚀 Innovation Is Accelerating
 
About our guest: https://www.aana.com/news/aana-expands-its-leadership-in-lifelong-learning-and-professional-advancement-welcoming-dr-hallie-d-evans-as-senior-director-of-education-and-professional-development/
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
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

Why CRNAs Are Leading OB Care (And No One’s Talking About It)

CRNAs provide the majority of obstetric care across much of the country, especially in rural and underserved areas, the data hasn’t always reflected that reality. That disconnect is exactly what sparked the creation of the Society of Obstetric Nurse Anesthesiology and Research (SONAR), a growing movement focused on advancing nurse-led research and elevating the role of CRNAs in obstetrics.
In this episode, the team behind SONAR shares how the organization started, the challenges they’re working to solve, and why their research could reshape the future of OB anesthesia.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
👶 CRNAs provide a majority of OB anesthesia care
🔍 Data gaps are masking the true impact of CRNAs
📊 Research is critical to shaping future policy
🏥 OB care varies widely between urban and rural settings
🚀 SONAR is working to elevate and unify the specialty
 
Join Sharon at the Nurse Anesthesia Update in the Bahamas: https://www.nurseanesthetist.com/events/nurse+anesthesia+update+2026/
Learn more about SONAR: https://www.sonar-ob.org/
 
Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/
The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099
Earn MAC Dev Credit: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/
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

Inside the Heat: A Complete Anesthetic Deep Dive into HIPEC

Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) represents one of the most complex and physiologically demanding procedures encountered in modern perioperative medicine.
In this episode of Anesthesia Alchemy: Lynn & Garry Unplugged, Garry takes listeners on a deep dive into the anesthetic management of these challenging cases. Rather than a checklist approach, this conversation walks through how to think during a HIPEC case—understanding the phases, recognizing evolving physiology, and staying ahead of rapid changes.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:
🔥 HIPEC creates controlled physiologic stress
🧠 Anticipation matters more than reaction
💧 Precision fluid management is critical
🌡️ Temperature swings must be managed actively
🔄 Physiology is constantly evolving
 
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