Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

Ep 133: How Geographic Information Systems Are Being Used to Identify Veteran Suicide Risk

The rate of suicides among our veteran population continues to rise and the number is probably higher than most people realize. The good news is people are leveraging incredible new data to improve support and care for those that need it most. Kevin Driscoll, DNP, MSN, CRNA, is the only CRNA certified in these geographic information systems (GIS) and he joins us today to share his passion for data, how it’s being used to serve veterans, and the other possibilities that could come from GIS.
 
Read more here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-133-how-geographic-information-systems-are-being-used-to-identify-veteran-suicide-risk/2924/
 
Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf
 
The show rundown for this episode:
3:20 – Welcome Kevin!  
4:32 – Background on Kevin
9:33 – Who’s at risk for suicide?  
12:15 – Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
17:21 – What the data can teach us
23:16 – Who can access this data?
25:32 – Using this to help veterans
29:22 – What else he uses GIS for
37:38 – How CRNAs & SRNAs can use this data
42:51 – Process of plotting
47:11 – Tracking the type of cases CRNAs are working
51:45 – Final thoughts

Ep 132: The Silent Epidemic in Healthcare – Second Victim Phenomenon

There’s a relatively new concept in the healthcare industry that many of its professionals are facing and might not even realize it. The ‘Second Victim’ phenomenon hasn’t always been well-known but more and more people are acknowledging this silent epidemic that frontline workers like CRNAs are dealing with every day. Robyn Finney, APRN, CRNA, DNAP has created a peer support program called HELP – Healing Emotional Lives of Peers – that is working diligently to improve the lives of anesthesia providers, and she joins the show today to help us better understand this phenomenon and how it’s affecting our industry.
 
Read more here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-132-the-silent-epidemic-in-healthcare-second-victim-phenomenon/2919/ 
 
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: 
3:14 – Background on Robyn  
4:10 – Why this topic is important  
6:34 – What is the third victim?
8:45 – Symptoms
11:09 – Stigmas  
18:11 – Events that cause this  
22:36 – Second Victim Peer Support Program
25:36 – Institutional support
29:31 – What kind of support is beneficial?  
32:12 – More resources
36:25 – Challenges she faced
41:03 – Training she’s doing
46:17 – How will this play out with COVID
50:58 – Final thoughts

Ep 131: PTSD and Suicide Prevention for CRNAs and SRNAs

A significant number of people in our country are dealing with the effects of PTSD and it often goes overlooked or ignored. With the amount of added pressure CRNAs and SRNAs have due to the job, it shouldn’t be a surprise that suicides happen too often among our peers. So how do you identify issues and help those you think might be struggling? We’ve asked mental health experts Jerry Hogan, DNSc, CRNA and Chuck Griffis, PhD, CRNA to join the show to help us all learn more about the struggles people are facing and what can be done to prevent suicides in the future.
 
Read more: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/2915-2/2915/
 
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: 
4:31 – Background on Jerry
8:40 – Background on Chuck
13:15 – Why this topic is so important right now  
16:19 – How PTSD goes undiagnosed
21:48 – Examples of PTSD in CRNAs
25:54 – The amount of people affected by this  
29:26 – CRNAs prone to suicide  
34:35 – If you know someone that might be facing this   
41:08 – Statistics
42:43 – Resources the AANA offers
50:25 – How do you know if you have PTSD?  
56:27 – Improving education
59:53 – Study Griffis is doing

Ep 130: Generational Challenges and Opportunities in SRNA Education

Generational differences can often be the source of disagreements and misunderstandings. It happens in every profession and nurse anesthesia is no different. Erin Martin, CRNA, DNP, is the Program Director at the Mayo Nurse Anesthesia Program and has an incredible grasp on how and why each generation is different. She joins today to provide a thorough examination of these unique communication characteristics and how we can use them to improve education.  
 
Read more: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-130-generational-challenges-and-opportunities-in-srna-education/2908/ 
 
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: 
2:55 – The root of miscommunication
4:34 – Erin’s background
5:38 – The differences in each generation
9:36 – Influences on each generation
19:47 – How this impacts nurse anesthesia
26:14 – Communication preferences
28:45 – Relating to a different generation than your own
32:27 – How do we bridge this gap?
35:44 – Relating to Millenials
37:00 – Inclusion
42:38 – Understand each other’s weaknesses

Ep 129: Given 6 Months to Live: Healthcare Policy from the Patient’s Perspective

You won’t find many people on this planet that have a story to tell like Nick Zerwas. Born with congenital heart defect, Zerwas has been given six months to live on six separate occasions but he’s still here living life to the fullest. Who better to get an opinion on healthcare policy changes than someone like Zerwas, who has also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives? Join us as we hear his amazing story of beating the odds and how he’s overcoming his greatest fear of wasting precious time by trying to make a difference.
 
Read more: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-129-given-6-months-to-live-healthcare-policy-from-the-patients-perspective/2899/ 
 
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: 
3:23 – Introducing our guest today
5:32 – Nick’s health history
10:26 – Surviving the Fontan procedure
13:01 – Being told 6 months left to live multiple times
16:00 – Julie interviewed for anesthesia school
19:57 – How has this shaped Nick
25:44 – His decision to run for public office at 25 
28:40 – Health policy
32:34 – CRNA’s role in policy-making
36:48 – Pitting people against each other
40:22 – What is important to all elected officials?
43:15 – How effective are emails?
43:15 – Closing thoughts
50:03 – Lightning round
 

Ep 128: How CRNAs Can Protect Their Greatest Asset: Yourself

It’s easy to assume that your employer insurance coverage will protect you during a catastrophic event, but that’s not necessarily the case. To truly cover your greatest asset as a CRNA, which is yourself and your ability to earn a living, a personal disability insurance policy can be a life saver. Today we talk with BrightThink Wealth Strategies insurance specialists Robert and Kyle Smith, who specialize in working with CRNAs, to learn about the why this coverage is so critical.
 
Read more and get additional financial resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-121-how-crnas-can-protect-their-greatest-asset-yourself/2838/ 
 
Get the CE certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf
 
Learn more about Disability Insurance: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Disability-Flyer-For-Web-maybe-make-a-PDF.docx 
 
What we discuss on this episode: 
2:01 – Welcome our guests today
3:23 – What we’re talking about today
4:10 – Background on Robert and Kyle
5:03 – The companies that offer disability insurance
7:26 – Do you have adequate coverage through your employer?
11:56 – Have an emergency fund
14:37 – What if anesthesia is the cause of your disability?
17:01 – Understanding your employer policy
19:01 – How does age effect your policy?
24:05 – Financial planning process
25:19 – Plans for 1099 vs W-2
30:04 – Story about someone that didn’t insure
33:21 – Advantages of working with BrightThink Wealth
36:23 – How to get in touch with Robert and Kyle
38:33 – Lightning Round

Ep 127: A CRNA’s Experience Being Deployed to Afghanistan

Most people buy an expensive car or go on an outlandish spending spree when they’re in their late-40s, but Michael Rieker, CRNA, DNP, FAAN, isn’t like most people. Instead of doing any of those other things, he used his talent and skills in nurse anesthesia to join the Army Reserve, which led to him serving in Afghanistan. Today he’ll tell us about that experience and how it’s helped him in his current role at Wake Forest University.
 
Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-127-a-crnas-experience-being-deployed-to-afghanistan/2886/ 
 
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:
2:14 – Welcome in our guest
3:58 – Deployment to Afghanistan
8:11 – How busy was he
11:27 – Providing anesthesia to civilians  
12:48 – Conditions overseas right now  
14:47 – What a typical day looked like  
17:06 – Transitioning back to real life  
20:20 – Very limited connectivity on deployment
21:02 – School while he was away
22:52 – Top things he learned
25:29 – Benefits of the military
26:41 – Final thoughts

Ep 126: Gertrude Fife’s Lasting Impact on Education and the AANA

Agatha Hodgins earned notoriety as the founder of the AANA but a person right behind her often gets overlooked. That’s Gertrude Fife, the second president of the AANA, and she’s the next focus of our historical series. We look back on how she helped shape the organization and set the standards of education for CRNAs with the help of Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA.
 
Read more and get additional financial resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-123-gertrude-fifes-lasting-impact-on-education-and-the-aana/2880/ 
 
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: 
2:10 – Welcome Sandy and Nancy
5:22 – Early part of her life
6:49 – Contributions to clinical anesthesia
13:39 – Contributions to AANA
24:38 – Elected NANA president
27:52 – Real proponent of an accreditation program
34:15 – An organizer and promoter
36:27 – Membership categories
39:02 – What annual dues would be today based on inflation
40:55 – Settings standards for education
45:37 – Woman of many talents
47:46 – Dagmar Nelson Trial
45:37 – Disagreement between Hodgins and Fife
51:59 – First qualifying exam
54:54 – Other awards
56:45 – Her life’s work and its relevance today