Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

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

Ep 125: What Retirement Lifestyle Will You Choose?

Once you decide to step away from your CRNA career, have you thought about how you want to spend retirement? As you get closer to that next chapter, it’s important to think through your lifestyle to help determine what kind of expenses you might incur and how much money you’ll need to cover it. Today we’ll tell you about the most common lifestyles that CRNAs choose and some of the financial considerations that come along with each option.
 
Read more here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-125-what-retirement-lifestyle-will-you-choose/2873/ 
 
Learn more about CRNA Financial Planning: https://www.crnafinancialplanning.com/ 
 
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: 
2:37 – Why we’re discussing lifestyles
3:59 – Thinking about life after work
6:05 – Get serious a few years out
7:35 – Retirement age
10:38 – Two-house lifestyle
17:13 – Front porch lifestyle
19:36 – Moving to a college town
20:58 – Moving to Florida
24:22 – Golf lifestyle
26:03 – Follow your passion

Ep 124: AANA Foundation Leading CRNAs Into the Future

Advocacy is the driving force behind elevating our profession and continuing to push nurse anesthetists and CRNAs forward. One of the key people advocating for us is Lorraine Jordan, PhD, CRNA, CAE, FAAN. As the Chief Advocacy Officer for the AANA and the CEO of the AANA Foundation, Dr. Jordan works tirelessly for her peers and devotes countless hours to research that benefits us all. Today we want to spotlight the work she’s doing and learn more about the goals and purpose of the AANA Foundation as it leads us into the future.
 
Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-124-aana-foundation-leading-crnas-into-the-future/2868/ 
 
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: 
2:46 – Welcome in Lorraine
3:03 – Everything she does with the AANA
6:09 – What is the Foundation’s purpose?
9:48 – The research
14:44 – How expensive these studies are
16:50 – Spending  
18:33 – Other methods for funding  
19:53 – 40th Anniversary  
21:42 – Friends for Life program
25:22 – Her role as Chief Advocacy Officer  
29:21 – State advocacy issues  
30:33 – Opportunities for CRNAs to help  
33:19 – What drives Lorraine
36:05 – Lightning Round

Ep 123: Remembering Steve Mund with a Past Conversation

The AANA and CRNA community suffered a great loss in March with the passing of Steve Mund, DNP, CRNA, CENP, FACHE. To help remember him and his legacy in the profession, Jeremy and Sharon wanted to go back and revisit a conversation they had with him in 2019 on the future of healthcare.
 
See the show notes: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-123-remembering-steve-mund-with-a-past-conversation/2859/ 
 
Listen to our other episode with Steve: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-54-how-crnas-should-prepare-for-depositions-with-steve-mund/2215/ 
 
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: 
1:13 – Jeremy and Sharon share their thoughts on the passing of Steve Mund
4:27 – Sharon shares some background on Steve.
2:22 – It’s an interesting time in healthcare and there’s no way to predict how it will change in the years to come.
9:56 – The three payment models healthcare needs to engage in for the future.
12:12 – Accountability on the patient side?
13:17 – The providers get penalized but what about the payer?
15:59 – Let’s talk about mergers. Are their benefits to these large mergers?
19:39 – Where is all the money going?
22:02 – What factors are driving the utilization of healthcare?             
24:00 – What does Steve see as the future of healthcare payers?
27:26 – How do you determine value in healthcare these days?
29:39 – How can we help cut down on waste in financial, clinical and personnel areas?
32:37 - Some final thoughts from Steve.

Ep 122: How Goldie Brangman, CRNA, Broke Barriers Throughout Her Life

Goldie Brangman, CRNA, might be known best for becoming the AANA’s first African-American president, but there’s so much more to know about her life and career. Today we wanted to celebrate everything she accomplished, including helping save Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s life, and we do so with the help of Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA.
 
Read more and see additional shows here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ep-122-how-goldie-brangman-crna-broke-barriers-throughout-her-life/2854/ 
 
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: 
1:21 – Talking about Goldie Brangman
2:12 – Her education and early life
5:52 – The barriers she faced
8:23 – Her days as as student
9:56 – Establishing Harlem Hospital School of Anesthesia
14:00 – Male vs Female
16:27 – Henry Kelly
18:32 – Service to state and national associations
22:02 – Her accomplishments as president
30:36 – Focus on communication
35:01 – How she helped save Martin Luther King Jr’s life
47:25 – How she spent retirement in Hawaii
49:17 – Awards and honors