Check out the timestamps below to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.
On This Episode:
Sometimes opportunities arise where you least expect them and that’s the situation Keith Denning, CRNA found himself in last year when he became a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. Together with co-host Tracy Castleman, DNP, CRNA, APN-A, FAANA, we will learn all about his journey from the operating room to an important position in state politics. It might not have been his intention, but Keith is trying to take full advantage of his opportunity to make a positive impact.
After 39 years of working in the operating room and surgery centers, Keith moved to Connecticut to be closer to family and his interest in local politics turned into an opportunity to run for State Representative. He’s learned a lot along the way, including some hard truths about how to play the game, and he’ll share a lot of his insight with us in this episode.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
- Why he made the move to politics after a long career as a CRNA.
- How to find the information you need about your state when you run.
- The story of how he didn’t meet pushback until he got to the legislature and introduced a bill.
- The push for full practice authority in Connecticut.
- What he’s learned about politics and how to get a bill passed.
- Which CRNA skills best translate to political positions?
If we want to provide anesthesia services, one of the ways we can do it is advanced practice nursing. We can allow PAs to practice to their full authority. We can allow advanced practice nurses to practice to their full of authority. And we can make it better for the patients, the healthcare system and the state by having these people practicing to their full level of authority. And that's what we're doing right now.
-Keith Denning, Connecticut State Representative
