CRNA History Archives - Beyond The Mask Podcast

Ep 228: Betty Lank’s Role in Boston Children’s Hospital

February 9, 2023

The 20th century was filled with advancements in nursing and anesthesia with much of the innovation coming in the world of pediatrics. One of the women who had a huge hand in improving the care for children was Betty Lank, who worked as the Chief Nurse Anesthetist at Boston Children’s Hospital for decades. Today we’ll look back and her life and career with Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA and try to capture the im-pact she made on a hospital and a profession.

Ep 222: The Experience of a WWII Nurse Anesthetist & the Lessons Learned

January 12, 2023

When you look back over the history of nurse anesthesia, the most forgotten group of nurses might have been those that served the country during World War II. It took nearly a half-century to tell their story but thanks to Carolyn Nicholson, BSN, RN, BC the legacy of that group of incredible nurses is being carried on today. We’ll look back at the war and the role of nurse anesthetists by telling the story of Adeline Simonson, whose experience is very much like all the brave individuals serving on the front lines.

Ep 199: Olive Berger, CRNA – Founding Member of the AANA

September 22, 2022

The early years of anesthesia were a time when nurses proved just how valuable they were as this new world was being explored. Olive Berger, CRNA was one of the women that rose to the occasion and helped shape the profession through her work with ‘blue babies’ and with the AANA. Today we look back on her career with show historians Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA.

Ep 189: Catherine Lawrence, First Nurse to Administer Anesthesia

July 14, 2022

On this look back through the history of nurse anesthesia, we’ll tell you the story of Catherine Lawrence. This Civil War nurse became the first to administer anesthesia during the Second Battle of Bull Run but she also accomplished a lot more during her life. Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, will give us all the details and help us learn more about this important figure in nursing.

Ep 184: CRNA Manpower – Trends from the Past Decade & a Look Into the Future (Part 2)

June 9, 2022

Today we’re continuing the conversation with Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, on the history of CRNAs in the workforce. In part two, we’ll look at educational changes since 2010 along with the updated statistics on active professionals and students. We’ll also turn our attention to the future of anesthesia and discuss the trends that might be on the horizon.

Ep 183: CRNA Manpower – The History of Shortages and the Studies That Followed (Part 1)

June 2, 2022

Over the past five decades, quite a bit of attention has been paid to the challenges facing the CRNA workforce, especially when numbers dropped significantly in the 80s and 90s. The lack of manpower pushed Congress, the AANA, and other organizations to study the reasons behind the lack of graduates and determine what solutions might exist. Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, join us today to take us back through the history of these shortages and the studies that followed in part one of this two-part series.

Ep 172: Remembering the True Leadership of Patrick Downey

March 17, 2022

In November of 2021, the AANA lost a great man in Patrick Downey. This former president and patriarch of the Diamond Club served as a CRNA for more than 50 years and impacted many lives along the way. It’s fitting that this St. Patrick’s Day episode is a look back at his incredible life and the work he did for nurse anesthesia.

Ep 170: The History of TEFRA and How It Changed Anesthesia

March 3, 2022

Forty years have passed since the Tax, Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) became law and this piece of federal legislation changed the way payment and reimbursement was tracked. Today we’ll look back on the history of TEFRA with Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, to learn more about the reasons behind it, how the AANA responded, and what revisions have been made through the years.

Ep 167: In Search of the First Anesthetists

February 10, 2022

The history of the nurse anesthesia profession is a bit murky as records weren’t kept well through the years as medicine and healthcare progressed, but there are opinions on who the first anesthetist was. Today we’ll examine the most likely candidates with our historians Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, and try to determine who can claim the title of the real first anesthetist.

Ep 160: Remembering Helen Vos, The Mother of Continuing Education

December 21, 2021

Our historical series wouldn’t be complete without an episode dedicated to the life and accomplishments of former AANA president Helen P Vos. What better way to truly understand her impact on the profession than by talking with two of her former students who were later mentored by Ms. Vos. Let’s welcome back Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA,…

Ep 154: Anne Penland’s Story – Nursing on the Frontlines of World War I and Early 20th Century Medicine

November 11, 2021

You won’t find Anne Penland’s name mentioned very often in the early history books about nursing, but this North Carolina nurse anesthetist served our country in some of the toughest environments. Our historical series continues with a spotlight on Penland and all of the incredible detail she provided on the war and early 20th-century anesthesia thanks to a well-written diary. We’re joined by our resident historians, Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, to learn more about this incredible person.

Ep 143: A Complete Look Into the AANA Doctoral Task Force with Sandy Ouellette, CRNA

August 26, 2021

Back in 2006, the AANA Board of Directors appointed a Doctoral Task Force to explore the future direction in nurse anesthesia education. Sandy Ouellette was chosen to co-chair the task force and help lead those discussions that would shape the future for CRNAs. Today she joins us to provide an inside look at how it was composed, the original purpose and process, and all of the options were on the table.

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

April 29, 2021

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.

Ep 123: Remembering Steve Mund with a Past Conversation

April 8, 2021

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.

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

April 1, 2021

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.

Ep 108: Honoring the Legacy of John Garde, CRNA, MS, FAAN

December 24, 2020

When you think back on the history of the AANA, few people left a legacy like John Garde, CRNA, MS, FAAN. A former President, Education Director, and Executive Director, Garde played a critical role in the growth and prominence of the organization and he made a positive impact on so many CRNAs. Today we honor his legacy and share our memories of this gift to our profession, and we’ll have the help of Nancy Bruton-Maree and Sandy Ouellette to do it. Plus, we’ll have a special montage at the end of the episode that you won’t want to miss.

Ep 104: How Ira Gunn Shaped Nurse Anesthesia Through Service, Education & Advocacy

November 25, 2020

Few people had an impact on nursing and the nurse anesthesia profession like Ira P. Gunn, CRNA, MLN, FAAN. Widely regarded as a visionary in the profession, Gunn’s legacy lives on through many different capacities. To help us better understand her life and accomplishments, Nancy Bruton-Maree and Sandy Ouellette join us to share what they know about Gunn and what they learned from working with her.

Ep 93: CRNA Supervision & Direction – Its History and Relevance Today

September 10, 2020

The issue of supervision and direction within our industry has come to the forefront during the COVID pandemic, but it’s any-thing but a new conversation. We’ve asked Sandy Ouellette, CRNA, to give us another history lesson on the subject. It’s something she’s actively been involved with for over multiple decades. Join us as we define supervision and direction, explain how this has evolved over time, and why it’s just as relevant today.

Ep 85: The Story of the First IFNA Researcher, Dr. Maura McAuliffe, CRNA, FAAN

July 23, 2020

Today we bring back Sandy Oullette, CRNA, to provide us with a look back at an important time in the IFNA’s history. Soon after the organization was formed, a meeting with the World Health Organization led to Maura McAuliffe,CRNA, Ph.D, FAAN, being appointed the first official researcher. Find out how it all came about as we document what was learned about nurse anesthetists around the world over the past 30 years.

Ep 82: The Story of Nurse Anesthesia Education and Accreditation

July 2, 2020

Nearly a century ago, nurse anesthetists took the first steps towards standardizing education and moving towards an approval process. It was a journey that faced many challenges and took various forms before reaching the point where we are today. Betty Horton, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, and Mike Kremer, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, join the show to take us through this history of education and accreditation along with where we’re headed.

Excellent podcast!
April 9, 2023 by Nrsanesthesiarocks from United States
I just happened to get an email from Doximity and looked at it….I often ignore those emails because it pertains more to APRNs and not CRNAs. Listened to your latest podcast about side businesses! I’m literally doing that right now…branching out into aesthetics and wellness services. You talked about hand and wrist pain and oh man you know me…we all struggle with that from all that masking. Ouch! You can only get so many injections before they don’t work anymore! I can’t believe I haven’t listened to you before. I’ve absolutely questioned my decision to branch out and try new things because it’s so much work. You motivated me to keep on pushing and learning. I’m super excited to listen to the rest of your podcasts and continue on with my education so I don’t have to rely completely on my anesthesia jobs (I have 4 of them right now) to support my family. While it is great money in relation to the rest of the worlds occupations it’s extremely stressful too. With two kids in college and me being the only money maker in the family there’s a ton of pressure and stress…plus supporting my extended family! And I still have student loans! Yuck. Time to make my money to work for me! You have given me renewed motivation! Thank you!
Thank you!
January 19, 2023 by militartyanesthesia from United States
Sharon and Jeremy, I really appreciate your time and effort in putting on this podcast! It’s consistently the best anesthesia podcast I listen to.
This show is well above the Drapes!!!!
June 16, 2022 by Scotty NC from United States
If you are a CRNA you need to listen to this podcast. It is chopped full of professional advice for the CRNAs in and out of the operating room. Bravo! And keep up the excellent work.
Positivity alert!
May 10, 2022 by Stesusmad from United States
Sharon and Jeremy are so positive and uplifting. It’s great to hear about CRNA contributions to this world. There are so many great voices in this community!
Amazing Topics of Issues Affecting CRNAs outside the OR
April 23, 2022 by Backstabbing Gaspasser from United States
This is my car ride go-to podcast! The guests are amazing and the hosts are dynamic! Thank you for the varied topics and wonderful discussions! I look forward to Thursday mornings when the new episodes are released.
Great Podcast!
March 16, 2022 by J. Cross CRNA from United States
This podcast is very well put together. I love the hosts Sharon & Jeremy, they do a fantastic job at presenting topics as well as getting great speakers on the show! This is my morning commute podcast everyday! Thank you for all that you do!
Must listen
February 18, 2022 by Bill.Nye from United States
I enjoy listening every morning. Great content and always a pleasure to learn something new
Informative!
December 16, 2021 by CMP Anesthesia from United States
I appreciate hearing more information globally about our profession! Thank you!
Amazing resource for SRNAs
December 11, 2021 by biggestbaseballfanever from United States
I started listening to this podcast religiously early on in my CRNA journey, a year before applying to CRNA school. The content in this podcast was one of my most helpful resources for getting into my first choice school, Wake Forest! It has also been a huge motivator for getting involved with the AANA now and throughout my career. I highly recommend this podcast to every prospective CRNA I meet.
Win/win
October 29, 2021 by Trvlgrl1 from United States
I appreciate hearing the latest and greatest in the world of Nurse Anesthesiology while also getting Class B credits. Just listen on your commute for a win/win experience. I love the perspectives from Jeremy and Sharon who both ask varied and insightful questions!

CRNA History