Political Conversations

Ep 250: Strengthening Advocacy Efforts with the AANA’s New Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer Ingrida Lusis

May 25, 2023 Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

We had a chance to spend some time with the new AANA Deputy Chief Advocacy Officer Ingrida Lusis during our time at the mid-year assembly to learn more about her background in government affairs and how she plans to strengthen advocacy by bringing state and federal affairs all under one umbrella. Join Sharon and guest host Tracy Castleman, CRNA, as we go on the offensive with our newest advocacy leader.

Read More

Ep 232: If You’re Not At The Table, You’re On The Menu with Wisconsin Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez

March 2, 2023 Podcast, Political Conversations

Every year it seems like more and more nurses are taking an active interest in politics, both local and regional, and today’s guest is someone who’s been on the rise as a public official. Sara Rodriguez, a nurse and community leader, won her campaign in Wisconsin to become the state’s next Lieutenant Governor and joins us today to talk about her shift from public health to policymaker.

Read More

Ep 193: A Nurse for Sheriff? History Could Be Made

August 11, 2022 CRNA Careers, Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

Nurses are uniquely qualified for the responsibilities that come with holding a public office, which is why we’re seeing more and more campaigning. But did you ever think about running for sheriff? Caitlin Sepeda is a registered nurse in Massachusetts that’s doing just that and today she joins the show to tell us about her path to this point and why she hopes to make history.

Read More

Ep 192: Effective Federal Advocacy Starts at Home

August 4, 2022 CRNA Careers, Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

The great thing about being an advocate for nurse anesthetists is that anyone can have an impact no matter where they live. Many federal legislators starts locally so there are opportunities to create relationships early and close to home. Sarah Tweedy, CRNA, got a first-hand look at working with legislators as a student and has carried that interest into her young professional career. Find out what she’s learned about advocacy and how best to build relationships with policy-makers.

Read More

Ep 181: The CRNA Coroner – Another Avenue to Serve

May 19, 2022 CRNA Careers, Podcast, Political Conversations

It’s been incredible to watch the number of CRNAs that have thrown their scrubs into the ring for political positions around the country. As the trend continues to grow, we want to spotlight another one of these incredibly talented and devoted nurse anesthetists that have been recently elected.

Read More

Ep 180: Lobbying for CRNAs – How to Influence State Legislatures and Agencies

May 12, 2022 CRNA Careers, Podcast, Political Conversations

If you want an eye-opening perspective on lobbying and what it takes to influence lawmakers, this will be an episode you don’t want to miss. Bob Guyer of The Lobby School gives us a master class on how to be successful in convincing legislators to align with your goals, which is essential for CRNAs as we continue to fight to protect our industry and our paycheck.

Read More

Ep 175: Why More Nurses Need to Be Elected to Congress

April 7, 2022 Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

As we approach another round of midterm elections, we wanted to introduce you to one of the few nurses around the country that hopes to represent her state in Congress. Renee Ellmers is running again in North Carolina after previously serving three terms and she’s doing so with the goal of improving access to healthcare in our country. We’ll also discuss why it matters to have nurses representing our profession as elected leaders and how it might have made a difference in a recent ruling in Tennessee.

Read More

Ep 169: CRNA Advocacy in Pennsylvania and the Lessons Learned

February 24, 2022 Current Events, Political Conversations

Today we want to shine the advocacy spotlight on the work being done by CRNAs in Pennsylvania, who have helped drive some significant changes in their state. Laura Wiggins, DNP, CRNA and Jessica Poole, DNAP, CRNA are two of the nurses involved in shaping the legislation and they join us to share the details on what’s happening in the Keystone State and what it means for all of us in the profession.

Read More

Ep 145: Why Regulatory Reform Strengthens the CRNA Profession

September 9, 2021 Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

You might have noticed a surge in articles and stories about the nurse anesthesia profession in recent days and weeks, and that’s because of the push for regulatory reform. Joe Rodriguez, CRNA, has always been one to push for change and advocate for healthcare policy reform, and that’s the position he’s in once again. He joins us on this episode to discuss the changing landscape in the AANA, why leadership needs to be a priority, and explains what reform can mean for the future.

Read More

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

May 20, 2021 Podcast, Political Conversations

We’ve spent numerous episodes discussing healthcare policy from the viewpoint of a CRNA, but today we take a different look at what needs to change and why it’s important to be active in the policy-making process.

Read More

Ep 113: Life in a 50-50 World – What Financial Impact Will It Have on CRNAs?

January 28, 2021 CRNA Personal Finance, Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

After watching another historic Inauguration Day, we can’t help but notice that the country has mixed feelings about where we’re headed. You can say we’re living in a 50-50 world. So as we welcome in a new administration, what can CRNAs expect from the economy moving forward and what does it mean for your finances?

Read More

Ep 111: Finally! Two South Dakota CRNAs Elected to State Legislatures

January 14, 2021 CRNA Careers, Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

While there’s plenty we want to forget about 2020, there was also a bit of history we want to spotlight. Sydney Davis, CRNA, and Taylor Rehfeldt, CRNA, became the first two CRNAs to be elected to a state legislature during the November 3 general election in South Dakota. Join us as we celebrate their story, find out why they pursued office, and learn about the issues they’re focusing on.

Read More

Ep 110: A Conversation with Powerful Women

January 7, 2021 Current Events, Podcast, Political Conversations

In recent years, we’ve watched women rise to levels of power previously never seen. While it’s been an amazing evolution to watch, there’s still plenty of inequality in the world. Today we’ll take a look at the top issues in our country as it relates to women and discuss the pivotal roles women have played over the years. Kimberly Gordon, CRNA, and Judge April Wood join Sharon and Jeremy for a roundtable discussion.

Read More

Ep 105: Nursing, Policy and Politics with Minnesota State Senator Erin Murphy, RN

December 3, 2020 CRNA Careers, Current Events, Political Conversations

As we’ve learned in 2020, having more nurses in leadership and decision-making positions would benefit the entire country greatly. One nurse that’s embracing their power to bring change is Erin Murphy, RN. After years in the nursing profession, she transitioned into politics 15 years ago and served as a state representative for more than a decade before becoming a Minnesota State Senator in 2020. Listen as she shares her experience, the role of nurses in politics, and her ideas for getting more people involved.

Read More

Ep 98: Why Nurses Make Effective Elected Officials at Every Level of Government

October 15, 2020 CRNA Careers, Podcast, Political Conversations

Politics carry a connotation that’s gotten worse in recent years, but that’s why it’s even more important for nurses to be a part of the decision-making process. As we continue lobbying on this podcast for activism and involvement, we brought on a guest that took that leap nearly 15 years ago. NC House Representative Gale Adcock, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, will explain why nurses are so effective in leadership roles and why this topic is so important in 2020.

Read More

Ep 96: Why CRNAs Need to Understand the Judicial System

October 1, 2020 Podcast, Political Conversations

When you think about your future as a CRNA, you likely to see court playing any part in it. But as nurses are included more and more in lawsuits, there’s a chance you could end up in front of a judge. The best way to be prepared is by understanding the legal process and your…

Read More

Ep 89: CRNA Advocacy and GRC Efforts with Debbie Barber, DNP, CRNA

August 13, 2020 CRNA Careers, Podcast, Political Conversations

Gaining a seat at the table is something our profession is working diligently to achieve so CRNAs can advocate for everyone on a local, state, or federal level. This year has served as a reminder that we need to continue fighting to eliminate barriers and moving forward. Debbie Barber, DNP, CRNA, is the former Chair of the AANA Government Relations Committee and dedicates much of her professional life to pushing for advocacy and increasing awareness among young CRNAs. Today she’s joins us to talk about those efforts along with all of the resources that the AANA has available to members.

Read More

Ep 66: Nursing & Public Policy: Why Nurses Need to Be Involved with Lt. Governor of Delaware

March 26, 2020 CRNA Careers, Podcast, Political Conversations

Nursing continues to grow its presence in politics and no one represents those achievements better than Bethany Hall-Long. The Lt. Governor of Delaware became the first nurse in the country to hold that esteemed position and she joins the show today to talk about the importance of being involved and having a voice in policy-making.

Read More

Ep 45: Empowering Nurses in Electoral Politics

October 31, 2019 Podcast, Political Conversations

Nurses have all the right attributes to be successful in politics but there are so few in office around the country. We want to help change that by empowering nurses to feel confident and comfortable running for office. We’ll spend this episode discussing why it’s an important topic and we’ll learn more a new campaign school that Sharon Pearce and Kimberly Gordon are working to launch in 2020.

Read More

Ep #41: The Importance of Getting Involved with Joe Rodriguez, CRNA

October 3, 2019 CE Credit, Podcast, Political Conversations

We always talk about the importance of community within the CRNA profession so let’s take it a step further by discussing how and why you should get involved. There are varying levels of involvement, as we’ll get into, but Joe Rodriguez will help us understand what your participation means to the industry.

Read More

Subscribe On Your Favorite App