Ep 116: Importance of Mentoring in CRNA Leadership Development

For more than 20 years, the AANA Mentorship Program has played an integral role in the development of young CRNAs thanks to both the mentors and mentees that have committed to the annual event. Tracy Castleman, CRNA, has been deeply involved in the mentoring process so we asked her to join us to talk about the program, why it’s important for CRNAs to get involved, and what young professionals can expect to get out of this experience.

Click the timestamps below to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.

On This Episode:

The future of any profession lies in the hands of its young people, and that’s no different for CRNAs. That’s why we advocate all the time for people to get involved in the AANA and other organizations. It helps the profession continue to grow and move forward.

One great opportunity the AANA provides every year is the Mentorship Program, and Tracy Castleman, CRNA, has been involved with it since the beginning. The program began at the annual meeting in 1999 but was skipped in 2000 because there was already so much going on at the IFNA meeting in Chicago. But it returned in 2001 and has been going strong every year since.

Despite its longevity, there are plenty of people that either aren’t aware of the program or not completely sure what all is involved. So we’re going to lean on Tracy’s experience on this episode to learn about both sides of the program. Whether you are interested in becoming a mentor or thinking about singing up as a mentee, we’ll go into detail on what you can expect from the AANA Mentorship Program and why it’s so important for our profession.

So as you get started, keep an ear out for these topics:

  • What made mentoring such a priority in Tracy’s life.
  • How the AANA mentoring program began.
  • The program’s growth over 20+ years.
  • What makes a person a mentor and why is it so important to provide that guidance to young CRNAs.
  • Want to get involved in the program? Find out how the process goes.
  • What happens on-site when the mentorship takes place.
  • She’s in charge of the charitable arm of the NJANA and tells the story of how that was started.

Check it out in the interview at the top of the page and use the timestamps to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.

4:47 – Background on Tracy   

7:13 – Why mentoring is important

9:28 – The first mentoring program

10:55 – Growth of the program

12:17 – Reasons mentorship is important for CRNAs 

14:37 – Key attributes of mentors and mentees

17:51 – How someone can get involved

19:16 – What happens on-site

28:31 – Charitable arm of NJANA

34:06 – Final thoughts on today’s topic


“When you take them in that moment, that timeframe when they’re still willing to learn and they’re willing to model a behavior, and you put them side-by-side with somebody who is motivated to share their experiences with them and allow them to have a safe space to ask questions and to bounce off ideas, I believe we create a better, more professional workforce.”

-Tracy Castleman, CRNA

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CRNA Careers

Ep 237: To DNP or Not To DNP

Many CRNAs are returning to school to earn their Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice but is it worth it to spend the time and money to earn another degree? You can find plenty of information and discussion about DNP project topics and people that have earned their DNP, but it’s not as easy to find a thorough explanation of how to go through that process and the actual value it provides. Devin Miller, CRNA, DNP joins the show today to get into the details of a DNP and tell us why he feels it can empower nurses after completing the program.

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Ep 235: 2023 AANA Update with CEO, Bill Bruce

Bill Bruce, MBA, CAE, took over as the CEO of the AANA last summer so we caught up with him to get an update on how the organization has progressed over his first eight months. It’s already been a busy term already with staffing changes and the AANA moving into a new building, but there are many policy issues to be managed and addressed as well. Join us as we find out what’s happening inside the AANA and how the organization is tackling key issues.

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