Ep 179: Ukranian Born to New York State President – Meet Yana Krmic, CRNA

Few people in our profession represent what it means to be a CRNA more than Yana Krmic, MSN, CRNA, APRN. Born in Ukraine and raised in Siberia before moving to the United States 25 years ago, Krmic overcame many challenges to become a CRNA and eventually rise to the position of president of the New York State Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Her story is an inspiration to us all and one we’ll share on the podcast today along with her feelings on what’s happening in her home country.

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

On This Episode:

We all take a unique path to become a CRNA, and one of the best stories we’ve heard is the one that Yana Krmic, MSN, CRNA, APRN can tell.

Born in Ukraine and raised in Siberia, Krmic was first introduced to healthcare while being raised by her grandmother. She eventually got the opportunity to move to New York thanks to a green card lottery that her father won, and overcame all types of challenges but ultimately found her purpose. She’s risen through the profession and most recently served as the president of the New York State Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

It’s an incredible story and one we wanted to share with those that haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Krmic yet. Even though she’s made her mark on the United States, she still has family back in Ukraine and has kept a close watch on everything that’s happening. So we’ll talk about all of that on the show today, which we think you’ll really enjoy.

As you get started on the episode, keep an ear out for these topics:

  • Stories about growing up in Ukraine and Siberia.
  • How she decided to get into healthcare coming from an artistic family.
  • The challenge of not speaking English and living in New York.
  • Why she chose to become a CRNA.
  • The importance of advocacy
  • What it was like for her working during COVID with a respiratory specialty.
  • Her thoughts on what’s happening in Ukraine and how resilient the country is.

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

[4:02] – Introducing our guest

[5:24] – Yana’s professional background

[6:58] – Growing up in Ukraine

[10:22] – Mom moves to New York

[12:21] – Yana moves to Siberia

[15:43] – Getting into healthcare

[17:50] – Green card lottery 

[19:21] – Determination and assertiveness

[20:18] – Her mother’s upbringing

[22:08] – Arriving in America 

[24:56] – Adjusting to a new world

[28:08] – Getting a degree and moving into healthcare

[35:21] – Experience during COVID

[39:53] – Driving more advocacy

[46:00] – Her perspective on Ukraine

[52:24] – Ukrainian resilience

[57:17] – Her identity became clear

[1:02:15] – Final thoughts

 


“Without that upbringing, I wouldn’t have that determination, that assertiveness, and that drive to do something great, to be a part of something bigger.”

-J. Dru Riddle, PhD, DNP, CRNA, FAAN

SHARE THIS EPISODE

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

SUBSCRIBE

EXPLORE MORE

CRNA Careers

Meet Lokum: A New Tech Company Designed to Connect CRNAs to Providers

The nursing industry is filled with so many bright and talented people and today’s guest is just another example of that. Ayoade (Joy) Ademuyewo, DNP, CRNA is the founder and CEO of Lokum, which helps match vendors directly with anesthesiology providers without having to go through recruiting agencies. Find out why this could be the future of work as an independent contractor and learn more about the person behind it all.

LISTEN NOW »
CRNA Careers

Overcoming Physical Limitations: Brett Fadgen’s Road to Anesthesia

Jeremy and Sharon were up in Hershey for the PANA Spring Symposium and hosted a live taping of the podcast with Brett Fadgen, MSN, CFRN, CRNA. If you haven’t heard Brett’s story, it’s a remarkable one about perseverance and never giving up in the face of life’s challenges. Join us to hear all about his journey and how he became the only one-armed nurse anesthetist.

LISTEN NOW »
Current Events

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

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.

LISTEN NOW »

SUBSCRIBE

NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEK!

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherTuneIniHeartRadio

HAVE A QUESTION OR WANT TO BE GUEST?

RECENT REVIEWS

J. Cross CRNA
Read More
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!
Bill.Nye
Read More
I enjoy listening every morning. Great content and always a pleasure to learn something new.
biggestbaseballfanever
Read More
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.
Trvlgrl1
Read More
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!
doubledownmoney
Read More
If you’re a CRNA or any medical professional, I highly recommend giving this podcast a listen. Hosts have a great rapport.
Previous
Next

READ MORE REVIEWS OR LEAVE YOUR OWN!