advocacy

Dr. Jorge Valdés – The Trifecta of a School Nurse Dean

We’re excited to get the opportunity to sit down with someone who holds an incredibly unique position in our industry. Jorge Valdés, DNP, CRNA, APRN, FAANA, is the rare trifecta of a male nurse, minority and a CRNA in the dean’s chair at Florida International University. His rise from starting as a CRNA 21 years ago to becoming the head of a nursing school was not the path he anticipated, but Dr. Valdés has fully embraced the opportunity to impact nursing education

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First Advanced Practice Nurse in the NC Legislature Speaks Out

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a nurse who’s impacted her state like our guest today has done in North Carolina. Gale Adcock is serving her term in the NC Senate after eight years in the NC House and seven years on her local town council.

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Crafting Your Elevator Speech for Professional Confidence with Julie Gauderman, CRNA

Have you ever been caught off guard when asked to explain who you are or what’s important to you? That’s a conundrum our guest Julie Gauderman, MS, DNAP, APRN, CNRA is here to help you navigate. Together with co-host Tracy Castleman, DNP, CRNA, APN-A, FAANA, we dive into the concept of an elevator speech, how to craft it, and why it’s an effective way to confidently represent your profession and control your narrative.

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Lessons Learned in the State Legislature with Taylor Rehfeldt, CRNA, and Sydney Davis, CRNA

We’re back with another great interview from our trip to the mid-year assembly in Washington D.C. as Sharon and Tracy Castleman, DNP, CRNA, APN-A, FAANA got to sit down with Taylor Rehfeldt, CRNA, and Sydney Davis, CRNA. You might remember them from episode 111, and we have been excited to catch back up with these two state representatives to find out what they’ve learned about advocacy and politics by being on the other side of the table.

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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.

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

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.

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Ep 192: Effective Federal Advocacy Starts at Home

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.

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Ep 186: Empowered Women Empower Women

None of us get to where we are without the help and guidance of other people. We rely on mentorship from our peers to lift us up and empower us to accomplish great things. With the input from a few powerful women on this episode, we want to highlight women that have played a key role in helping advance the industry and discuss how we can elevate each other through empowerment.

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Ep 145: Why Regulatory Reform Strengthens the CRNA Profession

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.

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

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.

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Ep #27: CRNA State Advocacy, Leadership, & Professionalism

So, you want to get involved in CRNA advocacy, but you don’t know how. Or, you want to be involved, but you don’t want to be the actual person doing the advocating. That’s okay! Kimberly Gordon, faculty member at Wake Forest School of Medicine, is here to share her insights into CRNA state advocacy. We’ll talk about how to build positive relationships with legislators, the importance of partnering with other associations, and the advantages of forming an independent expenditure. But most importantly, we’ll talk about how you can get involved and how you can get others to join in.

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