Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have exploded in popularity for diabetes treatment and weight loss, but their rapid rise is creating new considerations for anesthesia providers. As more patients arrive for procedures while taking these medications, CRNAs and anesthesia teams must navigate evolving guidelines, potential aspiration risks, and uncertainty about perioperative management. In this episode, Amy Reed, Ph.D, CRNA returns to discuss the latest research and recommendations surrounding GLP-1 receptor agonists in anesthesia practice. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 💊 GLP-1 medications aren’t new but their popularity is ⚠️ Aspiration risk is still the primary anesthesia concern 📋 Guidelines are evolving and sometimes conflicting 🔍 Point-of-care gastric ultrasound is gaining traction 📊 More research is still needed Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Today we’re taking listeners beyond technical skill and into one of the most critical yet often overlooked competencies in the operating room: emotional intelligence. In a profession defined by precision, timing, and high-stakes decision-making, the ability to understand and manage emotions can be just as vital as mastering airway management or pharmacology. Joining the conversation is Brian Barry, who brings a powerful perspective on how emotional intelligence shapes not only individual performance but also team dynamics, leadership effectiveness, and ultimately patient outcomes. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🧠 EQ drives performance more than IQ ⚠️ Low EQ can impact patient outcomes 🔥 Stress amplifies emotional reactions 🗣️ How you communicate matters more than what you say 🔄 Emotional intelligence is learnable Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

The transition from classroom to clinical rotations can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking as expectations, personalities, and environments vary from day to day. Knowing what to expect can help ease the anxiety and better prepare you for this critical period of training. Today, all of our hosts are back together to break down what clinicals actually look like from the student perspective. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: ⏰ Show up early and prepared 🧠 Know your patient inside and out 🤝 Attitude matters more than skill early on 💥 You will make mistakes and that’s expected 🧩 Every preceptor is different Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/grade-1-view/ Visit the AANA Resident Hub: https://www.aana.com/resident-hub/ Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

Healthcare is evolving rapidly, and nowhere is that more evident than in the anesthesia workforce. In this episode, Sharon and Jeremy sit down with Scott Becker, founder of Becker’s Healthcare, to explore the current state of staffing, education, and economic pressures shaping the industry. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🏥 The anesthesia shortage isn’t solved 👩‍⚕️ CRNAs are critical to the system 📉 Medical education is part of the problem ⚖️ Workforce expectations are shifting 💡 Great organizations are built on people, not just strategy Visit Becker’s Healthcare: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/ Check out his new book: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Great-Businesses-Momentum-Confidence/dp/1637635400 Read the article here: https://www.beckersasc.com/anesthesia/the-anesthesia-workforce-shortage-demystified/ Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

What if CRNA students could practice critical anesthesia skills over and over again without limits, without pressure, and without risking patient safety? In this episode of Airway Exchange, Louisa and Erin explore how virtual reality is transforming nurse anesthesia education. Joined by Katie Cole, DNP, CRNA, CHSE and Kelly Wiltse Nicely, PhD, CRNA from Emory University, we’ll dive into how VR simulation is being integrated into training for foundational skills like intubation, induction sequences, and anesthesia gas machine operation. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🥽 Virtual reality allows unlimited repetition of critical anesthesia skills 📉 VR reduces stress compared to high-fidelity simulation environments 💪 Confidence and preparedness improve before entering the OR 📊 Data tracking provides objective insight into student performance 👥 VR helps identify struggling students earlier Follow @AirwayExchangePodcast on Instagram Submit a Topic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/airway-exchange-podcast-request About Katie: https://www.nursing.emory.edu/faculty-staff/katie-cole About Kelly: https://www.nursing.emory.edu/faculty-staff/kelly-wiltse-nicely Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

The nurse anesthesia profession is navigating a period of rapid change. From reimbursement cuts and workforce shortages to evolving practice models and federal policy battles, the decisions being made today will shape the future of CRNAs for decades to come. In this special live taping recorded at the West Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthesiology meeting, Sharon sits down with AANA President Jeff Molter to discuss the biggest challenges facing the profession and how CRNAs can stay engaged in protecting their future. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🩺 Reimbursement Pressures Are Rising 🎓 Student Loan Limits Threaten Workforce Growth 🏥 Demand for Anesthesia Providers Is Expanding 📣 Advocacy Is Essential for the Profession’s Future 📈 CRNAs Are Becoming the Backbone of Anesthesia Care Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

In this episode, we explore the Fifth Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, the latest international update designed to guide clinicians toward more effective prevention and treatment strategies. These updated recommendations reflect a growing body of research and introduce several important shifts in how anesthesia providers approach PONV. From expanded use of multimodal prophylaxis to greater emphasis on risk reduction strategies and post-discharge nausea and vomiting, the new guidelines encourage clinicians to think more proactively and systematically about managing this common complication. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🤢 PONV is still one of the most common anesthesia complications 🧩 The new guidelines emphasize multimodal prevention 📊 Risk scoring still matters—but clinical judgment matters more 💊 Combination antiemetic therapy is now encouraged Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/ The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099 Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246 Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1 🏠 Think beyond the PACU