Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

The opioid crisis continues to impact communities across the country, and in many overdose situations, police officers are the first people to arrive on the scene. That reality inspired a powerful community initiative led by CRNA student Krystin Jones. Her DNP project focuses on training law enforcement officers to recognize opioid overdoses and confidently administer naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an overdose and potentially save a life. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🚨 Police are often first on the scene 💉 Narcan can mean the difference between life and death 🏥 Healthcare professionals can impact communities beyond hospitals 📊 The opioid crisis remains a serious public health challenge 🤝 Collaboration saves lives   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 of Airway Exchange, Jiale (Gary) Hu, PhD, RN, FAAN joins the conversation to explore how AI is reshaping the way we teach, learn, and prepare future CRNAs. He’s currently ​the ​Director ​of ​Research ​and ​Global ​Outreach ​in ​the ​Department ​of ​Nurse ​Anesthesia, and his ​scholarship ​focuses ​on ​enhancing ​knowledge ​translation ​in ​healthcare ​environments, ​with ​a ​lot ​of ​his ​current ​projects ​encompassing ​AI ​integration ​in ​healthcare ​education. We’ll go beyond theory and into practical implementation of AI, like integrating AI literacy into the curriculum and building custom GPT tools for student handbooks. We also want to address the concerns many educators share: ethical use, institutional support, academic integrity, prompt engineering, and how to keep humans “in the loop.”   Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🤖 AI Literacy as a Core Skill  🧠 Prompt Engineering with the CARE Framework  📚 Integrating AI Across the Curriculum  🛠️ Custom GPT Tools for Educators  ⚖️ Ethics, Accuracy & Human Oversight   About our guest: https://nrsa.chp.vcu.edu/our-team/jiale-gary-hu-phd-rn-faan.html 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

Today’s episode is one of courage, survival, and reclaiming your voice. Tonia Bales, CRNA and author of When You See It: How I Outsmarted and Outlasted Dirty John, shares her deeply personal story of manipulation, coercive control, and psychological abuse. While the world knows the headline-grabbing “Dirty John” narrative, this conversation takes us behind the scenes to explore how even strong, capable professionals can be targeted and trapped by someone hiding in plain sight. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🚩 Psychopaths and manipulators hide in plain sight. Charm and intelligence can mask danger. 🧠 You can be “smart in the brain and not so smart in the heart.” 💬 Silence protects abusers. Speaking up creates safety and support. 🔍 Trust your instincts, subtle red flags deserve attention. 🌱 Healing is ongoing, resilience and community make rebuilding possible.   Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/When-You-See-Outsmarted-Outlasted/dp/B0FCDDC6FL 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 honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, this episode of Grade 1 View highlights the power, resilience, and impact of women shaping the future of nurse anesthesia. Dr. Bimpe ‘Bebe’ Adenusi shares her remarkable journey from clinical chemist to CRNA, educator, program director, national leader, and founder of the Nigerian American Nurse Anesthetist Association. With authenticity and humility, she reflects on the mentors who shaped her path, the challenges of stepping into leadership, and the responsibility of lifting the next generation. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 👩🏾‍⚕️ From Student to National Leader  💬 Listening as a Leadership Skill  🤝 The Power of Mentorship  🌍 Mission Work & Purpose  📚 Building the Next Generation    About our guest: https://nanaa.org/team/dr-bimpe-adenusi/ 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

Becoming a CRNA isn’t just about mastering pharmacology, physiology, and airway skills. It’s about mentorship. In this episode of Beyond the Mask, Kelly Elmore, DNP, APRN-CRNA joins the show to discuss one of the most critical and often overlooked elements of nurse anesthesia education: preceptorship training. From bridging classroom theory to real-time clinical decision-making, preceptors are the link between knowledge and confidence. And when that experience goes well, it can shape a career. When it doesn’t, it can leave lasting scars. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🧑‍🏫 Preceptorship Is a Role, Not a Side Task  🤝 What Students Actually Need  ⚖️ Balancing Control & Independence  🔥 Burnout & Preceptor Fatigue  🌐 The Preceptor Resource Hub    About our guest: https://marybaldwin.edu/people/kelly-r-elmore-dnp-aprn-crna/ 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

Writing for a grade is one thing. Writing to contribute to a scientific conversation is something entirely different. In this episode of Airway Exchange, Dr. Edwin Aroke, an internationally recognized CRNA pain scientist and Editor-in-Chief of the AANA Journal, joins hosts Erin and Nickie to talk with us about scholarly writing and peer review. His ​scholarship ​has ​resulted ​in ​over ​60 ​peer-reviewed ​publications and ​many ​nationally ​and ​internationally ​presentations ​on ​pharmacogenomics, ​pain ​disparities ​and ​anesthesia ​outcomes. This conversation is a practical guide for nurse anesthesia educators who want to elevate their scholarship, as we’ll discuss developing a focused research niche to navigating peer review, grant funding, and common reasons for desk rejection. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: ✍️ From Classroom Writing to Publication  🔬 Building a Focused Research Niche  📚 Common Reasons for Journal Rejection  🤝 Grant Funding & Mentorship Strategy  🤖 AI in Scholarly Writing    About our guest: https://scholars.uab.edu/4965-edwin-aroke 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

CRNAs are in demand. Salaries are strong. Jobs are plentiful. So why is Dr. Randy Moore sounding the alarm? In this episode, Randy joins Sharon and guest host Kevin Chem, DNP, CRNA to unpack his viral Substack article, “No One Is Coming to Save Us.” The core message is uncomfortable but clear: while anesthesia organizations remain divided over turf and titles, payers are quietly reshaping reimbursement policy in ways that could have long-term consequences for both CRNAs and anesthesiologists. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🐺 “The Wolf Is at the Door”  💰 Reimbursement Drives Practice Models  ⚖️ Fragmentation Weakens Leverage  🏛️ Multi-Front Strategy: Litigation, Legislation, PR  🔄 Cycles in Compensation & Demand    Read Randy’s Substack post here: https://randymoore.substack.com/p/no-ones-coming-to-save-us-the-anesthesia   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

This week, Lynn and Garry sit down with guest Dru Riddle to tackle one of the most misunderstood and increasingly problematic concepts in perioperative care: the idea that patients can be “cleared” for anesthesia by non-anesthesia providers. While well-intentioned, this language blurs professional boundaries and creates real risks for patients and anesthesia teams alike. The goals for this show are to help you be able to: Differentiate between preoperative medical optimization and anesthesia clearance. Explain why anesthesia providers are uniquely qualified to determine anesthesia-related risk. Describe the appropriate role of non-anesthesia consultants in the perioperative period. Apply modern risk assessment tools, such as the DASI scale, to evaluate perioperative anesthesia risk. 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

Advocacy can feel intimidating, especially as a student. But what if your future scope of practice, reimbursement, autonomy, and even student loan access are being shaped right now? Mackenzie and Levi recently attended Lobby Day in Florida and Nicolas went to Capitol Day in Arizona. Kelsey asks them about their experiences and advice for other SRNAs. You’ll learn more about what advocacy events actually look like, how they prepared, what surprised them most, and the powerful realization that legislators often know very little about what CRNAs truly do. Showing up to advocate isn’t just crucial for policy, it’s also important for every SRNA’s professional journey.    Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 🏛️ What Lobby Day & Capital Day Really Look Like 📢 Scope of Practice & Autonomy Bills 💰 Reimbursement & Legislative Barriers 🎓 Student Loan Caps & Federal Policy Threats 🔥 “If You’re Not at the Table, You’re on the Menu”   Tell the Department of Education: CRNAs are professionals - https://aana.quorum.us/campaign/151823/?utm_campaign=21808239-Letter%20from%20the%20Board%20of%20Directors%20Newsletter%20-%20MY26&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_aIux9bDYGSMnBHT8ofMd4Soboojl0igMxgnXHzvkjlNUNiJgq50f2fSPLl0FV518L46QnmodIQKlPYVGef6ShbqCNBA&_hsmi=402704119&utm_content=402704119&utm_source=hs_email Register for AANA Mid-Year Assembly: https://www.aana.com/premier-event/mid-year-assembly/   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

In this special episode, the conversation goes beyond anesthesia, leadership, and practice models and into something just as essential: friendship, health, and wellness. In a profession that is demanding, high‑stakes, and often isolating, the relationships CRNAs build with one another can be a powerful source of strength. Sharon is  joined by longtime friends Jackie Rowles, DNP, MBA, MA, CRNA, ANP-BC, NSPM-C, FNAP, FAANA, FAAN, Tracy Castleman,  DNP, CRNA, APN-A, FAANA, and Carole Doyscher, CRNA, BSN, MS, APRN—four CRNAs whose bond, known affectionately as the Fab Four, was forged through shared experiences, mutual respect, and plenty of laughter along the way. Together, they reflect on how authentic connection within the CRNA community supports resilience, personal well‑being, and professional longevity. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 👩‍⚕️ Each leader shares their unique leadership style and AANA experience 🤝 The power of unity, trust, and supporting one another in CRNA leadership 🧭 How policy, mentoring, and advocacy shape the future of the profession 💬 Stories from the trenches — what it's really like to lead under pressure 🚀 Encouragement for the next generation of CRNA leaders   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 

Recorded live at the EDGE Conference, this special episode brings all four hosts together for an honest, reflective conversation about what makes this meeting so meaningful for CRNA educators, and why it continues to matter more than ever. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🎓 The Value of EDGE for Educators - Why this conference remains a cornerstone for faculty connection and growth. 🤝 Mentorship, Networking, and Community - How relationships shape educator confidence and career paths. 📚 Supporting Early & Mid-Career Educators - Bridging gaps in training, expectations, and professional development. 🧠 Innovation, AI, and Educational Change - Adapting to rapid shifts while maintaining academic rigor. 🧭 Leadership, Longevity, and Faculty Wellness - Navigating burnout, administrative pressure, and long-term sustainability.   Follow @AirwayExchangePodcast on Instagram Submit a Topic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/airway-exchange-podcast-request   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

Oral airways have looked basically the same for nearly a century despite dramatic changes in patient populations, sedation practices, and monitoring standards. What if a simple design change could bring significant improvements to safety and efficacy? In this episode, CRNA John Brown and entrepreneur Jason Keen of Arete Medical Devices share the story behind a newly designed oral airway that aims to solve problems anesthesia providers have quietly worked around for decades. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🫁 Why traditional oral airways no longer meet modern sedation needs 🔧 Designing an adjustable airway to reduce waste and mis-sizing 📉 Improving end-tidal CO₂ accuracy while lowering oxygen flow rates 🏥 Clinical testing across hospitals and surgery centers 🌱 Cost savings, plastic reduction, and sustainability in anesthesia tools   Learn more about Arete Medical Devices: https://aretemedicaldevices.com/  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

Incivility doesn’t always announce itself loudly—it often creeps in quietly, becoming normalized in high-stress clinical environments. In this episode, Lynn and Garry are joined by leadership veteran Meri Gilman-Mays, CRNA, DNP to continue a candid conversation on addressing incivility in nurse anesthesia. Part two of this conversation shifts from recognizing incivility to actively addressing it through leadership. We’ll challenge the notion that leadership requires a title, highlighting how CRNAs lead daily at the bedside, in the operating room, and through committee work. Listeners are invited to consider the impact of silence versus intervention and how modeling professionalism under pressure influences team culture. After listening to this episode, participants will be able to: Identify leadership behaviors that CRNAs can demonstrate regardless of formal title or position. Apply real-time de-escalation strategies to address incivility while maintaining professionalism and authority. Utilize a structured framework for conducting difficult follow-up conversations and ensuring accountability. Describe strategies for fostering a culture of respect and psychological safety within anesthesia and perioperative teams. 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

Representation in nurse anesthesia is about access, excellence, and belonging. It’s the responsibility of every CRNA to help shape the future of the profession in a way that affords opportunity and access to anyone who wants to pursue that goal. In this episode, hosts Nicolas and Kelsey are joined by two influential leaders in nurse anesthesia advocacy, Lena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FADLN, FAANA, FAAN and Vincent Ford, DNAP, CRNA, to talk candidly about diversity, mentorship, and responsibility. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 🎓 Why representation in textbooks, faculty, and leadership matters 🧠 Mentorship as the bridge between access and opportunity 🌍 Diversity of thought and experience drives better decisions at the institutional level. 🏫 Barriers in admissions and the push for holistic review 🌱 Paying it forward and shaping the next generation of CRNAs   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

From the very beginning of nurse anesthesia, opposition was organized, strategic, and relentless. Two central figures who devoted their careers to making anesthesia a physician-only specialty in the United States in the early 1900s were Frank and Laurette McMechan. Today, we’ll examine their lives and professional impact in this historical episode with our show historians Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🔥 Who Frank and Laurette McMechan were and why they mattered 📜 Early efforts to eliminate nurse anesthesia in the U.S. 🏛️ How physician anesthesia organizations were formed ⚖️ Legal battles that protected CRNA practice 🧠 Why understanding history is essential for the future of CRNAs   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

Accreditation can feel overwhelming, but when done well, it’s not a once-every-ten-years scramble. Dr. Angie Mund joins us this week to help reframe accreditation as an ongoing leadership practice that shapes program culture, faculty development, and student outcomes. Drawing on decades of experience as a program director, department chair, and national leader, Dr. Mund explains what’s usually true long before a successful COA site visit ever begins.  Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 📁 Why accreditation should start on day one—not year ten 🧭 How strong processes prevent people and measurement problems 📝 Common self-study mistakes that undermine good programs 🎓 Mentoring faculty to take ownership of accreditation standards 🔍 Early warning signs that programs are drifting out of compliance   Follow @AirwayExchangePodcast on Instagram Submit a Topic: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/airway-exchange-podcast-request   Be a part of EDGE: Educate. Develop. Grow. Engage. >>  https://www.aana.com/premier-event/edge/   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

Artificial Intelligence has become much more than a buzzword. It’s transforming industries as it rapidly evolves, and the big question for CRNAs is what does this mean for anesthesia providers? Sharon and guest co-host Larry Sears, CRNA sit down with CRNA educator and technology thought leader Richard Wilson, DNPA, CRNA, FAANA to explore how AI is quietly reshaping perioperative care, education, and decision-making in the operating room. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🤖 Generative vs. predictive AI, and why the difference matters 📉 Predicting hypotension and adverse events in real time 🫀 AI-driven ventilators, monitoring, and micro-learning systems 🧠 Why AI can’t replace vigilance, intuition, or clinical judgment 🎓 How students and educators are already using AI responsibly   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

Workplace culture in anesthesia doesn’t just live in policies or mission statements, it shows up in hallways, handoffs, and yes, even the lounge. In Part I of this conversation, Lynn and Garry welcome guest Meri Gilman-Mays, CRNA, DNP, for an honest, thoughtful conversation about incivility in the perioperative environment and how it quietly shapes the daily experiences of nurse anesthetists. Part I focuses on awareness as the first step toward change. By helping CRNAs recognize incivility in its many forms and understand its ripple effects on wellness, teamwork, and patient care, this conversation invites reflection rather than blame. It’s an educational yet relatable dialogue designed to validate lived experiences and encourage healthier, more respectful professional environments one interaction at a time. Here’s some of what we’ll discuss: ⚠️ What incivility actually looks like in anesthesia practice 🏥 Power dynamics between CRNAs, physicians, and students 🧠 How unchecked behavior leads to burnout and moral distress 🗣️ Why silence, eye-rolling, and dismissal are not harmless 🧩 The leadership gap fueling toxic workplace cultures   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

Applying to CRNA school can feel overwhelming—stats, GPAs, ICU experience, GRE scores, interviews, and endless comparisons to peers and strangers alike. It’s easy to talk yourself out of applying (or reapplying) so today we’re going to back the curtain on the application process and share our real, unfiltered journeys to CRNA school. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 📄 What the CRNA application process really feels like 🚫 Handling rejection, waitlists, and “not this cycle” moments 🧠 Interview formats: emotional intelligence vs. clinical knowledge 📈 How to strengthen your application when reapplying 💪 Why resilience and authenticity matter more than stats   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

More CRNAs are stepping beyond the operating room and building something entirely new, and this episode dives into what that transition truly looks like. Today, we’re sitting down with Joshua Olson DNP, CRNA, CRNA educator, and co-creator of the Ollivate app, a gamified learning platform designed to help CRNAs earn CEs and residents prepare for boards in a calmer, more effective way. Want to know what it’s like to transition to entrepreneurship, the challenges of non-clinical business, and what it takes to succeed? Join us for this candid conversation with a fellow CRNA who’s taken the bold leap. Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode: 🚀 Transitioning from clinical practice to entrepreneurship 🧠 Why gamified learning reduces anxiety and improves retention 📱 Micro-learning, spaced repetition, and modern CE engagement 🤝 The importance of not building a business alone 💡 Why CRNAs are uniquely positioned to innovate   Check out Ollivate here: https://ollivate.com/ 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