The purpose of this pilot educational program evaluation was to explore the integration of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Wellness Ambassador Microcredential (MC) into a nurse anesthesiology educational program's (NAEP) curriculum and evaluate its impact on resident registered nurse anesthetists' (RRNAs) wellness-related knowledge and competencies. Eighteen third-year RRNAs enrolled in a Professional Aspects of Anesthesia course completed the MC. Following completion, the RRNAs completed a 39-item survey assessing satisfaction, perceived relevance, and self-reported competency gains developed using the Kirkpatrick Model of instructional design. Results indicated high satisfaction, with 89.5% finding the content engaging and over half rating the quality as excellent. Self-reported improvements were observed across all nine wellness competencies, particularly in knowledge of wellness resources and application of holistic health principles. The interactive format and real-world applicability were especially valued. Participants reported increased confidence in addressing wellness-related challenges and a greater likelihood of utilizing and recommending wellness resources such as the AANA Helpline (800-654-5167). Findings support early and longitudinal integration of wellness education within the NAEP to foster resilience, reduce burnout, and promote a culture of well-being in nurse anesthesiology. While limited by sample size and self-reported data, this pilot project demonstrated the potential use of MC as scalable, competency-based tools for enhancing wellness education. Future research should include longitudinal and multisite evaluations to further validate outcomes and inform broader implementation strategies.

For a nurse, assisting patients with chronic pain includes focusing on their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being, and there may lie the antidote for chronic pain. All aspects of holistic well-being intertwine intimately, affecting every area of the body, soul, and mind, as patients with chronic pain report a lower quality of life. Focusing on basic interventions that improve the patient's overall well-being can reduce the need for opioids, and thus reduce the patient's risk of becoming one of the over 6 million people with opioid use disorder.

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) Practice Committee, in collaboration with AANA Professional Practice staff, advisory panels, and subject matter experts, applies a standardized evidence-based process to review, evaluate, and revise clinical resource documents found in the Professional Practice Manual for the CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) and on the AANA website. This article highlights several revised and newly developed practice documents, which include topics such as the scope of nurse anesthesia practice, point of care ultrasound in anesthesia care, anesthesia for patients with substance use disorder, office-based dental anesthesia, workplace civility, and health disparities.

Aging leads to anatomic and physiologic changes in the brain, making it more sensitive to the depressant effects of anesthetic medications and increasing the risk of postoperative neurocognitive complications such as postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction. This article explores the implications of anesthesia on elderly patients' brain health, emphasizing the heightened risk of postoperative neurocognitive disorders, and describes the BIS™ Monitoring System as a neuromonitoring tool for anesthesia professionals to assess the depth of anesthesia. The integration of the BIS Monitoring System into clinical practice can contribute to a more tailored and patient-centered approach to anesthesia management, ultimately improving perioperative outcomes and safety.

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Practice Committee and subject matter experts recently evaluated newly published cannabis guidelines titled "ASRA Pain Medicine Consensus Guidelines on the Management of the Perioperative Patient on Cannabis and Cannabinoids." A summative review of the evidence-based guidelines provides essential recommendations, which are directly applicable to certified registered nurse anesthetist clinical practice.

Background: Without highly qualified nurse anesthesia educators and administrators, the health care system will be threatened by the inadequate supply of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). Purpose: American Association of Nurse Anesthesiologists’ Faculty Stabilization Task Force (FSTF) analyzed reasons for high faculty turnover and developed recommendations to support nurse anesthesia faculty and administrators. Methods: A survey evaluated participants’ current role, leadership development opportunities, mentorship experiences, and resource needs. Results: Of 109 respondents, 87 (80%) were program administrators or assistant administrators with less than 5 years of experience in their role. Despite academic experience, 51% felt adequately prepared for their role. Conclusions: The FSTF provided 2 recommendations: to create a robust faculty development program for all faculty at all levels of CRNA education and a repository of information needed for program administrators and faculty to oversee and educate students in a high-quality CRNA program.

Without highly qualified educators and educational program administrators, the ability to provide anesthesia and pain management services throughout the healthcare system will be threatened by the inadequate supply of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). The average turnover rate between the years 2016-2020, for CRNA program administrators, was 15% with some programs changing leadership as often as every two to four years. In response, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) created the Faculty Stabilization Taskforce (FSTF) to review reasons for the high turnover rate and to develop methods and tools to support program faculty and administrators in their role of educating the future CRNA workforce. The FSTF provided two recommendations: 1) to create a robust faculty development program for all faculty at all levels of CRNA education, and 2) to create a repository of information needed to administrate, and educate students, in a high-quality CRNA program. This article summarizes the report made to the AANA Board of Directors (BOD) which was unanimously accepted and is already being implemented by AANA and COA staff. The full text of the report can be found on the AANA's website at www.aana.com/FSTF.

An intraoperative power failure (IOPF) is a complete or partial absence of the electrical power supply with or without the availability of a backup generator system during an operative or other invasive procedure. An IOPF can be stressful for the OR team and puts surgical patients at risk for adverse outcomes. To prepare providers for an IOPF, a CRNA piloted a project to create an evidence-based, facility-specific cognitive aid (CA) to guide decision making and enhance patient management and outcomes during an IOPF. The project team tested the battery-power capabilities of essential anesthesia equipment, including anesthesia gas machines, IV pumps, and vital sign monitors, and included the results in the CA. A needs assessment survey was sent to the anesthesia professionals at the facility to promote clinician buy-in and solicit feedback for creating the CA.

The registered nurse (RN) on a medical-surgical nursing unit may be the first health care professional to encounter a patient with the signs of impending respiratory failure. Importantly, the RN must recognize the signs of respiratory compromise and possess the competence and confidence to intervene without delay. Signs of respiratory deterioration, physical assessment, and respiratory laboratory studies are reviewed. Modes of oxygen therapy, basic airway management techniques, including bag mask ventilation, and use of oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways are discussed. The assembly of equipment and medications frequently used for intubation are also outlined.

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists recently released a practice considerations document titled, Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Anesthesia Care, that clinicians, administrators, and other stakeholders are encouraged to download and read in their entirety, available at aana.com/PracticeManual.

This article discusses skill proficiency of providers related to emergency cricothyroidotomies. Various techniques to improve procedural skills were studied. Accurate identification of the cricothyroid membrane via palpation remained consistently inadequate. High-fidelity simulation including the use of human cadavers may be the preferred method of skill training for crisis management. The authors emphasize that additional research is needed regarding a method for rapid cricothyroid membrane identification as well as needle cricothyroidotomy versus surgical airway on cadavers. More consistent training will enable emergency care providers to perform this rare but lifesaving skill.

BACKGROUND Men comprise the minority of entry-level baccalaureate nursing students and are at increased risk of experiencing gender-associated incivility. PROBLEM Uncivil peer-to-peer behavior can negatively affect students' mental and physical well-being, and learning experience. Nursing faculty must be able to identify and address gender-associated incivility among students. AIM The purpose of this quality improvement program was to train nursing faculty to prevent, identify, and manage gender-associated incivility in the educational environment. METHODS A day-long interactive workshop utilizing trigger films, small group discussions, and interactive theater was developed to train nursing faculty to implement proactive and reactive techniques to address uncivil behavior which will enhance the learning environment for all students. Utilizing Kirkpatrick's Model of Evaluation, participants were surveyed at the conclusion of the workshop and four months postworkshop to evaluate their learning and its implementation. RESULTS Participants gained greater understanding of the impact of gender-associated incivility and felt both empowered and better prepared to manage gender-associated conflict. CONCLUSION Similar approaches may be useful for schools of nursing that wish to empower their nursing faculty to support an equitable nursing education environment free of gender-associated incivility.

This article discusses skill proficiency of providers related to emergency cricothyroidotomies. Various techniques to improve procedural skills were studied. Accurate identification of the cricothyroid membrane via palpation remained consistently inadequate. High-fidelity simulation including the use of human cadavers may be the preferred method of skill training for crisis management. The authors emphasize that additional research is needed regarding a method for rapid cricothyroid membrane identification as well as needle cricothyroidotomy versus surgical airway on cadavers. More consistent training will enable emergency care providers to perform this rare but lifesaving skill.

Background: The trauma burden in South Africa is significant. The objective of this project was to investigate the incidence of posttrauma pulmonary complications (PPCs) and to identify patient, health risks, and hospital factors, which predispose trauma patients to develop PPCs hospital in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Methods: The design was a retrospective secondary data analysis of patients who presented as a trauma admission via the health systems' Hybrid Electronic Medical Registry. The final data set included 6382 trauma admissions. Results: The PPC rate was 9.4% for patients with a surgical intervention versus 1.9% for those without a surgical intervention. Of the total 289 PPCs reported, the most common included pneumonia or atelectasis (46.4%) and prolonged ventilation (36.0%). The risk of developing a PPC was statistically significantly (P < 0.0001) associated with surgical intervention and the number of surgeries. Conclusions: The trauma burden in South Africa requires complex medical and surgical interventions. The incidence of PPCs is significantly associated with surgical intervention. With the increasing demand to harness data and improve patient care, the Hybrid Electronic Medical Registry proves to be a driver for quality improvement. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The North Carolina Association of Nurse Anesthetists recognized concerns surrounding decreased member engagement and communication. Member engagement and communication is the lifeblood of an organization and is directly related to the success of an organization's outcomes and goals. Revamping of social media is a cost-effective method to help increase membership engagement and communication. The purpose of this project was to identify Certified Registered Nurse Anesthestist membership preferences for social media-based communication and engagement through the measurement of activity levels based on Facebook posting content, feature, and time. Therefore, a literature review and retrospective analysis was conducted. Results revealed that posting content of public relations/advocacy, the feature of tagging, and the time of week was influential on audience engagement on the association's Facebook account. The aims of the project were met. Social media allows organizations to employ various features and techniques to increase member engagement and communication. To successfully use social media to engage and communicate with members, organizations will need to continuously analyze and adjust their social media posts.

The role of men in nursing is not always evident. Men have been care takers in early societies, military health care, and the religious sector. The perception of men in nursing, however, took a shift from one of honor to one of deviance and failure from medical school. As the contributions of historical men in nursing, such as Walt Whitman, are brought to light, so are the contributions of select men within the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). Dr. George Peraza-Smith provides an exclusive interview, shares his dedication and contributions to the care of the aging adult, and provides words of wisdom to those wanting to impact the care of geriatric nursing.