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

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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.

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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

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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

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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:

1. Identify leadership behaviors that CRNAs can demonstrate regardless of formal title or position.
2. Apply real-time de-escalation strategies to address incivility while maintaining professionalism and authority.
3. Utilize a structured framework for conducting difficult follow-up conversations and ensuring accountability.
4. 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

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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/

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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

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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