Beyond The Mask: Innovation & Opportunities For CRNAs

What would nurse anesthesia students tell their educators if they could speak completely openly? In this special Airway Exchange crossover with Grade 1 View, nurse anesthesia residents Kelsey Muir and Nicolas Alexander join us for an honest, sometimes uncomfortable, and often humorous conversation about the realities of nurse anesthesia education.

This episode will provide a candid look at the realities of CRNA school, from overwhelming workloads and challenging clinical rotations to the teaching strategies and preceptors that have made the biggest difference. Find out what helped Kelsey and Nicolas succeed and what has made their journey unnecessarily difficult.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

🩺 Supportive preceptors build confidence by meeting students at their current skill level.

🧠 Intimidation can undermine learning when students become more focused on avoiding mistakes than caring for patients.

📚 Teaching methods aren't one-size-fits-all, and students benefit from flexibility in how material is delivered.

❤️ Meaningful wellness support includes listening, protecting rest, and addressing unhealthy clinical environments.

🤝 Students want to feel heard, respected, and supported as they develop into independent clinicians.

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/

Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

One of the most valuable parts of IFNA is learning how providers around the world approach the same mission, delivering safe, high-quality anesthesia care to patients. Today, Sharon and guest co-host Kevin Chem welcome Norwegian nurse anesthetist, professor, and researcher Ann-Chatrin Linqvist Leonardsen for a fascinating look at anesthesia practice in Norway.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

🇳🇴 Norwegian nurse anesthetists can independently manage anesthesia for ASA I and II patients under defined standards.

🎓 Norway's education pathway allows practice before completing a full master's degree, a policy Ann wants changed.

🏥 Anesthesiologists collaborate on higher-risk cases, but their involvement varies by setting.

⚖️ Professional recognition and scope-of-practice restrictions remain major challenges in Norway.

🌍 IFNA promotes stronger education standards and professional recognition for nurse anesthetists worldwide.

Donate to Our Hears Your Hands: https://www.ourheartsyourhands.org/donate

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/

Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

realize. From airway reactivity and wound-healing concerns to unknown additives and changing drug trends, clinicians may be dealing with far more than nicotine.

In this episode, Beth Wilkes, DNAP, CRNA, CHSE, explains why CRNAs need to rethink how they screen patients and assess vaping history. The goal is to recognize emerging risks earlier and make the preoperative conversation more specific, useful, and clinically relevant.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

💨 Ask About Vaping: Smoking questions alone are not enough

🫁 Expect Airway Risk: Respiratory complications may increase

🧪 Know What’s Inside: Vapes can contain many substances

📋 Improve Screening: Frequency and duration matter

⚠️ Watch Emerging Trends: New drug-laced products are appearing

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/

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 Grade 1 View, hosts Kelsey and Levi welcome Chrissy Massaro, CRNA, MSN and Kate Freedman, CRNA, MSN from Confident Care Academy to talk about what they wish they knew before clinicals and share guidance on how to best prepare. Whether ​you're ​heading ​into ​your ​first ​pediatric ​case ​or ​walking ​into ​a ​cardiac ​room ​wondering ​what ​you ​should ​know ​beforehand, ​knowing what to expect ​can ​make ​a ​huge ​difference ​in ​your ​confidence ​and ​clinical ​experience.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🫁 Know the pediatric airway and review weight-based drug dosing before clinicals.

❤️ Master cardiac physiology and pharmacology to anticipate hemodynamic changes.

👀 Watch the surgery, not just the monitors, to understand what's happening.

🎯 Prioritize patient management over perfect procedures and move on from missed skills.

🤝 Build confidence through preparation, communication, and a willingness to learn.

Visit Confident Care Academy: https://www.confidentcareacademy.app/c/start-here

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

Clinical preceptors do far more than supervise students in the operating room. They help learners connect classroom knowledge to real patient care, develop clinical judgment, build confidence, and learn what professional practice actually looks like.

In this episode, Amy Yerdon, DNP, MNA, CRNA, CNE, CHSE, FAANA shares practical ways to make that teaching more intentional without sacrificing patient safety or learner autonomy. We hope this conversation can help preceptors communicate more clearly, give better feedback, and create the kind of clinical learning experience that can shape a CRNA for an entire career.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

🎯 Set Expectations Early: Define goals before the case begins

🧠 Teach to Their Level: Adjust support as competence grows

🗣️ Make Feedback Specific: Help learners understand how to improve

👐 Give Back Autonomy: Step in when needed, then step out

🪞 Encourage Reflection: Let students evaluate themselves first

Check out the clinical preceptor training videos: https://ifna.org/educational-videos/ 

About our guest: https://wcna2026.com/speakers/dr-amy-yerdon/

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/

Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

Moving from clinical anesthesia to the classroom sounds like a natural next step. But what happens when the workload becomes so overwhelming that you consider walking away?

Becky Motykiewicz, DNAP, CRNA returns to Airway Exchange to share her true experience as a full-time CRNA educator at Drexel University in year one. Along with hosts Nickie and Louisa,  Becky offers a candid look at the realities of academic life, including the reason why she almost quit after just nine months. You’ll hear about the mentors who helped her through, what she's changing in year two, and why she would still make the transition all over again.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

🎓 Teaching CRNAs is different from clinical practice—not easier.

😓 Even passionate educators can reach a breaking point.

🤝 Mentorship can make or break the transition.

⏰ Boundaries are essential for preventing burnout.

📈 Progress matters more than perfect lectures.

About our guest: https://drexel.edu/cnhp/faculty/profiles/MotykiewiczBecky/

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

Ultrasound has changed the way anesthesia providers assess patients, perform regional techniques, and make decisions at the bedside. But for CRNAs who trained before these tools became commonplace, adding those skills can feel intimidating.

In this episode of Beyond the Mask, recorded at the IFNA Congress in Australia, Christian Falyar, DNAP, CRNA, FAANA joins us to talk about how point-of-care ultrasound and regional anesthesia are becoming increasingly important parts of full-scope CRNA practice.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

🔍 Start With POCUS: Build ultrasound comfort before advanced procedures

🧠 Understand the Anatomy: Technique follows strong foundational knowledge

💉 Practice the Needling: Hands-on repetition builds procedural confidence

🤝 Find a Mentor: Workshops alone cannot replace guided practice

📈 Don’t Settle: Full-scope practice requires continued growth

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/

Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

AI is already changing healthcare, but that does not mean every answer it gives should be trusted. For CRNAs, the challenge is learning how to use these tools without compromising patient privacy, critical thinking, or clinical judgment.

In this episode, Kirsten Meister, DNP, CRNA offers a practical framework for using AI with healthy skepticism and purpose. With the rise of AI, it’s important that CRNAs become informed users of the technology so they can help shape how it enters anesthesia practice rather than simply reacting to it later.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

🤖 Use AI With Skepticism: Helpful does not always mean accurate

🧠 Clinical Judgment Wins: The machine should never replace the clinician

📝 Prompt With Precision: Better instructions produce better results

⚖️ Watch for Bias: Bad data can create bad recommendations

🛫 Use the AIRWAY Framework: Evaluate AI before relying on it

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/

Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1

In this episode recorded at AANA Congress in Boston, Levi and Mackenzie explore the military CRNA careers of Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, and Greg Collins, DNP, CRNA. Both guests have experience providing anesthesia in deployed environments, and they open up about what military service taught them about practicing under pressure and serving as part of a larger mission. For any future CRNAs considering a military path, this conversation will help provide you with a clearer picture of the opportunities, responsibilities, and personal growth that can come with that choice.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🎖️ Service Shapes Leadership: Military training builds confidence and discipline

🩺 Autonomy Becomes Essential: Downrange CRNAs may be the only anesthesia provider

🧰 Adaptability Matters: Limited resources force creative clinical thinking

📚 Training Goes Beyond Anesthesia: Military education develops broader skills

🧭 Know Your Path: Understand commitments before signing anything

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

Experienced clinicians often develop techniques that work and that can make change difficult. But “we’ve always done it this way” can also keep better tools and safer workflows from getting a fair look. In this episode, Scott Imus, EdD, MSN, CRNA and Wendy Monrad, MSN, CRNA discuss deep sedation, airway management, ETCO₂ monitoring, and how the Aeris Airway helped replace years of improvised workarounds with a more consistent approach.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

🛠️ Stop MacGyvering: Better tools can replace improvised setups

📈 Better Monitoring: Reliable ETCO₂ can improve sedation management

💨 Lower Flow: Oxygen can be delivered more efficiently

🧠 Challenge Habits: Familiar techniques aren’t always the best

🎓 Teach It Early: New clinicians can build better habits from day one

Join Sharon at the Nurse Anesthesia Update in the Bahamas: https://www.nurseanesthetist.com/events/nurse+anesthesia+update+2026/

Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

The 1099 CRNA Institute: https://aana.com/1099

Want to get CE Credit for listening? Go here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/special-announcement-ce-credt/

Now you can watch the show on YouTube! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknrmkRxiwtYk7LUjSV6wmw?sub_confirmation=1