The nurse anesthesia profession hasn’t traditionally been a field known for its diversity but that’s something leaders are trying to change. At the forefront is Dr. Courtney Brown at Wake Forest. She joins the show to discuss the importance of recruiting people from all backgrounds to nurse anesthesia and what’s being done to make that happen.  

Show Notes: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2150

Today's Rundown: 

2:16 – Welcome in our guest, Dr. Courtney Brown

3:23 – Dr. Brown has made many efforts to improve diversity and inclusion at Wake Forest and that will be our focus today.

3:46 – Why is this topic of diversity so important for our field?

4:35 – We’re behind many other health professions

6:00 – Explain diversity and inclusion and what they mean.

6:28 – An example of a recent graduate that almost didn’t apply to the program because of the marketing materials.

8:26 – Is there a negative perception of nurse anesthesia due to the lack of diversity?

10:26 – Why do people associate promoting diversity with Affirmative Action?

13:37 – Now that things are on the radar, is progress being made?

16:58 – How does recruitment work and what do you look for?

19:01 – Dr. Brown shares the updated statistics from her program.

20:23 – Explaining pipeline programming and how it works.

23:04 – The balance of male versus female in the profession.

24:49 – What can faculty at other programs do to improve diversity and inclusion?

27:20 – Where can the average CRNA start?

31:52 – What should be a part of the national agenda to assist in diversifying our profession?

27:17 – Final thoughts from Dr. Brown.