Mass CRNA - cdn.ymaws.com · Fax your completed form to 978-250-1117 or register online at Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be in writing. No cancellations will be accepted

FALL 2014 1

OFFICERS

PRESIDENTSteve L. Alves, CRNA, PhD, FNAP

[email protected]

PRESIDENT ELECTJeff Joyce, CRNA

[email protected]

SECRETARYPatricia Kelley, CRNA

[email protected]

TREASURERRobert J. Gauvin, CRNA [email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ NEWSLETTERPam McKenna, CAE [email protected]

A LETTER FROM YOUR PRESIDENTI hope you all found time this summer to relax with family and friends and to pursue memorable adventures. Two of my personal highlights were spending time at home enjoying our pool with family and friends and going to the Cape.

As I write this letter, we are packing for our trip to Orlando for the AANA Annual Congress, where we will be able to catch up soon with our CRNA colleagues across the nation. It will be an exciting meeting. I also hope to see many of you at the MANA-sponsored NEANA Fall Meeting in Falmouth. Until then, I wanted to take a few moments of your time to provide an update from our organization.

As my term as president of MANA comes to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on this past year and express my sincere appreciation for the support MANA received during one of the most tumultuous times in our history. As you know, we worked very hard on our legislative initiative to remove restrictive licensing laws for CRNAs and our nurse practitioner colleagues across Massachusetts. This was MANA’s top priority over the past 12 months, and we were tremendously encouraged by the amazing grassroots support for the effort that only gained momentum as the legislative session wound down. While our bill fell short of passage, we know that because of our collective efforts, legislators and the general public better understand the current role of the CRNA – as well as the untapped potential of our practice – in today’s cost-conscious but patient-centric health care system.

Since this crusade that began with the submission of our Bill; H2009/S1079 – An Act Improving the Quality of Health Care and Reducing Costs in January 2013, MANA has endured great progress in our efforts to educate the legislators and the public, as well as successfully engaging our MANA members to participate in the democratic process here in the Commonwealth.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude and respect for those within our MANA Board of Directors who were steadfast in moving our strategic agenda forward. A special thank you to Bob Gauvin, Jeff Joyce, our administrative management team, Pam McKenna and Libby Maynard, our PR consultants, David Ball and Greg Turner, our legal team, including Gene Blumenreich,

Continued on page 3

FALL 2014

MassCRNAMASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF NURSE ANESTHETISTS

2 MassCRNA

Congratulations to the SRNAs studying in Massachusetts who were recipients of AANA scholarships! All of the winners were honored at the AANA Nurse Anesthesia Annual Congress in Orlando, FL in September.

The following students from Massachusetts were awarded scholarships:

Krysta Merritt, Boston College Elizabeth Holcomb, Northeastern University Rebekah Bolton, Boston College

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORTCongratulations to our newly elected Board of Directors!

President Elect: Colonel Brian D. Campbell

Secretary: Patricia C. Kelley

Directors: Nicola Bradley Carol L. Magdalinski Rachel A. Ritter

Continuing on the MANA Board for

2014 – 2015 are: Jeff Joyce, President; Steve Alves, Advisor; Bob Gauvin, Treasurer; Joe Bertrand, Director; Christopher Hoeman, Director; Elizabeth McGuiness, Director

MEMBERSHIP NEWS AND CALENDAR

PLEASE JOIN US AT MANA’S ANNUAL MEETING!

Saturday, October 25th 5:00 PM Sea Crest Beach Hotel (in conjunction with the NEANA Fall Workshop)

Beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be available.

SAVE THE DATE!

MANA Celebrates National Nurse Anesthetists Week

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Four Points by Sheraton Norwood Hotel and Conference Center Norwood, MA

Congratulations to the Northeastern University Nurse Anesthesia Class of 2014

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and our lobbying firm, Gloria Craven and Stacey Ober. For without this team, we would never have accomplished our strategic work, especially during the past six months. Our collaborative efforts with the Massachusetts Coalition of NPs, led by Dr. Stephanie Ahmed, to move our Bill as far as we could was a key element that provided the needed spark in removing barriers of APN practice in MA.

This all may sound like another “thank you” to members who joined the legislative cause, and it is. Thank you again for your help in fulfilling our mission to promote our value, protect our practice, and pay it forward to the next generation of CRNAs. We may find yet another opportunity to thank you, because our unrealized goal remains in front of us. We are now evaluating how we will move forward as an organization toward that goal. MANA’s board will meet in October, so we will determine our next steps as the leaves are changing. We certainly welcome your thoughts as we go through this process.

Best wishes to our incoming Board with Jeff Joyce at the helm. Having walked through fire with Jeff and Bob Gauvin many times throughout this past year, I know MANA is in good hands and we will thrive.

Sincerely,

Steve L. Alves, CRNA, PhD, FNAP President

Continued from page 1

Judy Akpan

Christopher Ashton

Ary-Lex Auguste

Michele Baca

Andrew Bachelor

Marianne Bacon

Paul Banville

Stephanie Beermann

Nicole Buchanan

Meagan Clark

Catherine Coughlan

Erica Domingo

Jill Ferrell

Shawn Gaughan

Carol Gonzalez

Emily Grost

Joan Hay

Amanda Heidbreder

Jay Holmes

Jun Hu

Anne Hughes

Katherine Ingram

Jeremy Jackson

Robert Jayne

Laura Konieczna

Joshua Lea

Meredith LeRoux

Yvette Lumor

Matthew McCabe

Heather McMahon

Kevin McShane

Julia Millay

Matthew Moon

Eleanor Mullen

Katy Ndrenika

Monique Patterson

Jennifer Phelan

Dawn Quinn

Roxxann Quinn

Donald Rapuzzi

Melanie Rapuzzi

Kathleen Richards

Raymond Rockwell

Alexandra Sanchez

Junior Senat

Corey Southworth

Whitney Stanley

Kurleigh Thomas

Natalie Vallot

Maria Vaz

Kristi Vaz

Jennifer Venafra

Mykola Vrutsky

Jennifer Watson

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

MANA President Steve Alves, CRNA, PhD, FNAP accepted the “Best State PR Campaign” award this past month at the opening ceremony of the AANA Annual Congress! Presenting the award are Heather Rankin, CRNA, MSN, Chair of the AANA PR Committee and Dennis Bless, CRNA, MS, President of the AANA.

Join us at the NEANA Fall Workshop!Over 200 CRNAs, SRNAs and exhibitors are registered to attend already!Join us at the 2014 Massachusetts Sponsored NEANA Fall Workshop in Falmouth, MA. This is the premier education event for New England CRNAs, providing you with an environment to learn and the opportunity to build relationships and network with CRNAs from around the region.

AGENDAFRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014Time Session Instructor1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Regional Block Workshop: This hands on ultrasound

upper and lower extremity block workshop is a help-ful review for the accomplished practitioner and a great start for those new to peripheral nerve blocks with ultra-sound. It will include blocks such as interscalene, supra clavicular, femoral, axillary, popliteal, and adductor canal just to name a few. (This workshop is optional and has an additional fee.)

Mike MacKinnon, MSN, CRNA & Scott Rigdon, MPH, CRNA

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Welcome Reception

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2014Time Session Instructor6:00 am - 7:15 am Scenic bike ride along Shining Sea Bike Path8:00 am - 9:00 am AANA Infection Control Guidelines and Your Practice Lynn Reede, MBA, CRNA, DNP9:00 am - 10:00 am Workplace Bullying/Critical Adverse Events in the OR Lynn Reede, MBA, CRNA, DNP10:00 am - 10:30 am Break and Visit Exhibitors10:30 am - 11:30 am The Future of CRNA Practice Robert J. Gauvin, MS, CRNA11:30 am - 1:30 pm Lunch/NEANA Business Meeting/Visit Exhibits

AANA Update by Sharon Pearce, CRNA, MSN; President-Elect, American Assn. of Nurse Anesthetists

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Pediatric Airway Emergencies Thomas Miller, MSN, CRNA2:30 pm - 3:30 pm TIVA: Are You Using All the Tools in Your Box? Thomas Miller, MSN, CRNA3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Break and Visit Exhibitors4:00 pm - 5:00 pm An Update and Review of Obstetrics Mark Green, MSN, CRNA5:00 pm - 6:00 pm MANA Annual Meeting (MANA Members Only)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2014Time Session Instructor7:30 am - 8:30 am Drug Diversion in the Anesthesia Setting Perry V. Ruspantine, CRNA, APRN8:30 am - 9:30 am Coagulation Conundrum Connie Lorette, PhD, CRNA9:30 am - 9:45 am Break9:45 am - 10:45 am Protecting the Kidneys from Perioperative Ischemia Connie Lorette, PhD, CRNA10:45 am - 11:45 am Hypothermia Revisited Nannette Wells-Brooks, CRNA, DSN

ACCOMMODATIONS

Sea Crest Beach Hotel350 Quaker Road

Falmouth, MA 02556

Make your overnight room reservations at The Sea Crest Beach Hotel and take advantage of our low group rate of $185/night. Reservations may be made online by visiting http://bit.ly/1rvjc5h or by phone to 508-540-9400 or 800-225-3110. Be sure to mention the booking name of “NEANA” or “MANA” to secure this rate.

Our room block was released on October 3rd, however, if the hotel has

rooms available, they will honor the group rate of $185 a night.

Massachusetts Sponsored NEANA Fall Workshop Registration Form This program has been prior approved by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists for 14 CE credits; Code Number 1029889; Expiration Date 10/26/14.

Name: ______________________________________________________________________

AANA #: _____________________________________________________________________

Street: ______________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________State: _______________Zip: ____________

Phone: ______________________________________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________________________

Please register me for: (Registrations after Oct. 3, add $50*)

Full Meeting Saturday Only Sunday Only

NEANA CRNA Member* $225 $160 $80

Non-Member CRNA* $275 $200 $100

Student* $100 $80 $40

Optional:

Block Workshop* $250

Saturday Bike Ride $20

Sponsor a Student $100

I have allergies/dietary restrictions: ____________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

I have a disability and may require accommodations to fully participate. (Someone from our office will contact you to assist with making arrangements.)

Payment:

Check enclosed. Please make payable to: Massachusetts Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Please mail checks with completed registration form to: MANA, c/o McKenna Management, Inc., 6 Boston Road, Suite 202, Chelmsford, MA 01824

I would like to pay by credit card (please select one): □ MC □ Visa □ AmEx

Name on Card: _______________________________________________________________

Billing Address: _______________________________________________________________

Credit Card #: ____________________________________Exp: __________CVV: __________

Signature: ___________________________________________________________________

Please charge my card for a total of $ _____________________________________________

Fax your completed form to 978-250-1117 or register online at www.MassCRNA.com

Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be in writing. No cancellations will be accepted or refunds given after October 3, 2014. Refunds before this date will incur a $50 processing fee.

Questions? Contact Maria Brogan at 978-250-9847 or [email protected]

You’re just a click away... Register online 24/7 at www.MassCRNA.com!

6 MassCRNA

An Act improving the quality of health care and reducing costs through increased transparency, efficiency and innovation was signed into law as “Chapter 224” back in August, 2012. This law was adopted by the General Court in order to decrease the cost of care while improving quality for all Massachusetts residents. The thrust of the law is to move the health care payment system away from fee for service and towards quality by the use of alternative payment arrangements (APMs), such as global payments to allow value based purchasing in meeting patient care goals. It lays out a plan for analyzing the Massachusetts health care market while encouraging new payment and delivery models with significant government oversight. It recognizes that some insurers and providers will come together as new business entities to form Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). These new entities, which will bear risk; pay for care; and measure outcomes; will be regulated by a new independent agency known as the Health Policy Commission (HPC). Chapter 224 requires that regular state wide resource planning occur to best understand how care is delivered and how efficiencies can be attained.

After passage of Chapter 224, the HPC was established by the appointment of Commissioners serving staggered terms and quickly hired an Executive Director and its staff. During 2013 the HPC was busy implementing the operating sections of Chapter 224 and moving state agencies, such as the Office of Patient Protection under its oversight with the adoption of new regulations. It also organized several committees tasked with performing the responsibilities assigned to the HPC including the development of evidence-based policy. Adoption of rules prohibiting mandatory overtime for nurses was one charge completed in 2013 and MANA ensured that the prohibition did not negatively affect Massachusetts CRNAs. The HPC is also required to engage in financial and market analysis of proposed mergers and acquisitions by health care systems and physician organizations and reporting any proposal deemed to raise anti-competitive concerns to the Attorney General’s office for review and possible further investigation on the impact to consumers. The HPC has an impressive website with all of its work product available to the public at www.mass.gov/anf/budget-taxes-and-procurement/oversight-agencies/health-policy-commission/

Early in 2014, the HPC released its baseline 2013 Massachusetts Cost Trends report after analyzing total medical expenses from insurance data available to the state’s Center for Health

Information and Analysis (CHIA). Certain trends were noted and the following are among some of their findings:

1. Operating expenses that hospitals incur for inpatient care differ by thousands of dollars per discharge, even after adjusting for region and complexity of care

2. Some hospitals deliver high quality care with lower operating expenses while many higher expense hospitals achieve lower quality performance

3. Hospitals able to negotiate high commercial rates have high operating expenses

4. An estimated $14.7 to $26.9 billion (21 to 39 percent) of health care expenditures in MA are estimated to be wasteful, reflecting both clinical and structural opportunities

5. In 2010, five percent of patients accounted for nearly half of all spending among both Medicare and commercial populations in MA and certain characteristics differed between high-cost patients and the rest of the population.

The report emphasized that there are significant opportunities in MA to enhance the value of health care, addressing cost and quality. Four primary areas included:

1. Fostering a value-based market in which payers and providers openly compete to provide services and in which consumers and employers have the appropriate information and incentives to make high-value choices for their care and coverage options,

2. Promoting an efficient, high-quality health care delivery system in which providers efficiently deliver coordinated, patient-centered, high-quality health care that integrates behavioral and physical health and produces better outcomes and improved health status,

3. Advancing alternative payment methods that support and equitably reward providers for delivering high-quality care while holding them accountable for slowing future health care spending increases, and

4. Enhancing transparency and data availability necessary for providers, payers, purchasers, and policymakers to successfully implement reforms and evaluate performance over time.

Massachusetts’ Plan to Control Health Care Costs Relies Upon Health Policy Commission BY CRAVEN & OBER POLICY STRATEGISTS, LLC

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This fall will be a landmark time for the nonpartisan HPC. CHIA just released its annual report on the performance of the Massachusetts Health Care System. On October 6th and 7th, the HPC will host its Health Care Cost Trends Public Hearing to evaluate areas for improvement for Massachusetts’ delivery system. The HPC has drafted an agenda for the hearings with the following policy areas: value-based market, coordinated care, alternative payment methodologies and the cost growth benchmark for Massachusetts. At an August committee meeting, one Commissioner stated they would like to see health care professionals working to the top of their education and training. The Federal Trade Commission’s analysis of the Massachusetts bill to remove physician supervision for nurse practitioners and CRNAs released in January is familiar to the HPC and its staff. After the October hearings, the HPC will set its future research and policy direction in response to CHIA’s report and the testimony it receives on how to best control costs while improving quality of health care for Massachusetts consumers.

Craven & Ober Policy Strategists, LLC is a full service Massachusetts-based government relations firm dedicated to credible, assertive advocacy and to the dissemination of reliable public policy information.

There are significant opportunities in MA to enhance the value of

health care, addressing cost and quality.

MANA’S LOBBYISTS, STACEY OBER & GLORIA CRAVEN

8 MassCRNA

Massachusetts is one of nine states awarded a $300,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to create a more highly educated, diverse nursing workforce. This is the second RWJF grant, part of its national Academic Progression in Nursing (APIN) initiative, to support Massachusetts’ efforts to make it easier for current and future nurses to advance their education to the BSN or higher degree.

Other states receiving grants under this second phase of the APIN initiative are California, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington State.

“This grant is an important show of faith in Massachusetts’ work to increase the capacity and diversity of the nursing workforce,” said David Cedrone, Associate Commissioner for Economic and Workforce Development at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. “We will use this continuing support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to deepen and broaden the scope of our work to help nurses advance their education to baccalaureate-level or higher.” Massachusetts’ accomplishments in the first phase of the APIN grant program include:

• Development of a Nursing Education Transfer Compact (NETC), approved by the Board of Higher Education, to facilitate the transfer of academic credit between two- and four-year nursing programs at the Commonwealth’s public higher education institutions. Outreach to more than 800 working nurses with information about benefits of earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) and available RN-to-BSN nurse education programs.

• Development and distribution of the Massachussets Nursing Core Competencies Toolkit, a resource guide to help nursing education programs and practice settings implement ten core competencies, paving the way for seamless progression across all levels of nursing education and practice.

• Collection and analysis of data on faculty recruitment, retention, and retirement trends to identify opportunities for increasing the pool of faculty to educate nurses at the bachelor through doctoral levels.

“A more highly educated nursing workforce can lead to improved patient care, innovations in health care delivery, and improved coordination of care,” said Sharon Gale, MSN, RN, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer of the Organization of Nurse Leaders of MA & RI. “Our efforts to build a more educated

and diverse nursing workforce will make Massachusetts better able to meet the health care needs of its aging and increasingly diverse population.”

In announcing the $2.7 million grant, Pamela Austin Thompson, MS, RN, CENP, FAAN, national program director for APIN, chief executive officer of AONE, and senior vice president for nursing at the American Hospital Association, said the states “have been making great progress developing initiatives and curricula that are encouraging and making it easier for more nurses to earn their BSN degrees. We know that the nation needs a well-educated nursing workforce to ensure an adequate supply of public health and primary care providers, improve care for patients living with chronic illness, and in other ways meet the needs of our aging and increasingly diverse population. The strategies these nine states are implementing, and the models they are developing for other states to replicate, will help us meet the IOM’s target for BSN and higher prepared nurses.”

In its groundbreaking 2010 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that 80 percent of the nursing workforce be prepared at the baccalaureate level or higher by the year 2020. At present, about half of nurses in the United States have baccalaureate or higher degrees. While acknowledging the contributions of Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses and associate-degree-prepared Registered Nurses, the IOM report said a better educated nursing workforce can help ensure that our nation’s population has access to high-quality, patient- and family-centered care and can meet the growing need to provide preventive care in schools, communities, and homes.

Massachusetts has a goal to increase the proportion of nurses with baccalaureate degrees (BSN) or higher from 55% in 2014 to 66% by 2020. Research shows that BSN-prepared nurses have stronger critical thinking and decision-making skills and are better at evaluating interventions.

“This second RWJF grant is a vote of confidence in Massachusetts’ work in this national effort,” said Pat Crombie, MSN, RN, Project Director of the Mass. Action Coalition. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to share what we’ve learned and learn from others as well as provide nursing leadership both at the local and national level.”

“Advancing a more highly educated, diverse workforce where

Massachusetts Coalition Receives $300,000 to Advance Nurse Education and Build More Diverse Nursing Workforce

FALL 2014 9

nurses are able to practice to the top of their education and training is essential to achieving the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s mission to advance a culture of health in our nation,” said RWJF Senior Adviser for Nursing Susan B. Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN. “In the last two years, APIN grantees have laid important groundwork to build that workforce. We are pleased to provide the financial support they need to continue their essential work.”

RWJF is also helping advance recommendations in the IOM report by supporting the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action—a collaborative effort to advance solutions to challenges facing the nursing profession in order to improve quality and transform the way Americans receive health care. It is coordinated through the Center to Champion Nursing in America, an initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation, and RWJF. It supports state-based Action Coalitions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia; Action Coalitions are leading the APIN work in each of the nine funded states.

APIN is advancing state and regional strategies aimed at creating a more highly educated, diverse nursing workforce. It is run by the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) on behalf of the Tri-Council for Nursing, consisting of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National League for Nursing, American Nurses Association, and AONE, which is leading the four-year initiative.

During the two-year grant period, Massachusetts and the other states will develop sustainability plans to ensure that the work to promote seamless academic progression for nurses in their states will continue beyond the grant period. During Phase II, each state also will develop a robust diversity plan and focus on academic practice partnerships to expand and support the work to date.

About the Massachusetts Action Coalition The Massachusetts Action Coalition is a partnership of the MA Department of Higher Education and the Organization of Nurse Leaders of MA & RI. The coalition is part of the nationwide Campaign for Action, a joint initiative of AARP Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to help implement the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations on the future of nursing. For more information, visit www.campaignforaction.org/state/massachusetts and www.mass.edu/nursing.

About the Robert Wood Johnson FoundationFor more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve the health and health care of all Americans. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all Americans to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.

Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.

About the Tri-Council for NursingThe Tri-Council for Nursing is an alliance of four autonomous nursing organizations each focused on leadership for education, practice and research. The four organizations are the: American Association of Colleges of Nursing; American Nurses Association; American Organization of Nurse Executives; and the National League for Nursing. While each organization has its own constituent membership and unique mission, they are united by common values and convene regularly for the purpose of dialogue and consensus building, to provide stewardship within the profession of nursing. These organizations represent nurses in practice, nurse executives and nursing educators. The Tri-Council’s diverse interests encompass the nursing work environment, health care legislation and policy, quality of health care, nursing education, practice, research and leadership across all segments of the health delivery system.

MANA’s Next Newsletter will go to print in

March 2015. Please send your news,

articles, photos and advertisements to:

[email protected] by March 1, 2015.

10 MassCRNA

Many CRNAs do not like to get “politically involved”. However, public policies affect every aspect of how we as CRNAs apply our knowledge, experience and skills to ensure optimal anesthesia to our patients. MANA-PAC’s aim is to support officials who understand

our issues and will work with us in developing sound public policies. Issues such as insurance reimbursement policies and scope of practice laws effect EACH AND EVERYONE of us.

MANA-PAC enables individuals to participate in the political process and allows MANA members to pool their resources to promote common interests and have a greater impact than any one member could individually. PACs can serve as a vehicle for a united voice to present a viewpoint to the local government.

No matter how small, WE need your donation to protect, promote, and preserve Massachusetts’ CRNA practice.

Nicola Bradley, DNP, CRNA

You can donate to MANA’s PAC via our web site, www.MassCRNA.com. Click on “Advocacy” from the menu and then “PAC.” You can set up one time donations, reoccurring donations, or split your donation across several payments! You may also mail a check to:

MANA PAC 6 Boston Road, Suite 202 Chelmsford, MA 01824

From Your PAC Treasurer

BY KIERSTEN COON

In the weeks prior to the Anesthesia Association of Nurse Anesthetists Mid-Year Assembly, I had many emotions running through my head. I was very excited for this opportunity, but at the same time I felt overwhelmed and nervous. I had never partaken in a “political” assembly such as this, and I was not sure of what to expect. However, with the help of Trudy Pierce, CRNA, MANA’s FPD in preparing for this adventure along with researching important health care issues impacting advanced practice nurses both at the state level and nationwide, I felt prepared and honored to have the ability to attend this conference.

Attending this conference taught me so much about our profession. It opened my eyes to the changes that have happened over the years and to the changes that will continue in the future. Additionally, it showed me what happens when a group of strong and motivated people, with common interests, come together to advocate for issues important to them. All of the speakers demonstrated their high-level of expertise and knowledge. I have never been a part of such an empowering and inspiring experience. This opportunity has provided me with the foundation and tools I will need to continue to be a vital member to our profession and association as I begin my career. Upon returning to Boston, this conference stirred me to tell all my colleagues about my experience and what I had learned. It inspired me to get the word out, because this is our future and there is power in numbers.

I am so thankful I had the opportunity to attend this conference. I was never one to neither be involved in nor follow politics and I believe mostly because I never took the time to learn and understand what was going on. However, I learned an immense amount of information surrounding this conference that it has motivated me to continue to be involved and stay up-to-date on the issues impacting nurse anesthetists.

Experience at the AANA Mid-Year Assembly

FALL 2014 11

Nicola Bradley

Robert Gauvin

Christopher Hoeman

Trudy Pierce

Maurice Tripanier

Brigid Welber

MANA PAC DONORS

Thank you to all of our 2014 MANA PAC Donors to date!!

PLATINUM

GOLDSteve Alves

Alan Anderson

Joseph Bertrand

Jillian Coe

Anthony Craig

Florence Egan

William Fehder

Mark Huether

Linda Kovitch

Yulia Kubic

Carol Lemiszki

Dawn Luck

Daniel Marriggi

Colleen McArtor

Anthony Procopio

Jonathan Ring

Shauna Ring

Michael Sera

Paula Smith

Michael Storey

Robert Striglio

Robert Striglio

Yasuko Tanaka

Judith Topalian

SILVERRhonda Brassil

Ann Cotter

Patricia Fisk

Dorothy Gates

Candace Goodwin

Michael Kelly

Patricia Kelley

William Kennedy

Alan Matthews

Patricia Platika

Paula Smith

BRONZERichard Abecunas

Claudia Ambrus

Priscilla Barnes

Joan Botelho

Summer Bray

Lisa Chyka

Judith Connell

Jennifer Garces

Paula Goodrich

Shannon Hard

Brett Heffernan

Jeffrey Joyce

Megan Leffler

Karen Lowrie

Elizabeth McGinnis

Erik Parena

Linda Parillo

Patricia Platika

Gayle Ridgway

Wanda Colon Roman

Joan Slade

Jennifer Smith

Marie Sullivan

Sarah Toczylowski

Jennifer Venafra