Story written by Farron Kilburn, project manager, CRNA-3D
UTC School of Nursing hosted a national workshop as part of a three-year federal grant* awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. UT Chattanooga was selected as one of 14 universities across the United States for the Nursing Workforce Diversity award in 2014.
The Diversity CRNA Workshop drew current nurses and nursing students interested in becoming Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). The Workshop was led by Dr. Lena Gould, national speaker and founder of the organization, Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program. The Workshop informed and empowered underserved diverse populations to prepare for a successful career in Nurse Anesthesia.
“I have gone through the Diversity Mentorship Program, and I’m here because I want to give back. The information given at this conference is invaluable for applying to programs,” said Ian Bicol, a student in the CRNA Program at Union University
For others, the workshop provided encouragement.
“This weekend helped me overcome my fear of the interview during the application process. The panel lectures, mock interview, and airway simulation lab experiences boosted my confidence level overall. I feel equipped with a plan on how to take the next step to gain entrance into a program,” explained Shautauqua Blocker, RN, from Mississippi.
Nearly 75 nurses and nursing students from all over the U.S. attended the workshop—in addition to attendees from Tennessee, nursing professionals came from as far away as California, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Miami.
“This event was a great learning environment. It was open and easy to ask questions. I know my interview skills have improved, and the airway simulation lab was great exposure to procedures I can talk about in the interview. This workshop is going on my resume,” said Vivien Li, who resides in Florida.
Two past American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) Presidents, Dr. Jim Walker and Jackie Rowles, participated as panelists at the workshop. AANA is a national organization representing CRNAs, and the UTC workshop is the first to feature two past presidents as panelists.
On the first day of the workshop, Directors from CRNA Programs at Medical University of South Carolina, Baylor College of Medicine, and Old Dominion University as well as the Program Coordinator for UTC’s MSN Nurse Anesthesia Program, Dr. Linda Hill, served as panelists that spoke to prospective applicants about the expectations for admissions, the rigors of a program, and required clinical rotations.
Current students shared their experiences, including the challenges they face on a weekly basis, ranging from time management struggles to handling tension in the operating room.
“This workshop provided a wealth of information. Hearing form program directors, CRNAs, and current students helped me know just how I need to prepare for applying to CRNA programs and how to prepare for the interview,” said Avery Rawls, RN, from Memphis, Tennessee.
Another panel consisted of CRNAs in current professional practice, and they discussed being a CRNA in the military, the business of anesthesia, practicing in a hospital, and owning your own anesthesia services business.
On the second day of the workshop, Gould lectured about the importance of providing culturally competent healthcare to faculty members across various departments and disciplines, including nursing, physical therapy, health and human performance, occupational therapy, and dietetics. The UTC MSN Nurse Anesthesia students also attended Gould’s lecture Culturally Competent Care: Implications in Graduate Healthcare Professions.
Participants formed groups to circulate through eleven lab stations—each station was set in the nursing labs at UT Chattanooga with hands-on demonstration of techniques used in the nurse anesthesia profession. The nurses and nursing students in attendance were able to intubate manikins and see how a fiberoptic scope and anesthesia machine functions. This exposure to commonly used techniques in the profession helped inform participants of some of the daily tasks CRNAs are expected to perform.
“I gained knowledge about the depth for each technique demonstrated in the airway simulation lab. And, hearing from current students in programs was especially helpful. I feel like I know more of what to expect from the student perspective,” said Georgia Williams, RN, from The Bronx, New York.
The Office of Equity and Diversity sponsored the Workshop Meet and Greet session at the Spring Hill Suites downtown.
*This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number D19HP26972 and title, CRNAs in 3D: Increasing Diversity, Reducing Disparities, & Understanding the Social Determinants of Health, for $1,026,153. 100% of this project is financed through governmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.
