Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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A Dedication to DEI

AANA is committed to supporting and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in every aspect of nurse anesthesiology and in everything we do.

AANA Diversity and Inclusion Committee

The AANA Board of Directors implemented the AANA Diversity and Inclusion Committee to engage with nurse anesthetists/nurse anesthesiologists and external experts by developing the strategic framework to integrate cultural sensitivity and DEI within the nurse anesthesiology profession.

The Committee embodies AANA’s core values of quality, professionalism, service, collaboration, diversity, and inclusion.

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DEI Resources

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Cultural Humility Education

Resources for CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists and other care providers

Cultural Humility Support

Resources about DEI advances and developments

Education

Programs, articles, and other DEI education resources

Leadership

DEI leadership tools and strategies

Mentorship

Articles and more on mentorship benefits

Patients

Resources on patient care, safety, and communication

Value of Healthcare Diversity

Reports, articles, and more on the importance of DEI

Profiles and Case Studies

People and efforts enhancing DEI in nurse anesthesiology

Nursing Careers and Pathways

Founder Regina Daniels McKinney: Nursing CAP Program Prepares Youth for Career and Life

CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists and CRNA students contribute to the profession of nurse anesthesiology in myriad different ways. Here’s one of the many stories AANA would like to spotlight.

How did the idea of Nursing Careers and Pathways (CAP) first begin?

Daniels McKinney: I started mentoring youth at my church in a program called Diamonds and Pearls & Boys to Men in 2005. I did not know that the Nursing CAP Program was all part of God’s plans for my life. It was He who gave me the vision and the resources to get it started in 2013. The program was funded by donations from family and friends for two years. The free program provides a nurturing and supportive environment for students through mentoring; enhancing self-esteem and character; improving study skills; college preparation; and promoting healthy eating and active living.

How long has Nursing CAP been in existence?

Daniels McKinney: We started the Nursing CAP Program in 2013. In 2015, the organization became incorporated and obtained a 501c3 status. The program has been operating for seven years.

Where do you find children to participate?

Daniels McKinney: Initially, I visited the middle and high schools in Suffolk Public Schools and spoke with the guidance counselors about the program and distributed flyers. We also distributed flyers to churches, libraries, and local community centers. Currently, participants are recruited through referrals.

What is the age group that the program serves?

Daniels McKinney: The program is geared toward students in grades 6-12, and its purpose is to introduce minority students, first-generation college students, and economically disadvantaged students to nursing and other healthcare fields.

What do you teach children about nursing and healthcare?

Daniels McKinney: We teach the participants numerous topics on nursing and healthcare:

  • College preparation/planning for entry into nursing school/college.
  • Day in the Life of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist with an Airway Management Skills Lab, CRNA in the Air Force, Public Health Nurse, Family Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care Nurse, Mental Health Nurse, Operating Room Nurse, Labor and Delivery Room Nurse, Pediatric Nurse, Military Nurse, Student Nurse, and Navigation Nurse.
  • Alternative Nursing Careers.
  • Men in the Nursing Profession.
  • The Nuts and Bolts of Applying to Medical School.
  • Day in the Life of a Dentist, Pharmacists, Podiatrist, and Registered Dietician.
  • Vital Signs Skills Lab Session.
  • Healthsaver CPR and First Aid Certifications.
  • Healthcare Case Studies.
  • Human Body Systems Group Activity.
  • Hospital tours.
  • The Importance of Good Oral Health.
  • Stroke Awareness and Prevention.
  • Learn about numerous illnesses including breast cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, heart and kidney diseases, and nutrition.
  • Provided students the information to apply for Jr. Volunteer Program at local hospitals.

Where do you find volunteers to participate?

Daniels McKinney: The volunteers for the program have been recruited through referrals from family, friends, and the Board of Directors. We have student and adult volunteers. The student volunteers are comprised of local high school and college students. Our adult volunteers are professional registered nurses, pharmacists, professional engineers, a registered architect, a retired educator, and college graduates. Together we can combine our knowledge and expertise in mastering important science and math concepts to the participants during our sessions by improving learning, comprehension, and grades with the use of iPads equipped with educational software.

If nurses, CRNAs, and other health professionals want to get involved, what should they do?

Daniels McKinney: Nurses, CRNAs, healthcare professionals, and other individuals can get involved by visiting Get Involved and complete the “Be A Tutor” link. Volunteers are needed for tutoring in math and science, mentoring, presenting different healthcare and STEM careers, administrative responsibilities, accounting or finance, grant writing, and public relations/social media skills.

What are some of the activities of Nursing CAP in addition to fostering an interest in nursing? (i.e., field trips, speakers, etc.)

Daniels McKinney: In addition to exposing participants to different career options during the academic year, the program has a one-hour tutoring session twice a month geared toward helping students with math and science. The goal is to get as many students engaged as early as possible. We know that having strong math and science skills is critical for students wanting to enroll in secondary schooling in these career fields.

Some of the other activities of the program include vision boards, breadboards, Bristlebot, improving study skills and learning style assessment, writing workshop, how to get A’s on your report cards, healthy eating, and active living modules, youth anti-bullying session, mental health session, self-esteem & character development sessions, the importance of volunteering, Black History Month presentations, college and career-readiness fairs, and financial literacy.

  • Completed Community Service Projects – arts and craft projects with elderly residents for Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Christmas at a local nursing home.
  • Local field trips to a local community college – nursing simulation lab, grocery store tours with a registered dietician/nutritionist, cooking classes with professional chefs, personal trainer and yoga classes, ODU Conference for Girls, and participation in local community-run/walks.
  • Bus trips to the National Institutes of Health – Bethesda, Md., and National Museum of Health and Medicine in Silver Spring, Md., 3-Day Atlanta Tour (visited the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Clark Atlanta University, Emory University, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Sites, and Six Flags Over Georgia), Hampton University High School Day, 2-Day New York City Tour (visited Columbia University, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Woodbury Mall, sightseeing of Upper Manhattan, and “School of Rock” on Broadway), 2-Day Washington, D.C. Tour (Howard University College Tour, Howard University Health Care Simulation Center, and Smithsonian African American Museum).
  • End-of-Year Celebrations – The participants learned from the real-life experiences of healthcare and other professionals currently working in their fields and they were inspired to dream big, aim high, and achieve great things in life. Panel discussions from a nursing college professor, family nurse practitioners, nurse managers, pharmacists, occupational therapist, physical therapist, speech-language pathologist, physician anesthesiologist, OB-GYN physician, dentist, engineers, architect, and an attorney.

How did you choose nursing as your career choice? How did you progress to becoming a CRNA?

Daniels McKinney: I am caring, warmhearted, knowledgeable, and pride myself in providing a service for those who are sick with the utmost professionalism and integrity. These are the strengths that led me to a career in nursing. I chose nursing as a career in high school because of the opportunities it had for career advancement.

I was a senior nursing student at Hampton University and my nursing professor, Dr. Susan Jones, taught us Medical-Surgical II. It was my rotation through the Intensive Care Units (ICU) that I visualized myself as a critical care nurse. It was in the ICU, where I had my most challenging experiences. After graduating from Hampton University, I trained in the Critical Care Internship at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for two years, rotating through four ICUs and two step-down units. I landed a job in the Vascular Intensive Care Unit (VICU) at the completion of the program. I worked in VICU until 1997 providing preoperative and postoperative nursing care to vascular, renal transplants, and general surgical patients. I had 12 years of ICU experience before I received my Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Anesthesia from Old Dominion University in 2000. I am currently employed in Newport News, Va., and have been in clinical practice for over 20 years. During my nursing career, I have been a permanent charge nurse, preceptor to registered nurses and nursing care partners, a mentor to RNs and resident registered nurse anesthetists (RRNAs) aspiring to become CRNAs, and have provided numerous shadowing experiences to these nursing students and registered nurses.

How do you raise money?

Daniels McKinney: We raise money for the program from receiving donations from the general public, the organization’s directors, and parents of the program participants. Nursing CAP has also received support in the form of grants and sponsorships from local community foundations, organizations, and businesses. We also participate in giving days such as Give Local 757 and Giving Tuesday. We accept donations via our website and Facebook page. Currently, we are planning our 4th Annual Gala With A Purpose: A Red, Black & White Affair on April 4, 2020. This event is our signature annual fundraiser to support our youth programs and the ongoing operations of the organization. We have Table to Gold Sponsorships available for our upcoming event. Any support is appreciated in assisting us with sustaining this quality program for the participants.

For more information about Nursing CAP, where is the best place to find it? (i.e. Facebook, website, etc.?)

Daniels McKinney: You can find information on the program on Facebook at Nursing CAP, Instagram @nursingcapinc; Twitter @NursingCAP, to see how we are mentoring future CRNAs, nurses, healthcare providers, and leaders.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Nursing CAP, Inc., we want to thank everyone involved in making the program a success. The committed volunteers, dedicated Board members, donors, supporters, and parents are the reasons why we are able to build capacity and deliver the free program. We want to ultimately break down barriers to academic success and we know “It takes a village to raise a child.”

How Harlem Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia was Born...

A Brief History of a Pioneering Facility

Notes: 

During the 2001 Annual Congress in San Francisco, Calif., Evan Koch, MSN, CRNA, sat down with Goldie Brangman, MEd, MBA, CRNA, and discussed numerous topics that spanned from advocacy and leadership to becoming a nurse anesthesiologist and founding a nurse anesthesiology program in the 1940s. The following excerpts are taken from this firsthand interview.

The year 2019 marks 75 years since African-American nurse anesthetists/nurse anesthesiologists were extended membership into the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA).  Many Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and students have heard of Goldie Brangman, (AANA president, 1973-74), but may not know the story about how Harlem Hospital became the first hospital in New York’s 32-hospital system to have an African American program director of its nurse anesthesia program.

The backdrop

During World War II, most male doctors were away in the war and in the City Hospital of New York, nurses were being asked to give anesthesia. “You didn’t really have nurse anesthetists per se, just nurses assigned to anesthesia,” said Brangman. “When you weren’t doing a case, you went on the wards to work. But at any rate, I started in anesthesia and was there for a year.” For a year Brangman, Arcelia Williams, and Ina Maude-Sims worked in obstetrics helping with inductions, using Avertin and gas (nitrous oxide) oxygen-ether (GOE) for maintenance on patients.

According to “Goldie Brangman Remembers the Operation to Save Dr King,” written by Evan Koch, MSN, CRNA, and Goldie Brangman, MEd, MBA, CRNA, (pp 386-387): GOE stood for gas (nitrous oxide)-oxygen-ether, a blended anesthetic technique that had been developed a few decades earlier. With GOE anesthesia, small amounts of ether were added to as much as 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen to provide muscle relaxation and permit close control over anesthetic depth. GOE anesthesia was described in a 1939 text as “the best all-round method thus far devised.” Ms. Brangman called GOE “our standby, the first thing we looked to until spinals came along.”

“The surgical residents taught us anesthesia, so we learned everything. At the end of the year I decided I liked anesthesia. Anesthesia was a real challenge.  I decided to go to a formal school of anesthesia,” she recalled.

1940s anesthesia

“Getting into school in 1946 was more than just a notion. In New York City, there was the New York Hospital School of Anesthesia for nurses – forget it.  They were not taking any black people at that point. Kings County and Bellevue, which were city hospitals, would take black people but had a waiting list, like forever,” said Brangman.

Brangman and classmate Arcelia Williams decided to apply to the anesthesia programs at two historically black colleges: Meharry Medical College, which had a nursing school at the time, and Tuskegee University.

Just before Brangman and Williams left for Meharry Medical College to attend anesthesia school, Dr. Helen Mayer, who had recently begun working at Harlem Hospital as the head of the anesthesia department, told Brangman that if she stayed at Harlem Hospital, she would teach them anesthesia and help -her start an anesthesia school.  Brangman said, “Under those circumstances, I’ll stay.”

Shortly thereafter, Brangman and Williams went to Dr. Roth, a doctor who trained foreign medical graduates to take the American boards.  They worked nights at Harlem Hospital and would go to class during the daytime. They attended classes on anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and many other subjects. Then the two of them would go back to work in the evening and teach other nurses what they had learned during the day. “Dr. Mayer would work with us on the clinical part to get our skills up to date,” said Brangman.

When the time was right, they reached out to the AANA. “We got in touch with Florence McQuillen, AANA executive director at the time, told her what we wanted to do and how we were planning to do it.  She gave us her blessing and said if we managed to really get it off the ground and we felt confident enough, we could challenge the certification exam. It was difficult, but it was fun.”

“The certification examination back then was all day long and was a bit more involved than exams are at the present time. At any rate, finally in 1949 Arcelia, Ina Maude-Sims, and myself, challenged the board certification examination and passed,” said Brangman.

A new anesthesia school in town

Now to the business of opening the Harlem Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia.  “Dr. Mayer and I had gone to the mayor of New York earlier and asked for permission to open a school of anesthesia for nurses.  He gave us that permission, conditionally, as long as it didn’t cost the city any money.  That meant we were not going to get any salaries for anything more than bedside nurses.  So, we opened the school in 1949,” Brangman explained.

She remembers her very first students. “My first class consisted of an Irish Catholic girl, a Jewish boy – these were people who found it difficult to get into schools of anesthesia either because of their race or ethnicity. The Jewish student had a PhD. I had two boys from the gold coast of Africa, one Filipino and one Korean student. The rest of the class of 16 were a mix of Caucasian, Hispanic, and Black students from New York and New Jersey.

“When we started our anesthesia program, the average time was 9–12 months. We formulated a 26-month course because we felt we couldn’t do an adequate training in less than that. It was 26 months because the students were given one month of vacation during each school year. We started it out with prerequisite courses in mathematics and reading comprehension—even the American nurses had to take reading comprehension because there’s so much reading to do,” explained Brangman. “They needed math to prepare them for physics and chemistry. We later added patient care for the first three months because many of our students with an associate and bachelor’s degrees did not spend a lot of time in the clinic. Therefore, they didn’t have as much patient experience as the diploma school nurses. I was fortunate that in my first class, I didn’t have anything but diploma nurses so they were all patient savvy. So that was good. But after that it was ground zero we had to pull from.

“The school became famous, it really did, because as Dr. Mayer and I both said, if you’re going to train nurse anesthetists to do something that physicians do—not that it is medical practice or practice of medicine for nurses to do anesthesia, but the nurses will need to do it just as well or better than the physicians.”

Over the 38 years that Goldie Brangman was director of the Harlem Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia, she estimated that she educated at least 700-750 students. “Sometimes we would start out with 20 students and end up with 16, we did not keep a student if we had any doubts about his or her abilities.” Brangman also attributed the popularity of her program to the fact that Harlem was one of the few programs in the nation that taught regional anesthesia in the early days of the program.

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AANA Foundation Student Scholarship

Open to accredited program-enrolled nurse anesthesiology students who are also AANA members

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