Come here some live music in the afternoons by the registration area.

Supported by:

Admission: Free; RSVP when you register

New to AANA? New to Annual Congress? Join us to connect with other first-timers and build your AANA community! Light refreshments will be served.

Supported by:

Location: Exhibit Hall by the AANA Connect Booth

Who doesn’t love playing with puppies!! Come for some puppy love on the exhibit floor.

Sponsored by:

$125/ticket

Celebrate colleagues making a lasting impact on the profession. This elegant plated lunch honors top volunteers, educators, elected leaders, newly minted Fellows, and prominent advocates — and you’re sure to recognize some CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist-famous names to congratulate and connect with. 

Add this luncheon when you register to attend live in Nashville.

Tickets: CRNAs $250; RRNAs $125; RRNAs after 9 p.m. $25 (After 9 p.m. ticket does not include dinner or drinks; cash bar available)

Join us for a night of rockin’ country fun featuring entertainment by the talented SJ McDonald along with opportunities for CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists and residents to hit the stage with live band karaoke. Tickets include drinks, dinner, and a night filled with music, dancing, singing, and camaraderie while supporting nurse anesthesia education and research. 

Add a ticket to this fundraising event when you register to attend live in Nashville.

Location: Outside Level 4- Karl F. Dean Ballroom AB

Grab a cup of coffee before the Annual Business Meeting on Monday morning.

Supported by:

The 2025 AANA Business Meeting will be held as a Hybrid event with both in-person and online participation. A quorum of 200 people representing 25 states is required to conduct the Business Meeting. The meeting will be livestreamed for residents and other non-voting members not in attendance. The link for viewing will be available on the day of the event.  

Further details about the August Business Meeting content and how to participate in the hybrid event will be available in July. 

An Oral Nonopioid Therapy for Treating Acute Pain

Join Vertex’s expert-led discussion on a treatment for acute pain in adults. Explore the product’s clinical trial results and learn how to identify patients who may benefit from this treatment.

“This Lecture Blows! (O₂): The Role of High Flow Nasal Oxygen in GI Sedation and Beyond”

High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO) enhances oxygenation during both apnea and spontaneous breathing applications for anesthesia. It reduces hypoxia risk and improves procedural safety in the OR and Non-OR setting. This presentation will also explore evidence and implications for improved efficiency with less procedural interruptions with HFNO.

Gregory Buck is a graduate of Texas State University School of Nursing, where he earned his BSN, and Wolford College, where he completed his MS in Anesthesia. He is also currently pursuing his MBA through Florida Gulf Coast University.

Greg is an owner and managing partner of Coastal Anesthesia and Pain Associates, partnering with ambulatory surgery centers across southwest Florida. He brings leadership experience from previous roles at Sound Anesthesia.

Greg is the immediate past vice president of the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and the current co-chair of the association’s communications committee. He is a regional anesthesia didactic and clinical educator with Twin Oaks Anesthesia Services and a proud speaker on high-flow nasal oxygen therapy.

Register here.

Change the future of nurse anesthesiology — join the first-ever AANA Hackathon! 

Will you be among the Congress attendees tackling some of today’s most urgent challenges in nurse anesthesiology? 

Join nurse innovator and Hackathon host Rebecca Love, RN, MSN, FIEL, along with former AANA president and Beyond the Mask podcast host Sharon Pearce, DNP, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, and 14 expert CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist mentors for an exclusive opportunity to collaborate, compete, and create real-world solutions. 

Ideal participants are passionate, solution-driven clinicians — excited by innovation, collaboration, and fresh ideas. No tech or entrepreneurial experience required — just a creative mindset. Open to all Congress registrants: CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists, nurse anesthesiology residents, and RN-APRNs. 

During the Hackathon, teams will develop and pitch solutions to one of three challenges: 

1. How might CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists lead innovations that improve perioperative brain health? 
2. How might CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists lead innovations that improve perioperative patient safety across diverse care settings? 
3. How can AI be ethically and effectively integrated into anesthesia practice to support CRNA decision-making and improve patient safety? 

This team-based, high-energy event is free, but space is limited. Only 112 seats are available. Save your seat. 

Just curious? No problem — stop by and watch the innovation unfold! Seating will be available for attendees who want to observe the collaboration and pitch presentations.

Supported by:

Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar and Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink 
Admission: Free for AANA registrants; guest tickets required

AANA will welcome attendees to Nashville at two of the Music City’s top hotspots: Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar and Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, connected by their rooftops. Experience three floors of amazing food, drinks, live music – and a few surprises! 

Remember to bring your name badge for entry into the venues. You must purchase guest tickets during meeting registration or onsite at the AANA registration desk prior to the event. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the venues.

Our event will benefit Project C.U.R.E., an international medical relief organization that provides life-saving supplies to those in need. Bring one or more requested items from the list below with you to the venues, and an AANA staff member will exchange them for up to two drink tickets to use at the reception. A QR code will be available onsite for those who want to make a monetary donation instead. NOTE: Drink tickets will be available and donations will be accepted until 7:30 p.m. CT.

KITS FOR KIDS
Tweezers | 1% Hydrocortisone Cream | Triple Antibiotic Ointment | Toothbrushes & Toothpaste | Elastic Bandages | Plastic/Adhesive Bandages | Travel Size Tissues | Bar Soap | Tablet Medicine (Junior or Regular Strength Only-No Liquid Medications) | Nail Clippers

Supported by:

Admission included for registered residents

Calling all residents! Join us for a breakfast hosted by the AANA Education Committee. Residents will hear speeches and vote for the Education Committee Resident Representative and get updates from members of the AANA and AANA Foundation executive teams. The Education Committee will also recognize the winners of the Resident Video Contest and Resident Excellence Award. All residents will be required to have a meeting badge for entry to the session (no pre-registration required)

Supported by:

Cheer on nurse anesthesiology innovators as they pitch their unique ideas on our profession’s largest stage. The Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition gives CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists and RNs/APRNs a chance to build their business with Rm8, AANA’s innovation lab. Five entrepreneurs will go head-to-head for the $15,000 prize with original concepts that enhance patient safety, patient outcomes, or provider experience.

Join the HCA Healthcare Anesthesia Services team for a lunch, learn, and networking event at AANA Annual Congress in Nashville on August 12th from 11:45AM – 1:00PM CST in room 202C at the Music City Center. This event will provide you with a great opportunity to learn when and where to start your career search; connect with healthcare professionals and gain access to the following resources:

• Complimentary CV Review Sessions (By Appointment Only)
• Mock Interview Sessions (By Appointment Only)
• Career Planning Kits
• Compensation Data

Space is limited be sure to RSVP today to secure your lunch spot.

Join us for the 36th annual Anesthesia College Bowl! Six teams of residents play each other, answering questions that have been submitted by nurse anesthesia program administrators. The winning resident team faces off against a team of six CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists to determine the ultimate winner. 

Virtual attendees will be able to view (but not compete in!) the exciting livestream event.

How to participate

CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists: Apply to be on the CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist Challenge Team. 

Program Administrators: Nominate up to two residents to compete on the resident teams. 

Residents: Learn more and ask your program administrator to nominate you. 

All College Bowl applications and nominations are due April 1. 

Note: To help maintain a pleasant experience for all attendees, no noisemakers, balloons or confetti will be permitted at any Annual Congress event, as they result in additional venue cleanup fees.

Supported by:

Use the passport found in your registration bag to collect stamps from participating exhibitors. Once you’ve gathered them all, bring your completed passport to AANA Connect to be entered for a chance to win a reMarkable Paper Pro. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with exhibitors and take home an incredible prize!

All Annual Congress attendees are welcome to participate.