Lorraine Jordan Receives AANA’s 50th Annual Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment

Rosemont, Ill. (AANA) – The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) presented Lorraine Jordan, PhD, CRNA, CAE, FAAN, FAANA, with the Agatha Hodgins Award during its 2024 Annual Congress, August 2-6, in San Diego. 

The Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment was established in 1975 to recognize individuals whose foremost dedication to excellence has furthered the art and science of nurse anesthesiology. The Award was established to honor Agatha Hodgins, the association’s founder and first president. 

Jordan has devoted her entire career to creating opportunities for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), also known as nurse anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists. She began her career at AANA in the late 1980s, when hospital-based CRNA programs were facing massive closures, to address the shortage of CRNAs by supporting new and existing programs. Among her first accomplishments at AANA, she helped develop the educational system for CRNAs, as nurse anesthesiology programs transitioned to advanced education at the baccalaureate and master’s degree levels.  With over 40 years of service, Jordan served AANA through various roles, most recently as AANA’s Chief Science and Practice Officer and CEO of the AANA Foundation.

As the Chief Science and Practice Officer, Jordan leveraged her knowledge and expertise to advocate for CRNAs  with regulators and policy makers to advance CRNA practice and the profession. In her role as AANA Foundation’s CEO, Lorraine raised millions of dollars for research, scholarships, and student financial aid. One of her crowning career honors, she developed the Fellows of AANA program, a recognition for those CRNAs who have made impactful contributions to transform the profession.   

“I am honored to receive the Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment,” Jordan said. “I am so very grateful to have had the privilege to be a champion for nurse anesthesiology and for the wonderful memories of building relationships with the pioneers of our profession and helping shape the leaders in our field for tomorrow.”  

According to her nomination, “Dr. Jordan has dedicated her life work to furthering nurse anesthesia practice. Through her continuous and consequential leadership, she has made contributions that have advanced the practice and professional lives of all CRNAs. She stands with the greats in our profession and is most worthy of its highest award.” 

Along with AANA, Jordan is a member of healthcare professional organizations including Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists, American Academy of Nursing, and the American Nurses Association. She also maintains membership in professional societies including American Society of Association Executives. 

Jordan’s academic journey began at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, where she earned her PhD in philosophy, Master of Science degree, certificate in anesthesia, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  She furthered her education with a certificate in nonprofit management from DePaul University in Chicago, and earned a Certified Association Executive (CAE) through the American Society of Association Executives. Her commitment to professional development is also evident in her participation in the Executive Leadership Program at Northwestern University in Chicago.