Pearce Receives AANA’s 22nd Annual Ira P. Gunn Award for Outstanding Professional Advocacy

Rosemont, Ill. (AANA) – The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) presented Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Sharon Pearce, DNP, CRNA, FAANA, with the 22^nd Ira P. Gunn Award for Outstanding Professional Advocacy during its 2022 Annual Congress, August 12-16, in Chicago.

The Ira P. Gunn Award was established in 2000 to recognize the accomplishments of CRNAs or non-CRNAs who are involved in overcoming legislative, legal, and regulatory challenges to nurse anesthesia practice rights. The recipient of the award receives recognition by peers as a person who has made an important contribution to the advancement of nurse anesthesia practice rights.

Pearce has been a strong advocate for North Carolina CRNAs for decades. Her efforts have shaped the political landscape for the North Carolina Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NCANA) and CRNAs throughout the state as she set the stage for victory in several key legislative battles. Her keen use of lobbyists, in addition to her weekly visits to the North Carolina General Assembly, resulted in the defeat of physician supervision bills in 2008 and 2013.

She is an independent CRNA practitioner and consultant in Raleigh, N.C., and is co-host of “Beyond the Mask” podcast, one of the top 50 medical podcasts in the country.

Pearce has been instrumental in maintaining CRNA practice and was the lead advocate for “The Care for School Children with Diabetes Act,” which mandates that each school in the State with a child with diabetes have two people trained in diabetes care. North Carolina was the fourth state in the nation to pass such legislation to protect children with diabetes in the school system. In addition, she currently serves and has served on the Diabetes Advisory Council.

She has been heard to say on advocacy, “If your presence doesn’t make an impact, your absence won’t make a difference.”

According to her nomination, “CRNAs are unencumbered by physician supervision in North Carolina because of the numerous years Sharon has fought for our practice. She maintained all of her files for both fights… which she gives to each president so they will know the history of the battles to prepare them for the next time which will surely come.”

Others cited her focus on mentoring and empowering the next generation of CRNAs and other nurses. “Sharon and a colleague founded the first candidate training school for nurses who aspire to run for elected office. So, once again, Sharon is having an impact on the future of her profession by teaching CRNAs to be leaders in elected office who will one day be making healthcare decisions for our State.”

In addition to serving as president for both AANA and NCANA, she served on numerous committees for both organizations.

A CRNA since 1992, completing her anesthesia training at Wake Forest, she earned her Master of Science and bachelor’s degrees in nursing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In addition, Pearce obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Yale University.