Student Member AANA Wellness Homepage 

Join your fellow student nurse anesthetists for an invigorating start to the day 
Monday, August 9 at the
5th Annual Wake-Up for Wellness Walk/Run in Seattle, Washington!

Student Wellness Photos

Georgetown University students (above from left) Dawn Livesay, RN, BSN, Kelly Cage, RN, BSN, Frankie Hale, RN, BSN, and Chad Pittinger, RN, BSN presented the results of a research study on the impact of the AANA wellness initiative at the DCANA 2010 Spring Meeting.  The purpose of the research was to investigate the knowledge and utilization of the AANA’s Wellness Program by CRNAs and examine the influence regarding substance misuse.  Wellness Committee Chair, Terry Wicks, CRNA, MHS, thanked the group for sharing their results with the Wellness Committee and Peer Assistance Advisors as this type of work is important to continually improve AANA efforts.  Wicks noted that the study results clearly identified that, “awareness of information and education do not necessarily translate into the adoption of healthy behaviors (or more correctly rejection of unhealthy ones)!”   The wellness program strives to not only provide awareness of the facts and risk factors of chemical dependency, but also to demonstrate tools to assess personal vulnerabilities, learn positive coping strategies, and build effective support structures.  This foreknowledge is vital during nurse anesthesia education as this can be the most challenging stage of the CRNA career.

Oakland University Beaumont Graduate Program of Nurse Anesthesia faculty and students gather at the 2009 Annual Meeting in San Diego.  Above, front row: Lisa Mileto, CRNA, MS, director. Sitting second row, from left to right: Laurie Heline, CRNA, clinical coordinator; Angela Williamson; Andrea Bittinger, CRNA, MSN, admissions director; and Keri Nowakowski. Sitting third row, from left to right: Holly Franson, Linda Carpenter, Amy Trent, Jana Atchley, Courtney Smith, Ann Marie Swain, Suzi Brentin, Jaclyn Matesowicz, and Mary Rodzik. Standing fourth row, from left to right: Seth Fisher, Treavor Eimers, Marie Schaper, Sarah Bergakker, Margo Krugger, Katie Ersig, Abigail Vertalka, Jamie Penprase, Bobbie Hughes, Christine Smith, and Courtney Archambo.  Back row standing, from left to right: Howard Drews, Bob Rosso, David Caraballa, Brad Cummings, Pam Reynolds, Anita Lambieva-Mihaylov, Ann Marie Rekucki, Eva Ross, and Shamim Ullah, student representative on the AANA's Wellness Committee.

Despite the early start and Party with a Purpose the night before, Drexel University Nurse Anesthesia Program assembles in the dark to continue their traditional great turnout to wake-up for wellness.  Front row, left to right faculty and students: Katie Rausch;  Mary Grugan; Edward Saddler; Michael E. Conti, CRNA, MSN (faculty); Ferne M. Cohen, CRNA, MS, MSN, Associate Director; Lew Bennett, CRNA, MSN, Program Director; Courtney Jones, and Christian Tekwe. Back row, left to right students:  Jonathan Weinhold, Amy Pensinger, Allison Horgan, Katherine Petrone, Adam Shaughnessy, Jessie Williams, and Kay Mroczka.  More photos from the 2009 Wake-Up for Wellness Walk/Run and Information about the 2010 Wake-Up for Wellness Walk/Run in Seattle, Wash.

Midwestern University Nurse Anesthesia Program students presented the AANA Wellness Program to fellow students during the Spring 2009 quarter class Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia class highlights included: CRNA stressors Hostile work environment Wellness program objectives Core concept: Provider and Patient Advocacy How well are you? Balanced lifestyle: Can it be done? Wellness Milestones articles Setting goals   Left to right, nurse anesthesia students Matt Byars, Abbie Choleva, Leslie Pearl and Corey Martin.  Class coordinator was Shari Burns, CRNA, MSN.

Students Volunteer at Annual Meeting 2009  Nurse anethesia students distributed t-shirts for walk participants and also helped during the Wake-Up for Wellness Walk/Run.  They also staffed the "Wellness Wheel" game at the AANA Wellness Exhibit.  Thank you volunteers! Stacy Mitchell provided direction on the Wake-Up 2009 course From left to right: AANA Wellness Exhibit helpers Stephanie Langelaar and Stacy Mitchell From left to right: Patricia Kelly with AANA staff Sandra Gaynor, PhD, RN display walk/run shirts for participants Lots of helping hands set-up water.   From left to right: Art Zwerling, CRNA, DNP, DAAPM, Senior Advisor, AANA Peer Assistance with Deborah Fajans

 Students - send your student wellness news to share!

www.AANAWellness.com