Join the wellness movement!
There are many health and wellness ideas to support the personal well-being of CRNAs and student nurse anesthetists close to where they live and work. Below are ideas for mixing wellness into state association meetings; you'll find that many of these can easily be adapted to a single workplace setting or nurse anesthesia educational program too.
See the State Health and Wellness Exhibit Toolkit for a printable version of these ideas and to download handouts or art for the display. Share your ideas - send photos or stories to wellness@aana.com
Benefits to promoting health and wellness:
- Adds variety and networking opportunities
- Helps encourage healthy behaviors
- Provides awareness of the occupational risk of chemical dependency
- Informs members of the AANA resources for assisting chemically dependent colleagues
Recruit local nurse anesthesia students, or a group of CRNAs who work together, to help organize or "staff" the table. This can be a great learning experience and an introduction to getting involved in the state association. Make copies of AANA flyers or Wellness Milestones articles as informational handouts. Be sure your display includes the State Peer Advisor (SPA) contact information so those seeking help for themselves or others will know where to turn. Order imprinted items to sell, raffle, or "give-away." Get creative to invite attendee participation and enjoyment - convert school carnival type games ("lollipop tree") or hold challenges, e.g., push-ups, sit-ups, or use a child's basketball net to score baskets. Offer chair massages for a wellness break. Buy fresh fruit, healthy granola bars, or small bags of nuts and dried fruits to arrange in attractive display bowls or baskets. Order a supply of free brochures on healthy eating, physical activity, stress reduction, etc. through government websites - see links from the AANA wellness topics, such as Physical Well-Being, etc. These partner well with informational brochures your wellness exhibit focus and provide a take-away for attendees.
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  Photos from top: California
Association of Nurse Anesthetists customized exhibit;
Delaware Association of Nurse Anesthetists chair massage; wellness wheel game at the AANA Annual Meeting |
Bring Wellness Activities to your State Meeting Attendees:It can be simple or formal. There are lots of creative ideas from 5K walk/runs, to simple before dinner walks; Yoga, tai chi, salsa dancing, Zumba, etc. Poll your membership - you might find several skilled to run a class or eager to lead a group of walker or runners. Be innovative!
Photos: Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists gather for an early morning Walk and Talk providing a healthy opportunity to socialize and have a fresh air start to a meeting day; Georgia Association of Nurse Anesthetist meeting attendees move to a Salsa dancing beat. |
 
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Blend Fundraising Opportunities with your wellness display: Run a game or raffle to collect contributions to encourage social responsibility. Funds could be raised to donate to nonprofits such as a local charity, the AANA Foundation for scholarships or the Jan Stewart Memorial Wellness Lecture Series fund, or a cause related to patient safety (see Lifebox information and a Lifebox donation flyer is available on the State Health and Wellness toolkit page).
Photo: Georgia Association of Nurse Anesthetists raffle and customized informational poster |
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Involve AANA and state association leadership:The AANA Board of Directors supports CRNA and student nurse anesthetists' wellness. Invite national and state leaders to be included in your health and wellness activities.
Photo: Annual Meeting 2012 walk/run in San Francisco - in center AANA President Janice J. Izler, CRNA, DNAP, on left AANA Past President Debra P. Malina, CRNA, DNSc, MBA, and on right AANA President-Elect Dennis C. Bless, CRNA, MS |
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Include Health and Wellness and Chemical Dependency topics: There are so many topics of health and wellness that are beneficial to your audience. See a list of topics and a collection of CRNA speakers on wellness/CD.
Photo: Terry Wicks, CRNA, MHS, former AANA President often speaks on CRNA wellness. |
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Reach out into the local community - CRNAs Going the Distance:See CRNA Teams for inspiration on bonding CRNAs together to reach out into the community. Patti Bright spoke on "CRNAs Going the Distance: Changing Your Community While Promoting Your Profession" at the 2012 Annual Meeting in San Francisco and encouraged states that they too could create CRNA groups or teams to celebrate their profession and contribute to local or national charitable needs. The theme is CRNAs Go the Distance, Nurse Anesthetists Changing Live, Communities, the World and your can adapt the graphic design to your event or fundraiser. Contact wellness@aana.com for more information and the artwork, or to invite Patti to come speak at your state meeting. |
Provide wellness resources for meeting attendees: - Post information on local houses of worship - spiritual wellness opportunity for those away from home
- Schedule an Anesthetists in Recovery (AIR) support meeting. Your SPA can provide information or contact the AIR phone number.
- Designate a morning or evening meeting spot and time for runners and walkers to informally congregate and go out as a group (see PANA's idea above for a walk and talk).
- List or link to information about the hotel's fitness center or local classes
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