Region 4 Update: February 16, 2005


Greetings to all of you in Region 4 !!! As always, it is my privilege to serve you all in the Region Director position as we strive to advance our profession in all areas of practice, education and research.

As we prepare to go the Assembly of School Faculty, a reorganization of our staff is in progress at AANA. Mr. Beutler is implementing changes in the office to further the mission, vision and goals of the organization. I know that several changes are in progress, but further communication is ongoing with the AANA Foundation, the Councils and members before finalizing the reorganization plan. Mr. Beutler has placed a link on the www.aana.com web site for further information. Your AANA Board of Directors continues to give your input to Mr. Beutler at this important crossroads in our organization. It is important that you all share your expertise with the Board of Directors and Mr. Beutler, to insure that your association continues to meet your needs as a member and state leader.

The Board of Directors have embraced a wellness initiative that has a strategic plan that will be implemented by the wellness committee. This was undertaken in response to recent data that shows a continuing problem in our profession with substance abuse. Our Peer Assistance Committee members will be actively involved with other members of the wellness committee to combat this problem and promote healthy lifestyles in our members.

The battles in our states continue in Florida, New Jersey, California and others. Our colleagues continue to test the waters of regulation and licensure in attempts to limit our practice rights and “marginalize” our contribution to the health care profession. It seems that every time a court decision comes back in favor of our profession, a roadblock is thrown up by other mechanisms to continue to antagonize others who work with us. I will be meeting with the Nebraska Attorney General on Friday, February 18th , to discuss some of these concerns with him. The Board of Directors of AANA are well aware of these techniques and are working diligently to combat these types of attacks. These attacks must be dealt with steadfast resolve and these issues should be treated as what they are on the first look…a direct threat to our ability to practice professionally in the health care settings of our choice. These threats are being fought daily in our states around the country by many of our fellow CRNA’s and many of those battles are being won.

One thing do can do in your state is to insure your states participation in filling out the Minimum Elements document. This allows our organization a road map in better helping out each of our states with their needs. As you know, we have committees to help states in their times of need, but organization is the key in addressing these problems promptly. I am happy to say that all of our states in Region 4 filled out this document this year. Thank you for your help and dedication to your profession.

This Board of Directors has worked very hard to hear your needs as a member and a state association. Every Board before us had the same charge in their daily deliberations: “to hear the concerns of our membership and meet each state’s need in advancing/promoting the profession of nurse anesthesia”. We are able to do that because we have leaders who are engaged in their professions, mentoring future leaders and keeping the Board of Directors on task.

As I look around the landscape of Region 4, I see a lot of people working hard to encourage our young people as students to engage their profession. Our Region has a long history of encouraging our students to ‘give something back to the profession”…that has given each one of us much. Our ability to succeed in the future will be absolutely dependent upon our ability to lead our young people into this profession with integrity, passion and enthusiasm. I thank all of you reading this for taking the time to mentor our young people into our profession. Thank you for all you invest in making nurse anesthesia the true leaders in health care.

I look forward to your input from Region 4…Please feel free to contact me at any time.

Wendell Spencer, CRNA, MHS
AANA Region 4 Director
crna@morcomm.net