DEPARTMENT OF ANESTHESIOLOGY ANNUAL REPORT

CERTIFIED
REGISTERED
NURSE ANESTHETISTS
Russell T. Giesler, CRNA
Chair, Clinical Leads
CLINICAL LEAD COMMITTEE
Paula D. Alford, BA, CRNA
Ambulatory Surgical Center
Patricia M. Allushuski, BSNA, CRNA
Ortho-plastics
Beatrice I. Baldwin, CRNA
Cardiac
Eleanor W. Carter, CRNA
Eye Center
Russell T. Giesler, BSN, CRNA
Chair of Clinical Leads, Neuro-OHN
Janet M. Hall, CRNA
Pediatrics Cardiac
Meredith L. Muncy, CRNA, MHS -
General, Vascular, Transplant
Grace A. Simpson, CRNA, MSN
Scheduling Coordinator
Tede E. Spahn, CRNA
Obstetrics
Lisa J. Schwetschenau, CRNA, MNA
Pediatrics
Donald K. Thomas, CRNA
Urology-Gynecology
PERIOPERATIVE PEDIATRIC
COORDINATOR
Janet E. Goral, BSN, CRNA.
NEW NURSE ANESTHETISTS
ARRIVALS
Dale F. Potter, CRNA
Wake Forest University Baptist
Medical Center in Winston-Salem,
NC
Daniel J. Geniton, CRNA
Doctors Hospital of Augusta, GA.
Steven A. Ziegler, CRNA
Ronald C. Iacone, CRNA
The millennium has brought with it a
continuing evolution by the Duke Nurse
Anesthetists to the organizational structure
of Divisions. The apprehension, at
first, of going to Divisions has melted
away. Now Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetists (CRNA) prefer to be
assigned within their Divisions. These
Divisions were established to promote
an increase in clinician involvement, to
foster teams and teamwork and to provide
a high quality of anesthesia care
efficiently and economically. This environment
of change will continue for the
foreseeable future as the Divisions
evolve and even the physical layout of
the OR suite is to be altered, which will
take a few years to complete.
In June the new automated anesthesia
record, SATURN, was introduced
to Duke North Hospital after first being
applied at the Ambulatory Surgical
Center and Eye Center. Jeanne M.
Crabtree, CRNA; Frances R. Smith,
CRNA and Donald R. Moede, CRNA,
MSN were responsible for the training
of anesthesia providers. There is still
much the SATURN system has to offer
us and only the future can tell us how
far we will go with this new system.
To improve the flow of communication
among the CRNAs, Anesthesiologists,
and other disciplines, a Chair
of the Clinical Leads was established
in July. Russell T. Giesler, CRNA was
selected to this position. The Clinical
CLINICAL ACTIVITIES
Lead Committee was redefined with
Clinical Leads assuming a more supervisory
role in assisting in the facilitation
of the daily OR schedule through the
CRNA charge responsibilities. Donald K.
Thomas, CRNA assumed the position of
Clinical Lead of GYN. This combined
GYN and GU under one Clinical Lead
thus helping to redistribute the number
of CRNAs responsible to any one
Clinical Lead. Tede E. Spahn, CRNA
was named Clinical Lead of OB. Paula
D. Alford, CRNA was chosen Clinical
Lead of ASC. Finally, with Meredith L.
Muncy, CRNA assuming her new role in
the Duke School of Nurse Anesthesia,
Grace A. Simpson, CRNA has accepted
the Clinical Lead position for the GVT
Division. With the Clinical Lead
Committee established it was able to
proceed with pending issues.
September brought the new evaluation
form for the Performance Partnership
System as redesigned by the
Clinical Lead Committee to be used
beginning July, 2001. It took a great
deal of energy and time commitment
to finalize the new form and it is still
recognized that in the future this evaluation
form can and will change to meet
our needs.
October brought the final accreditation
of the new Duke School of Nurse
Anesthesia. The Director of the school
will be Mary C. Karlet, CRNA, Ph.D.
with James Temo, CRNA, MSN, M.B.A.
as Assistant Director. The first class is
scheduled to begin January 2001.
With the year drawing to a close,
the CRNA group completed a survey in
October with regards to CRNA recruitment
and retention issues. Committees
have been established and five areas
have been identified and are being
addressed. These committees will complete
their individual tasks and report
back to the CRNA group with constructive
recommendations to move forward.
We in medicine understand we
work in a dynamic environment where
change is always present. I believe
there are a number of people who have
CLINICAL ACTIVITIES 47