Ep 56: Courage to Lead: Looking Back at Dick Ouellette’s Time as AANA President

In the latest installment of our Courage to Lead series, we spend some time with Dick Ouellette, CRNA, MEd, who was a two-term president of the AANA. During his time serving in that capacity, Ouellette helped reinvigorate the profession by focusing on education standards and had a heavy involvement in direct reimbursement coming to pass.

Read more about this episode: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2223 

Today's Rundown: 

2:43 – Our special guest today is Dick Ouellette, CRNA   

3:17 – Give us some highlights from your two terms as AANA President.

4:46 – The second thing he was interested in at the time.

6:19 – Where he was focused during the second term.

7:18 – Why were joint committees so important to Dick at the time?

10:39 – Direct reimbursement’s beginning and how it progressed during his term.

16:42 – What’s the significance of direct reimbursement?

19:18 – What would it look like today if direct reimbursement didn’t happen?

23:48 – Education was a big concern for Dick. What was the response when he wanted to increase requirements?

28:08 – Dick shares a great story about Sandy and education.  

28:33 – Moving to 1990 and the commission that formed.

33:06 – The thing that Dick feels we’re lacking the most today.

36:39 – If Dick could pick one other profession, what would it be?