Ep 78: Courage to Lead - Former AANA President Deb Geisler, CRNA

Our next guest in the Presidential Leadership Series is Deb Geisler, CRNA, who served as AANA President from 2001-02. Not only did she oversee some significant issues during her year in charge, but she’s also been a part of multiple committees through the years whose decisions have shaped direction of the profession.

Read more and get additional resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/?p=2508 

Today's show schedule: 

2:37 – We’re still in quarantine and talking to Deb Geisler today.

3:15 – A former AANA president and a UNC graduate.

5:13 – Historical overview of the supervision battle with physicians.

8:53 – Here’s what the problem is with this supervision law.

11:53 – The letters that were being written to the legislature about nurse anesthetists.

12:22 – It’s a reimbursement issue. 

15:07 – How the SODC began.

20:43 – The other goal for the SODC and how it was funded.

22:27 – The states were given funds in the form of a loan

25:21 – Helping states that were in position to be attacked.

27:12 – How was the dues increase embraced at the time?

31:51 – Being part of that committee is something she’s eternally grateful for.

34:04 – Some history on how regions were formed.

37:17 – She chaired the committee in 2003 to look at regional re-allocation

38:24 – A statistical analysis was done to see if the structure of the regions had anything to do with electability.

39:05 – The committee devised a study and sent it out to members to determine a course of action.

41:49 – From that study, the committee came up with a five region concept.

44:35 – How did people react to the regional suggestion. 

46:16 – Sharon has always been a big fan of Deb.

47:33 – The most valuable leadership lessons that she’s learned through her career.