PANA Prepares for Annual Leadership Transition

Current PANA President Jodie Szlachta takes the gavel from previous President Aaron Ostrowski.

With most residents gearing up for the Nov. 6 General Election, members of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists are preparing for their own governmental transition.

PANA’s fall symposium is right around the corner, set for Oct. 19-21 at Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford, Pa. The symposium marks the annual installation of a new association president.

Current PANA President Jodie Szlachta, Ph.D., MSN, CRNA, is wrapping up her year and getting ready to pass off the gavel to President-elect Derek Reckard, MSN, PHRN, CRNA.

Szlachta presided over one of the more significant legislative events to occur at the state Capitol in years for PANA and its members.

On April 18, the House Professional Licensure Committee convened a hearing on legislation (H.B. 789) that would mandate physician supervision of nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania.

The “scope of practice” bill would have limited the practice of certified registered nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania would put the state at odds with national trends to modernize health laws and ensure access to safe, affordable, quality care.

The bill was being pushed by its sponsor, Rep. Jim Christiana (R-Beaver), who was not running for re-election but was seeking a legacy measure to close out his terms in office.

Szlachta testified on a panel with Dr. Juan F. Quintana, former president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), and Dr. Pamela Wrobleski, president of BPW Medical Associates and PANA’s state reimbursement specialist.

The hearing made a difference. PANA’s effective testimony essentially neutralized the measure, which never received additional committee consideration and isn’t expected to move before the two-year legislative session ends in December.

This was a significant victory for PANA.

At the same time, PANA’s professional designation legislation (S.B. 274) sponsored by state Sen. John R. Gordner (R-Columbia) passed the Senate. The measure would formally recognize certified registered nurse anesthetists as “CRNAs” under Pennsylvania statute.

Although the pro-PANA measure did not receive a final vote in the House, its successful advancement in the Senate provided momentum going into the 2019-20 legislative session that starts in January.

Szlachta realizes that it’s still going to be difficult to get across the finish line, as it is with any policy in Harrisburg. Expect the anesthesiologists to find another House member to introduce a “scope of practice” bill in Christiana’s absence and continue to fight designation legislation.

That’s what makes PAC donations so important, as any CRNA who knows Szlachta has heard her say over and over again during her term and even before that as PAC committee chairwoman.

More and more CRNAs and SRNAs are getting engaged. That much is evident by the increasing number of professionals who attend Capitol Day in Harrisburg each year.

To be even more successful, PANA needs a strong PAC.

Your contributions enable the association to support elected officials and political candidates who share PANA’s views and philosophies. Your support also gives PANA access to regulators and lawmakers, ensuring they have the information they need to make the right decisions about legislation, rules and regulations, or program proposals that affect CRNAs like you.

You can celebrate Szlachta’s tenure and ensure Reckard’s term gets off to a solid start by donating to the PANA PAC by simply clicking HERE.

Before being named PANA president-elect, Reckard served as the association’s federal political director. He also is on PANA’s Governance Committee, which includes state government affairs.

Like Szlachta and other presidents before her, Reckard has been a tireless advocate for the profession and brings with him years of experience in government relations to advance PANA’s mission after he takes the reigns in October.

Look for more information about Reckard and a personal presidential message on www.PANAforQualityCare.com after his installation.

Pa. CRNA Named to National Accrediting Panel

Dr. Pamela Wrobleski, second from the left, is pictured after winning the 2018 PANA Clinician of the Year Award.

Dr. Pamela Wrobleski, DNAP, MPM, CRNA, CASC, president of BPW Medical Associates, has been seated as the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists’ representative on The Joint Commission’s Ambulatory Care Advisory Council. Wrobleski also serves as the state reimbursement specialist for the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

As the AANA representative to TJC’s Ambulatory Care Advisory Council, Wrobleski will represent the interests of the AANA and CRNAs while offering her expertise obtained from more than three decades of administration and anesthesia leadership at Joint Commission-accredited Southwestern Ambulatory Surgery Center in West Mifflin, Pa., and at several other accredited ASCs and hospitals in Pennsylvania.

An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, relying on a number of advisory groups for feedback on a variety of issues. The Ambulatory Care Advisory Council provides valuable input on ambulatory care accreditation products, services, and activities to promote patient safety and quality and ensure certain performance standards.

This has been a busy year for Wrobleski. In May, she was among five CRNAs in Pennsylvania to be recognized at PANA’s Spring Symposium in Hershey, Pa., where she was named 2018 Clinician of the Year.

In April, Wrobleski testified before the state House Professional Licensure Committee to oppose legislation (H.B. 789) that would limit the practice of certified registered nurse anesthetists in Pennsylvania and put the state at odds with national trends to modernize health laws and ensure access to safe, affordable, quality care.

Wrobleski rounded out a three-member panel of CRNAs that included Dr. Jodie Szlachta, CRNA, and president of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and Dr. Juan F. Quintana, DNP, MHS, CRNA, and former president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Thanks in part to their testimony, the legislation remains stalled in committee.

Wrobleski completed her Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., and her Masters of Public Management, Healthcare Concentration from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She also is a clinical site coordinator at Excela School of Nurse Anesthesia and the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program and serves on many boards and committees.

On behalf of PANA, we thank Dr. Pamela Wrobleski for her service to our profession and for the inspiration she provides to CRNAs across the commonwealth.

Interview with Jason Bauer, Candidate for AANA Region 6 Director

Our very own Jason Bauer is running for AANA Region 6 Director, representing Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Ohio. He has been a tireless advocate for CRNAs and is truly an inspiration for those of us looking to get more involved in the association. We sat down with Jason to learn more about his career and what makes him a good candidate for a position on the AANA board.

Where are you originally from?

Jason: I was born and raised in the Pittsburgh-area. I have built my career here and I live just outside of the city in Murrysville with my wife Alison and my two daughters Brynn and Claire.

How long have you been involved with the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA)?

Jason: I have been serving on the PANA board since 2009. I was a trustee for four years before serving as President. I have also been the Chairman of the Government Relations Committee and I am currently the Treasurer.

What has been one of your biggest accomplishments as a PANA board member?

Jason: I was very proud to be part of a group that elevated PANA’s reputation in the state legislature. People know who we are, what we’re about, and that we have a very active membership.

Have you had other experiences that have prepared you to run for AANA Region 6 Director?

Jason: I am currently in my third year as a member of the AANA Government Relations Committee. I have also given a number of presentations on topics such as Professional Relations and Teambuilding, Structuring Your Governance Committee, Member Engagement, Malignant Hyperthermia, Obstetrics, Cardiac, and Pre-Operative Assessment.

What kind of work did you do before you became a nurse anesthetist?

Jason: I got my BSN from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. I was very passionate about emergency medical care and I had an EMT license, which I substituted for the majority of my elective credits. This experience also lead me to challenge the Prehospital RN (PHRN) certification in Pennsylvania.

After I graduated from college, I ended up working with a regional ambulance company and serving as the Medical Director for 5 years. While I was there, I offered medical expertise and acted as a conduit between the medical command physicians and staff.

Where did you go to school to get your advanced degree?

Jason: I earned my MSN from the University of Pittsburgh’s Nurse Anesthesia Program in 2004. I am still very connected to the program because I teach for the UPMC Department of Surgery Office of Advanced Practice Fellowship Program. Each term, I speak to the incoming Acute Care Fellows on Pre-Operative Assessment and Evaluation. I also maintain a position at the School of Nurse Anesthesia as an adjunct faculty member teaching about obstetrics, professional roles, and cardiac operations.

In addition to teaching, where are you currently working?

Jason: I am currently a full-time CRNA at the University of Pittsburgh Physicians Group within UPMC. I am usually based in Shadyside, but I also travel around to other UPMC locations. I also started my own business, Bauer Anesthesia Services, which caters to ASC and office-based practices. I also work with KEPRO as an independent contractor doing tertiary case review and reviewing anesthesia related closed claims for Tricare.

You can vote in the AANA board elections beginning on May 15th. Make sure you have your AANA username and password so you can vote!