A Message from Miller; The OSANA Student Corner
Well, it's May and I cannot believe it is only seven and a half months until graduation. It seems so long ago that I wrote the previous article. It would be assumed I am less tired, with graduation right around the corner, but I seem to be even more exhausted. Those of you just starting out, it will go by fast, even though you probably think I’m a not telling the truth. Those who are near graduation, congratulations, it is so close.
The past 20 plus months have been busy, to say the least. Our program at University of Cincinnati (UC) was extraordinarily proud and at the same time sad, when Wanda Wilson, our Program Director, was named the next Executive Director for the AANA. It was, of course, no surprise with her superb leadership qualifications, that she would be selected for this position. She has already done an amazing job and at UC we like to brag a little that she came from Cincinnati. Concern that filling her shoes would be impossible was soon washed away when the transition to the new Program Director, Terry Ray, was so smooth. He has already worked tirelessly to make the Nurse Anesthesia Program at UC as strong as it can be.
Since October, the beginning of my term as the student representative on the Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (OSANA) Board of Directors, I have been introduced to some amazing people. I was also honored to announce the next student representative on the OSANA Board of Directors at the spring meeting in Columbus. I am proud to say that Jeff Ruff, a junior student at the University Of Cincinnati will be the next representative starting in October. Jeff has over eleven years nursing experience, and between school, work, and leadership roles, he is going to make a fantastic representative. Personally, I have gained so much more than I could have imagined being involved in this role. I have learned an incredible amount from these great leaders of our State Association, and am excited to continue my involvement in the future, as a CRNA. Each member of the Board, as well as the committee members, has taught me so much about our profession. I have been treated as a part of the team and feel lucky for this opportunity.
After the spring meeting, I, along with several students and CRNA’s from UC, and the Board, attended Mid-Year Assembly (MYA) in Washington, D.C. What an experience!!! I was not exactly sure what to expect and, to be honest, was a little nervous to go “speak with legislators.” However, the CRNA’s that the students were paired with and the support from the AANA, made this experience less overwhelming and truly exciting. To advocate for a profession as a student, for which you are working through blood, sweat and tears for, is invigorating. As a student, you have a voice, and are listened too. You are treated with respect and encouraged to work alongside others in the profession, for the profession. CRNA’s all over the country motivate and mentor students so the next generation of CRNA’s are equipped to take on the challenges we will face in years to come. The trip began with meetings and motivating speeches from individuals such as Jim Walker, President of the AANA, preparing us to discuss the issues at hand. The AANA Board of Directors had an open forum to allow members to ask questions directly to the Board. There was opportunity to meet, and have a one on one conversation with the slate of candidates for the AANA Board of Directors. The slates of candidates’ speeches for the positions were also given at this time, and it was important to see that the opinions of the members of the AANA matter. We met with legislators from our state and, surprisingly, they were very interested in what the students had to say. All of this experience was invaluable to my future as a CRNA. To know that there are so many CRNA’s out there advocating for my career, is not only refreshing, but a huge relief. I cannot wait to be a part of it in the near future. Mid-Year Assembly not only brought about enthusiasm and excitement about the people in our profession but I learned so much about future CRNA’s, the students from all over the United States, with the same passion to make a difference. Above all, I got to know the students in my class and the CRNA’s from the University of Cincinnati that attended MYA. These individual’s are well-spoken, professional, and when they speak, you want to know what they have to say. This gives me confidence that Nurse Anesthesia has a strong force behind it to continue to “fight the fight,” as one student said at the open forum. What an exciting experience. I feel lucky I was able to be a part of the meeting. So, needless to say, I am motivated more than ever to campaign for Nurse Anesthesia. After a few more months and a couple exams I’ll be able to. So, the next thing on the agenda will be the National meeting in Seattle in August.
Angela Miller
2009-10 OSANA Student Member Representative
