PANA Board Member Runs Boston Marathon

As part of our "Get to Know Your Board" series, Vice President of the PANA Board, Adrienne Ruzicka, CRNA, MSN tells all about running the Boston Marathon!

How long have you been running?

I started running distance my freshman year of high school. I joined the cross country team and did it primarily to stay in shape and because I did not participate in any of the other women's fall sports offered at my school. I was actually more of a competitive sprinter and did not like running distance at all; the high school cross country coach persuaded me to run on the cross country team. I am thankful that I did because running has become a huge part of my life and is a lot cheaper than therapy!

Was this your first marathon?

No, Boston was not my first marathon. The Boston Marathon is a marathon you have to qualify for at a USTAF certified marathon course. The time requirements vary depend on your sex and age group. I am in the 18-34 women's age group and the qualifying standard is 3:35:00 (8:12 min/mile pace). However, even if you meet your qualifying time does not guarantee race entry. Only the fastest applicants in each age group are accepted due to field size limitations. For 2016, runners had to beat their qualifying standard by approximately 3 minutes to gain acceptance. I qualified at the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania with a 3:27:23.

If not, how many have you run?

I have run a total of 5 marathons. The first marathon I ran was the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2010. I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon 3 times, the Steamtown Marathon, and Boston was my 5th marathon.

How well did you finish?

I finished Boston in a time of 3:35:23. My overall place out of female and male competitors was 9340/26639. In my gender 2419/12168.

What were you hoping for?

I truly did not have any goals going into the race and strongly considered not participating. I had my second Cesarean Section in November 2015 and was cleared to start running mid December. The first week I started running again I developed a left hamstring injury and was advised to stop running, go to PT, and cross train. I did that for about a month and was cleared to start running again and within 2 weeks my hamstring was bothering me again. Unfortunately, despite rest and strength/cross training efforts the hamstring issue persisted. I had returned to the Doctor I was seeing and after imaging and other tests I was told to continue to strength train and was cleared to run. So, like any crazy runner, I decided to do the marathon even on minimal training and with persistent discomfort/weakness in my leg.

So long story short, my main goal was to finish! The day of the race I was nervous about it because it was almost 80 degrees at the start of the race. I knew it was vital to hydrate every mile and to try to take it easy or I may not have finished (I have had bad racing experiences in the heat before).

What were the feelings in the day and night leading up to the race?

I was mainly excited and honored to be running with some of the most competitive runners from around the world. I tried to enjoy the entire experience in Boston and to do as much as I could before the race.

Can you give us a sentence that sums up you experience?

Running the Boston Marathon was one of the most memorable and humbling experiences I have had.

Was it all you expected?

It was more than I expected. The energy from the crowd and from the participants was amazing. I expected a lot of the runners to be ultra competitive and everyone I encountered was anything but that. The runners I encountered were encouraging and supportive. Also, most runners who participate in Boston do so to honor the bombing victims of 2013.

Are you running next year?

I wish I was! I missed the qualifying standard by 23 seconds. I hope to run it again in the future. The next marathon I am running is the Chicago Marathon in October! I hope by then my leg is stronger and feeling better.

Meet Your PANA Board Members - Aaron Ostrowski

Aaron Ostrowski is an officer in the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA), which represents more than 3,000 certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and students across the commonwealth, and he will become the PANA President this fall.

We took some time to get to know Aaron and learned that he is deeply passionate about his profession – including the time he spends educating future CRNAs and the time he dedicates to pursuing PANA’s interests. But he is much more than a CRNA, MSN and future DNP. Aaron is a family man who enjoys travelling, driving sports cars and doting on his family’s misbehaved cat.

Take some time to get to know Aaron Ostrowski, your President-elect…

Q: What is your position on the board?

A: I am currently the President-elect on the PANA Board of Trustees and serve as the Chair of the Government Relations Committee (GRC). I have been the GRC Chair for two years, and I have been on the PANA Board since the fall of 2012.

Q: Why did you choose to serve as a PANA Trustee?

A: I realized that serving on the PANA Board was going to be the best way for me to help effect change for CRNAs and our profession.

Q: Where do you currently work?

A: I work at UPMC-Presbyterian in Pittsburgh where I am a Trauma-Transplant CRNA, and I also serve as the hospital’s SRNA Clinical Coordinator for Anesthesia Specialties. About half of my position is clinical, and the other half (and more) of my time is spent in education as an instructor in the University of Pittsburgh Nurse Anesthesia Program where I have been a member of the adjunct faculty since 2008.

Q: How long have you been practicing?

A: I’ve been a nurse for 23 years, and I’ve been a CRNA for almost 15 years. At the end of this year, I will earn my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.

Q: Where did you go to school?

A: I had the dream of attending a major college as a young man. I am an alumnus of the Washington Hospital School of Nursing (1992) and the California University of Pennsylvania (1996), and after taking the sensible path to my nursing education, I wanted to make the jump to major graduate school. I felt that Pitt was the school for me, and I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2001. Even after all of these years, I do not regret my decision because the nurse anesthesia program remains among the best programs in the country.

Q: What made you choose being a CRNA as a profession?

A: As a young man, I knew I had interests in anatomy and physiology, working with people, and having an active job. I thought that meant being a doctor, but I found out during my freshman year of school that there was another option – nursing. As a young nurse, I knew that my future was going to develop into more than a career in the ICU. While looking into the different options available to me, I attended an open house for graduate programs and met Laura Palmer, who has since retired from her position as the Assistant Director of the University of Pittsburgh Nurse Anesthesia Program. In about 15 minutes, I realized we grew up in the same area and that she knew my family. At that time, I had no idea what a nurse anesthetist was, but I learned. And the rest is history.

Q: What do you feel are the most important issues currently affecting the field?

A: I feel that identity is a key issue. If CRNAs were readily identifiable as a healthcare solution by our health care system, there would be no discussion about scope of practice, reimbursement, credential recognition or title protection with legislators, administrators and the public.

The other aspect of identity is how we feel about ourselves, our profession. I work with a great group of CRNAs who are capable of resurrecting very ill patients, but they struggle with the reality of our profession requiring an entry-level doctoral degree, which I can understand. I am pursuing my DNP, and once a skeptic, I now see the value in assessing needs at work, being able to look at the evidence, and developing interventions to improve the workplace. I characterize doctoral education as personalizing your profession to fit your career aspirations. You can cut your own road. The challenge with the DNP will be finding suitable and relevant projects for young, relatively inexperienced nurses to finish in a short, three-year timeframe.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your career?

A: On the clinical side, I enjoy the everyday rewards of a smooth emergence, a comfortable patient, and the ability to walk away from the job at the end of the day. On the education side, the job may never complete, but the interaction with the students is priceless. They tend to teach me as much or more than I teach them.

Q: Do you have any advice for CRNAs in the field or SRNAs studying the profession?

A: Of course! For CRNAs in the workplace, know your value. There are opportunities to hear this information from time to time at various AANA meetings. Also, don’t forget how well this profession has treated you. Where would you be without it? What has it afforded you? You can give back to your profession by remembering “CARVED.” Communicate new things, information and ideas with each other, your hospital, your legislator, your family and your friends. Attend state and national professional meetings and legislative fundraisers. Read emails and literature from AANA and PANA. Vote in your professional, state and national elections. Educate yourself on your scope of practice, your rights as an employee, billing, etc. Finally, Donate your fair share, $10 to PANA-PAC and $10 to the AANA’s CRNA-PAC. Link it to your credit card, and rest assured that you are doing all that you need to promote your profession.

Q: What do you do in your free time (when not working)?

A: I am a car guy. I like to drive a six-speed, and I just test-drove the new Camaro SS with the 6.2L V8. I also like to travel with my family, and we have been blessed to do a fair amount of travelling as a family of five. Our family trips have created a lot of great memories!

Q: Give us one interesting fact about you that no one would guess in a million years?

A: Our pet, TC – or Top Cat, has ruined a leather chair, scratched a newly refinished heirloom

desk, and tracked sky blue paint around the house, but in spite of all my grumbling about our cat, I do enjoy petting him. He even spent the past hour with me, soaking up the sun as I worked on my PANA profile.

Meet Your PANA Board Members - Dana Rodgers

“We should not be intimidated to meet with our local legislators to educate them about our profession so that they can better represent our interests.”

Dana Rodgers, a Pennsylvania native who currently lives in Wilmington, Del., is a student representative on the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA), which represents more than 3,000 certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and students (SRNAs) across the commonwealth. She’s a senior in the nurse anesthesia program at Villanova University/Crozer-Chester Medical Center, graduating this November.

We took time to get to know Dana a little bit more. Among the many interesting things we learned: She was inspired to become a CRNA by Larry Heredia, CRNA, DNP, JD, when she was a nursing student. As she nears her graduation date, Dana has plenty of words of wisdom for SRNAs. (Read the Q&A to get her sage advice!) And, when she’s not studying or advocating on behalf of CRNAs, Dana enjoys traveling, spending time with her family --- including the four-legged kind --- and reading the occasional non-anesthesia-related book. (She’s looking for a good book suggestion right now!)

Meet Dana Rodgers, your 2015-16 student trustee on PANA’s board:

Q: What is your position on the board?

A: I am the Student Board Representative, which is a position I’ve held since October 2015.

Q: Why did you choose to serve as a PANA Trustee?

A: I wanted to become involved in the political aspects of our profession, and I also wanted to work with and support SRNAs in Pennsylvania. I have enjoyed learning ways to advocate for and promote our profession.

Q: Where do you currently work?

A: For the last five years, I have been working in the CICU at Nemours A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and I continue to work there per diem. After graduating, I will be working at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pa., with Associates in Anesthesia.

Q: Where are you going to school?

A: I am a senior in Villanova University/Crozer-Chester Medical Center’s Nurse Anesthesia Program, and I will be graduating this November.

Q: What made you choose being a CRNA as a profession?

A: As a nursing student, I was shadowing in the operating room (O.R.) when I started talking to the CRNA who was in the case. He was so intelligent, technically sound and passionate about his career that I decided to further investigate the field. After becoming an SRNA, I also had the opportunity to work with him again in the O.R. on several occasions, but I never told him that he inspired me to become a CRNA. Thank you, Larry Heredia, CRNA, DNP, JD, for inspiring me to become a CRNA and for being such a great educator and mentor!

Q: What made you choose the school you’re attending?

A: Villanova has a great reputation for producing intelligent and successful CRNAs. A few of my friends went through the program and had positive experiences. They spoke highly of the diversity of clinical sites, supportive administrators and teacher, and the well-rounded education they received. It is also located near my home; it’s nationally recognized for being a top graduate program, offering online programs; and it’s reasonably priced.

Q: The PANA board notes say you live in Delaware. Do you still live there or are you now living in Pennsylvania somewhere?

A: I currently live in Wilmington, Del., with my husband, Eric; dog, Winnie; and cats, Izzie and Riley. I grew up in Wallingford, Pa., and lived there for 25 years before moving to Delaware. I hope to move back to Pennsylvania one day soon!

Q: What are your hopes for post-graduation?

A: I look forward to working full time as a CRNA with Associates in Anesthesia starting in December. I also hope to continue my education and obtain my PhD. I would love to educate future CRNAs and hopefully become a program director of a nurse anesthesia program.

Q: As you look to become a CRNA, what do you feel is one of the most important issues that currently is affecting the field?

A: It’s hard to pick the most important issues as there are several issues currently affecting our field. However, I think engaging CRNAs in political and social issues that impact our profession is extremely important. Membership in state and national organizations is imperative to the growth, advancement and advocacy of our profession. With over 3,000 CRNAs and 12 nurse anesthetist programs in Pennsylvania, we could make a large impact at the state and national level by working together. We should not be intimidated to meet with our local legislators to educate them about our profession so that they can better represent our interests. I have found that many of our legislators are very approachable, easy to talk to and willing to learn. Many legislators do not even know what a CRNA is and do not know about our scope of practice or education. We cannot expect our legislators to support our interests if they do not even know what we do!

Q: Do you have any recommendations for student CRNAs who only recently started in a CRNA program?

A: I have several recommendations for new SRNAs. One is to be supportive of your classmates. Although most of us are competitive by nature, it is not always about who gets the best grades or the most intubations. Adopting a “team” mentality by sharing notes, forming study groups, sharing clinical experiences or going out together socially will help you succeed during your program. It is difficult for those who are not enrolled as a SRNA to understand what you are going through both academically and emotionally, so it is crucial that you have at least one person in your program that you can lean on when needed. Also, take time for yourself to do non-academic activities such as working out, doing out to dinner with friends/family, etc. It is important to find a school-life balance, otherwise you will burn out. The last bit of advice is to be humble throughout your program. We have all been successful ICU nurses, so it may be hard to take criticism (constructive or not) from the people we interact with in the OR. The best thing you can do is to be gracious instead of defensive in those situations.

Q: What do you do in your free time (when not studying)?

A: I like to spend time with my sister and niece in North Carolina. They live 10 minutes from the beach, so it’s always fun and relaxing when I am there. I also enjoy traveling and working out with my husband. I hope to go out West on a ski trip with him next year. I am also very busy with my four-month-old puppy Golden Retriever, Winnie. She has a TON of energy so I like to take her on long walks and have her play with my mom’s 2-year-old Chocolate Lab, CoCo. I try and read one non-anesthesia book a year. Last year, I read “Go Set a Watchman,” the sequel to “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I am looking for recommendations for a book for this year, so if anyone has any recommendations, feel free to contact me!

Q: Give us one interesting fact about you that no one would guess in a million years?

A: I played tennis with Martina Hingis, a former top ranked tennis player. She was in the Philadelphia area for a tournament, so my coach arranged for me to hit with her during one of her practice sessions. It was such an amazing experience and she was very down to earth.