CRNAs in the News: John Borza, NY City Marathoner

John Borza, a CRNA from Pittsburgh, recently became a New York City marathoner. John ran in a shirt that represented PANA and CRNAs; and in support of this sponsorship, PANA made a $2,500 donation to the American Heart Association in John’s name.

🫀 In July of 2017, John Borza became a heart attack survivor. The hardworking CRNA realized committing to bettering his health and wellness was not only a must, but a gift. John’s determination led him through cardiac rehabilitation, and meeting with a nutritionist, to strengthen his commitment to being “focused on staying healthy to be able to enjoy the rest of my life,” and he’s done just that.

While John has a fierce dedication to developing his own health and wellness, he is also dedicated to improving the health and wellness of others. Throughout his marathon training, John was tallying up miles to take to NYC and donations from his community to give the American Heart Association.

🎽 John explains that "as a heart attack survivor, it's amazing to consider myself part of the American Heart Association Heart and Stroke Marathon Team in the New York City Marathon. Thanks to PANA, a donation in my name to the American Heart Association means so much." The donation PANA made will contribute to helping fund medical breakthroughs, programs advancing cardiovascular health, and life-saving research.

John’s devotion demonstrates the fundamentals PANA proudly upholds and promotes to its member CRNAs and SRNAs:

“Supporting each other in our wellness journeys and prioritizing our mental health and wellness is why being part of an organization like PANA is so incredible.”

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PANA proudly recognizes John’s contributions, advancements, and improvements to his own and others’ health and wellness. We are happy to support John and the CRNA profession. Congratulations, John!

AANA Presents Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director Award to PANA

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) honored Lt. Col. Laura Wiggins, DNP, CRNA, with the Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director Award at its Mid-Year Assembly, held in Washington, D.C. on April 2-6. Wiggins, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), is staff CRNA with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh and chief nurse for the critical care transport team in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

“It is an honor to receive the Federal Political Director Award. Promoting and safeguarding the profession and helping to work towards regulations and legislation that allow CRNAs to practice at their full scope has been both an honor and a privilege,” Wiggins said. “However, all my work could not be accomplished without the support of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists and my employers. I thank them for providing me with the resources and time to build the relationships that have allowed me to be a successful advocate for all CRNAs.”

Wiggins has been the Federal Political Director (FPD) for the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) for the past two years and serves on its Board of Trustees. In 2019 she helped lead more than 180 CRNAs and students enrolled in nurse anesthesiology programs to lobby in Harrisburg on behalf of the profession. She is the former Chief Nurse for the 911th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and former Critical Care Air Transport Team member and has been deployed to support numerous international situations throughout her career.

According to her nominator, Wiggins is a natural leader with a passion for nurse anesthesia. “Whether leading a medical team as the anesthesia director for military operations in Kyrgyzstan, or providing obstetric anesthesia in Pittsburgh, Laura carries herself with a sense of dignity and skill that reflects the best of our profession.”

In addition, she was lauded for her hands-on leadership early in the COVID-19 pandemic. According to her nomination, weeks before Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf even issued a formal stay-at-home order for the commonwealth, the PANA board began researching options to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to its members. Wiggins relied on her military expertise to review mask options and determine the best fit for PANA to provide to members to keep them safe.

“Laura knew early on how important it was for PANA to not disrupt the supply chain already working on PPE for local hospitals and other facilities around Pennsylvania,” cited her nomination. “Therefore, she spearheaded a discussion with a small 3D printing company in southwestern Pennsylvania. Wiggins began to work with the co-owner of the company to design a 3D-printed mask that would keep our members safe. Laura Wiggins oversaw all of the details, even recruiting a biochemist and an engineer from Stanley Black & Decker to support the cause. After numerous back-and-forth phone calls, texts, virtual calls, and prototype designs, the mask was ready to offer to members as a complimentary benefit. In the initial two hours of sending the e-mail to alert members about the free product offering, PANA received over 400 requests. When completed, PANA shipped over 1,200 PPE masks around the state within four weeks, and this was largely due to the work of Lt. Col Laura Wiggins.”

She is a clinical instructor at the University of Pittsburgh Nurse Anesthesia Program for various courses, including Difficult Airway Course; Regional Anesthesia; and Obstetrics Anesthesia. As a critical care nurse in the Air Force Reserves, Wiggins directly supervises more than 60 medical military personnel while managing all nursing services and flight member activities. In addition, she is an independent contractor with Anesthesiology Services Network, providing anesthesia services for a Level One Trauma Center with 24 operating rooms and diverse areas, including neurosurgery, vascular, thoracic, orthopedics, general, gynecology, pediatrics, trauma, and obstetrics.

Wiggins received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Pennsylvania State University in State College, and a master’s degree in nursing with a specialization in nurse anesthesia area from Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland. She earned a Doctor of Nurse Practice degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

As advanced practice nurses, CRNAs are members of one of the most trusted professions according to Gallup. CRNAs provide anesthesia care across all settings and in all patient populations and are the primary anesthesia providers in rural and underserved areas and on the battlefield in forward surgical teams.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurse anesthetists across the country have been essential in addressing the deadliest part of the disease in addition to providing top-of-the-line anesthesia care. They have served as experts in airway management, hemodynamic monitoring, management of patients on ventilators, and overall management of critically ill patients.

About the Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director Award

The Federal Political Director of the Year Award, established in 2001, was renamed the Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director Award in 2013 in tribute and memory of its first winner. It is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the national healthcare agenda of CRNAs by coordinating grassroots CRNA involvement at the state level or through special contributions to the federal political process.

Pittsburgh Magazine Honors Hometown Heroes with 2021 Excellence in Nursing Awards

A Salute to Nurses By RACHEL WEAVER LABAR | Photos by LAURA PETRILLA

The pandemic has killed more than 700,000 Americans, a disproportionate number of whom were people of color or the underserved. This crisis has taken a heavy toll on the nursing community — especially those who served on the front lines, supporting patients and helping families communicate with their very ill loved ones.

But as harrowing as this has been, I’ve often felt inspired and hopeful.

Why? Because COVID-19 has shown the world the important role nurses play in health care — not because they have no fear but because they approach their work and care for patients despite their fear with the utmost compassion.

On behalf of the Pittsburgh community, I would like to extend our collective thanks, gratitude and appreciation to all of the nurses and nursing students who responded to those in need. Join me in congratulating the 2021 Excellence in Nursing Award recipients who are recognized in this issue. They have demonstrated extraordinary dedication and courage.

– Mary Ellen Glasgow Dean and Professor, Duquesne University School of Nursing; Chair, Pittsburgh Magazine Excellence in Nursing Selection Committee

View the nominees!

Excellence In Nursing – Pandemic Response Hero: Pauline Hutsler Excellence in Nursing – Leader: Maribeth McLaughlin Excellence In Nursing – Emerging Leader: Jeffrey Bomba Excellence In Nursing – Advanced Practitioner: Maj. William Pileggi Excellence In Nursing – Clinician: Shenoa Jamieson Excellence in Nursing – Community: Alexis Myers Excellence In Nursing – Academic: Ruth Madden Foreman Excellence In Nursing – Researcher: Alison Colbert

HONORABLE MENTION

Pandemic Response Hero

Mark Cashioli, Infusion Nurse, Chartwell Specialty Pharmacy Jonna L. Morris, Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Judith A. Shovel, Improvement Specialist, Clinical Improvement Department, Wolff Center at UPMC

Leadership Krista Bragg, Chief Operating Officer, Allegheny Health Network Christin M. Durham, Associate Chief Nurse, Primary Care, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System Nancy Gross, RN Director, Butler Health System Geralyn Lee, Clinical Director, UPMC Home Healthcare

Emerging Leader Ashleigh Anderson, Senior Professional Staff Nurse, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Tammy Barker-Fleming, Unit Director Neuro/Trauma, UPMC Presbyterian Hospital Leanne Feil, ER Case Management Access Nurse, Butler Health System Amber Kolesar, Instructor and Director, Second-Degree BSN Program, Duquesne University School of Nursing Tara Stickley, Unit Director, Womancare Birth Center, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

Advanced Practitioner Erin Q. Dieter, Palliative Medicine, Excela Health Medical Group Joyce Knestrick, Associate Professor, George Washington University School of Nursing (Visiting Professor; Family Nurse Practitioner from Washington, Pa.) Charles Warner, Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care Medicine, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

Clinician Mandy Emmick, Registered Nurse/Case Manager, UPMC Home Healthcare Christopher Hornberger, Registered Nurse, 7T Telemetry, Butler Memorial Hospital Catherine “Caty” Thomas, Clinical Education Specialist, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

Community Mary Jo Bellush and Deborah Schotting, Infection Preventionists, Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital Elizabeth DiLembo, Project Manager, COVID Vaccine Clinic, Quality, Clinical Documentation Specialist, Excela Health

Academic Janet Barber, Standardized Patient Manager, Robert Morris University Richard Henker, Professor, Department of Nurse Anesthesia, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Rebecca Kronk, Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Duquesne University

Researcher Susan W. Wesmiller, Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing