I think everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that spring is in the near future. Some CRNA’s in the North Country still have over two feet of snow on the ground. As the spring brings a warm up, it is also evident that this warmth is starting to heat things up within our State and National Association.

April 2008 - NHANA Frosty the CRNA Snowman greets residents and visitors
from Saco River Medical Group on Main St. in Conway Village.

On the National level there has been a Hepatitis-C outbreak in a free-standing Endoscopy clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada. It appears that the practitioners at this facility were not following aseptic technique in the drawing of their medications, and were sharing of single vial medications patient-to-patient. Please remember, when using single dose vials, all the medication should be drawn into a single syringe, and there is no sharing of that bottle, even if clean technique should be allowed. Somewhere between Nursing and becoming a CRNA, some of us have lost our technique of wiping IV ports and stop-cocks with an alcohol swab before placing a syringe on line. This should always be done. We need to remember when popping a cap on a medicine vial, those caps are only tamper proof dust covers and the rubber stopper is clean, but not sterile.

This year is an election year, and this is always a year filled with fun and excitement on both the State and National levels. The Republicans have nominated their presidential candidate, John McCain. On the Democratic side Clinton and Obama are still slugging it out. Everyone now is wondering and speculating on their running mates. Could we see Romney and Gore back for another round? Time will tell…….

The NHANA Political Action Campaign (PAC) Fund has been supporting and contributing to Local and National political campaigns this past year. Since most of our state legislators are now Democratic we have given funds to some of these folks. Remember, we need Republican, as well as, Democratic CRNA supporters. In general, we try to support politicians or parties that support us presently or have supported us in the past. If you know of, or have friends with a particular candidate, we need to hear from you!

We need to get the word out to our members; we still have funds available to help support campaigns. The spring is also the time we try and encourage ALL CRNA members in our state to donate some of their hard earned money to our State and National Association, that is diligently trying to protect and promote CRNA's and their practice rights. A portion of your AANA dues does come back to the State to help run the State Association, but none of these funds can be allocated for PAC money. We would love everyone to donate as much as you can, but even though CRNA's are among one of the highest compensated health care providers in the country, we still manage to have our own expenses too. The average CRNA works approximately 2240 regular hours per year. We would like to encourage each CRNA to donate at least one hour of their salary to the State PAC fund and one hour of their salary to the AANA PAC fund. ($60.00 to each fund). Did I mention earlier that this is an election year?

May is our annual PAC fund drive and hopefully you will be receiving a phone call from one of our New Hampshire board members to encourage your donation. Thank you in advance!

We have also supported the NHAPA this year. They have been vital to Advanced Nursing Practice and are very valuable to us with their lobbyist Lisah Carpenter and their members. More Advanced Practice Nurses translates to more constituents and voices that can be heard. There is always strength in numbers.

DNP: The Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) is still moving forward as mandated by the American College of Nursing. If you are interested in advancing your degree from Bachelors to Masters; Masters to DNP or PhD, please e-mail me and I will try to explore some options with you.

The NHANA has a new lobbyist, (he's actually an old friend of ours), Jim Bouley. Jim comes to us with a vast amount of knowledge regarding CRNA's and our practice issues. Jim was our lobbyist and was recommended to us by the AANA back when we were lobbying for legislation on the opt out, and as we all know…we were successful. Jim, also presently elected as the Mayor of Concord, had moved out of the
area for a few years and has now moved back. I'd like to personally thank him for the work he did for us in the past and the work he is doing for us now.

Jeff Beutler CRNA executive Director AANA, John Hanlon CRNA NH President, Frank Purcell Senior Political Director AANA, Jack Neary CRNA, Wanda Wilson President AANA

Mid-Year Update:
Jim and I have just returned from the AANA Mid-Year Assembly in Washington, DC. We feel this was a very successful trip for us as we lobbied our two US Senators and our two Representatives. We made appointments and were able to personally speak with US Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu. We were also able to speak with Congressman Paul Hodes and Congresswoman Carol Shea Porter's legislative assistants. Jack Neary, CRNA Director of the Pain Management clinic at Cottage Hospital in Woodsville, also lobbied with us.

Jim Bouley NHANA lobbyist, Laura Kuklowski SRNA, John Hanlon CRNA President NHANA, Judd Greg U.S. Senator and Jack Neary CRNA Lobbying on Capitol Hill Washington DC.

Ms. Laura Kaucloski SRNA from Albany Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia program, who was funded to the Mid-Year meeting by her anesthesia program, was selected by the AANA to be mentored for a day by myself; she also accompanied us on our Capitol Hill visits.

This was the first National CRNA meeting that Jim attended and to quote him "I was highly impressed with the AANA meeting, and the professional and political suave this sauvé association has to offer its members".

Locally on the State level, we have some practice issues that have just recently popped up. There are a few different Anesthesia providers that practice in our county, and just like CRNA's their scope of practice can vary from state to state. These models include Medical Doctor Anesthetists (MDA), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), Anesthesiology Assistants (AA), Physician Assistants
Anesthetists (PAA) and Physician Assistant Certified. Currently in New Hampshire we have; MDA's, CRNA's, one PAA and one PA who is not certified in anesthesia in this county, but is practicing under the supervision of a physician licensed in the state and under any specialty. This is within his scope of practice according to the PA law in New Hampshire. We are still investigating the legality of this.

We are investigating the administration of " Nitrox " a combination of nitrous and oxygen by non anesthesia professionals. These are the types of issues our board deals with frequently. It is very helpful to have input on these issues from the Board of Nursing, the ARNP lobbyist etc… It is very beneficial to have the collaborate effort of so many clinicians when evaluating these issues.

I am honored as your President to have these interactive relationships between all these parties.

Respectfully Submitted,
John Hanlon CRNA, MSNA, ARNP
NHANA President