As we move into the final quarter of membership year 2025, AANA and your Board of Directors are working hard to advance our profession through a rapidly changing healthcare landscape and preparing for the upcoming year and the opportunities and challenges to come.
The next few weeks feature some important events and dates:
AANA Elections: The 2025 AANA Elections are open through May 27 at noon CT. Vote for open positions on the Board of Directors, Leadership Identification Committee, and Bylaws and Resolutions Committee. Members of the Leadership Identification Committee tell you important information you need to know about this year’s election in this Instagram video. Check out the AANA Campaign Headquarters to learn more about the candidates and positions and vote today .
Annual Congress—Early Bird Pricing Ends Soon: Register for the Annual Congress by June 10 to take advantage of Early-Bird pricing. We hope that many of you will join us online or in Nashville on August 9-13 for the premier nurse anesthesiology educational and networking event.
In Memoriam
It is with great sadness that we note the passing of former AANA President Frank Maziarski, CRNA, MS, CLN, on April 30 at age 94. Frank, who served as AANA president from 2004 to 2005, will be remembered for his advocacy, which helped advance the standing of CRNAs in national healthcare policy and education. We offer our deepest sympathies to Frank’s family, friends, and colleagues.
As always, thank you for all that you do for your patients and communities, and for supporting your colleagues and your profession through your AANA membership.
If you have general questions for the Board of Directors, please reach out to them at: Board-of-Directors@aana.com
To avoid multiple responses, the AANA Vice President will triage these inquiries and reply on behalf of the Board.
IN THIS ISSUE
AANA Concludes Record-Breaking Mid-Year Assembly
VA Secretary Testifies Before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee
AANA Celebrates Nurses Week on Capitol Hill
AANA Joins ANA and Nursing Groups in Sending a Letter to Congress Regarding Medicaid Cuts
Iowa Board of Nursing Amends Fluoroscopy Rules
Get Involved Today
In Memoriam: Frank T. Maziarski, CRNA, MS, CLN (1930-2025)
AANA Receives Awards Recognizing Excellence in Marketing and Communication Initiatives
QUAD A Released New Accreditation Standards with Positive Developments for CRNAs
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
ADVOCACY UPDATES
AANA Concludes Record-Breaking Mid-Year Assembly
More than 1,100 CRNAs and RRNAs from all 50 states plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico, attended the 2025 AANA Mid-Year Assembly to advocate for their patients and profession. This was record-breaking attendance for Mid-Year Assembly and was the first year to have all states represented since before 2020.
Attendees also had the opportunity to honor Stacey Whittington, MSNA, CRNA, APRN, with the 2025 Daniel D. Vigness Federal Political Director Award; the Colorado Association of Nurse Anesthesiology with the Excellence in State Government Relations Advocacy Award; and Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH) with the AANA National Health Leadership Award.
CRNAs and RRNAs had fun while supporting AANA’s political advocacy programs at CRNA-PAC’s event “It’s Electric! CRNAs go Neon.” CRNA-PAC saw record-breaking fundraising in conjunction with Mid-Year Assembly, raising more than $135,000. If you haven’t yet supported CRNA-PAC in 2025, join us today at www.CRNA-PAC.com.
Save-the-Date! The 2026 Mid-Year Assembly will be held April 24 – 29, 2026, in Washington, DC. Stay tuned for registration details.
VA Secretary Testifies Before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee
On May 6, VA Secretary Doug Collins testified before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs during a hearing on proposed cuts and reforms at the VA. The AANA submitted written testimony from President Janet Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC, to spotlight specific issues including anesthesia provider shortages and outdated supervision models that delay veterans’ access to care.
AANA Celebrates Nurses Week on Capitol Hill
Throughout National Nurses Week, May 6-12, AANA, along with the Nursing Community Coalition (NCC), highlighted the week by engaging with Capitol Hill. The NCC sent a letter of nursing priorities to House and Senate leadership, introduced a Nurses Week Resolution, and held a reception in the House of Representatives that members of congress and congressional staff attended.
AANA Joins ANA and Nursing Groups in Sending a Letter to Congress Regarding Medicaid Cuts
AANA was one of more than 80 nursing organizations that signed on to a letter from American Nurses Association (ANA) to House and Senate Leadership concerning possible cuts to the Medicaid program.
The letter urged Congress “to protect the Medicaid program as it develops and considers legislation through the budget reconciliation process. We also welcome the opportunity to work with your offices and the committees of jurisdiction to identify sustainable solutions that strengthen Medicaid to ensure that our nation’s most vulnerable patients have timely access to nurses and the high-quality health care services that they provide across the country.”
Iowa Board of Nursing Amends Fluoroscopy Rules
Iowa’s Board of Nursing adopted rules that remove annual education requirements for ARNPs (which include CRNAs) supervising fluoroscopy in response to comments from the Iowa Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
Get Involved Today
Your voice and participation are vital to our advocacy efforts. Visit our CRNAdvocacy Action Center website today to get involved and drive meaningful change for nurse anesthesia and patient care!
SIGNIFICANT NEWS
In Memoriam: Frank T. Maziarski, CRNA, MS, CLN (1930-2025)
Former AANA President Frank T. Maziarski, CRNA, MS, CLN, passed away on April 30, 2025, at the age of 94. He leaves behind a legacy of leadership, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to advancing the nurse anesthesiology profession.
He served as AANA president from 2004 to 2005, preceded by key roles including director of Region 5 (1999–2001), vice president (2001–2002), and president-elect (2003–2004. Maziarski also held numerous leadership roles within the Washington Association of Nurse Anesthetists (WANA), including President, President-Elect, Vice President, Treasurer, and Board Member. Read more.
AANA Receives Awards Recognizing Excellence in Marketing and Communication Initiatives
AANA's success in raising the awareness, visibility, and influence of the nurse anesthesiology profession has been recognized with awards from two national organizations: American Society of Association Executives and Association TRENDS.
The ASAE presented AANA with a 2025 Gold Circle Award in the Membership Recruitment category. The ASAE Gold Circle Awards honor excellence, creativity, and achievement in association marketing, membership, and communications.
AANA Creative Director Martha Smith with the ASAE Circle Award, Membership Category.
This award celebrates AANA’s 2024 launch of a new membership category for RNs and APRNs. This new member category offers aspiring CRNAs access to educational resources, mentorship, and professional connections — helping them navigate their path into nurse anesthesiology.
By extending membership to RNs and APRNs, AANA is strengthening the pipeline of future CRNAs, ensuring that the nurse anesthesiology profession continues to attract and develop skilled, compassionate advocates who will shape the future of patient care.
In March AANA received a 2025 Gold TRENDY Award for Best Promotional Item from Association TRENDS. The annual TRENDY Awards program honors outstanding marketing and communication initiatives in the association and nonprofit sectors.
AANA received the award for the Goldie Brangman Augmented Reality Pin. A collaborative effort between AANA and artist Rockland Page, this high-quality enamel lapel pin honors the legacy of Goldie Brangman, the first Black president of AANA and a trailblazing CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist who co-founded and directed the Harlem Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia in 1949.
The pin, which was distributed at the 2024 AANA Annual Congress, 'talks' using Brangman’s own voice. Using a custom Instagram filter, members could hold their smartphones up to the pin and see it 'speak' using Brangman’s voice.
QUAD A Released New Accreditation Standards with Positive Developments for CRNAs
Effective April 7, 2025, QUAD A has new accreditation standards for its Office-Based Surgical, Office-Based Procedural, Oral Maxillofacial, Pediatric Dentistry, International Surgical, International Dental, and Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center programs.
CRNAs often practice in these accredited facilities, so these changes have implications for both CRNAs and their patients. Positive changes for CRNAs include permitting CRNAs who completed a one-year pain fellowship accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs and are certified in nonsurgical pain management by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists to practice pain management in QUAD A-accredited facilities.
This is a significant development, marking the first time QUAD A has included CRNA/nurse anesthesiologist pain practitioners in its accreditation standards. Additional positive changes include removal of unnecessary physician verification requirements, knowledge requirements for supervising physicians, and barriers to CRNA practice with podiatrists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
The standards also reference numerous AANA professional practice documents. AANA has long advocated for these modifications and applauds QUAD A on updating and modernizing these standards.
Review the new standards, technical corrections, change reports, and related webinars here.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
In 1949, Mental Health America founded what is now known as Mental Health Month. This annual recognition brings with it a reminder to take care of ourselves and others. This year’s theme is “Turn Awareness into Action.” Learn more at MHANational.org or browse AANA’s Wellness Resources for CRNAs and Residents webpage.
Note: AANA’s Helpline (800-654-5167) is available 24/7 for a live, confidential response with support, information, and helpful resources.
The following is an FEC required legal notification for CRNA-PAC. Gifts to political action committees are not tax deductible. Contributions to CRNA-PAC are for political purposes. All contributions to CRNA-PAC are voluntary. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal. The guidelines are merely suggestions. You are free to contribute more or less than the guidelines suggest and the association will not favor or disadvantage you by reason of the amount contributed or the decision not to contribute. Federal law requires CRNA-PAC to use its best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and the name of the employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year. Each contributor must be a US Citizen.
American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology 10275 West Higgins Road, Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018
.png?upscale=true&width=600&upscale=true&name=AANA-logo-horizontal-white%20(1).png){kind=logo}
