In the Department of Anesthesiology, we often say that the Anesthesiologist is the patient’s advocate in the operating room. Of course, in safeguarding the health and well-being of patients, anesthesiologists are part of a larger team. Each January, we take time out to celebrate the group of clinicians who are a vital part of the anesthesiology patient-care team – the specially-trained registered nurses known as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).
CRNAs are advanced-practice nurses who have completed graduate-level education and who are board-certified in anesthesia. In 2014, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists designated January 19-25 as National Nurse Anesthetists Week. Weill Cornell Anesthesiology took the opportunity to celebrate and appreciate its CRNAs, acknowledging CRNA Appreciation Week and holding the Department’s Annual CRNA Appreciation Dinner.
The 2014 CRNA Appreciation Dinner was held on the evening of Friday January 24 at the Griffis Faculty Club. Several physicians and CRNAs gave formal talks during the evening’s program, including Anesthesiology Chair Hugh Hemmings, MD, PhD; Aarti Sharma, MD, MBBS; Keith Denison, CRNA; Julie Moniz, CRNA; and Vinod Malhotra, MD. Dr. Malhotra gave an extended appreciation of all the CRNAs and then presented the Eleanor Bradley Award, for Outstanding CRNA, to Denise Murphy, CRNA. Denise Murphy’s heartfelt acceptance culminated an evening in which Weill Cornell Anesthesiology celebrated and honored the work of vital members of the anesthesiology team.
From left to right: Dr. Ralph Slepian; Denise Murphy, CRNA; Dr. Patricia Fogarty Mack; Therese Mohamed, CRNA; Dr. Peter Fleischut; Lauren Baker, CRNA; Kelly Mallon, CRNA.
Denise Murphy, CRNA, received the Eleanor Bradley Award for Outstanding CRNA. From left to right: Dr. Vinod Malhotra; Dr. Aarti Sharma; Keith Denison, CRNA; Denise Murphy, CRNA; Julie Moniz, CRNA; Eleanor Bradley, CRNA; Dr. Hugh Hemmings.
CRNA group photo. Thanks to all of the Weill Cornell CRNAs for their great work all year!