Crisis Hotline: 800-654-5167
Suicide Hotline: 800-273-TALK

Wellness Ambassador Network

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) recognizes that anesthesia providers, because of their exposure and the nature of their work, appear to be at a high risk for substance abuse. To address these concerns within the profession, the AANA established the Wellness Ambassador Network as an Ad Hoc Committee on Chemical Dependency in 1983 to serve as a resource and support for nurse anesthesia practitioners and students.

The functions of the AANA Wellness Ambassador Network in­clude:

• Assessing the nature and impact of the disease of addiction on nurse anesthesia practice.

• Educating nurse anesthetists, students, employers and the public about addiction.

• Investigating the availability and effectiveness of treatment modalities.

• Advocating research into the education, prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery of addiction.

• Assisting individuals or organizations, when requested, in the formulation of guidelines regarding intervention, treatment, aftercare and re-entry into the workplace of addicted nurse anesthetists.

To Contact Your Michigan State Wellness Ambassador Network:

Nathan Buchinger, MS, CRNA
Lansing, MI
p: 517-499-3630
e: na***********@*****il.com

Michelle Corazza, MSN, CRNA
Clawson, MI
p: 248-854-8344
e: mi**************@***il.com

Margaret (Margie) Ohryn, CRNA, MS, MBA
West Bloomfield, MI
p: 248-342-1968
e: ma*******@***il.com

Patricia Goorin, MSN, CRNA
East Lansing, MI
p: 517-488-7809
e: ps******@***il.com

For more information please go to AANA .

Other Resources:

AANA’s Wellness Committee

AANA's Workplace Wellness

AANA’s Wellness Ambassador Network

Here for You: Wellness Resources

AANA Helpline – 800-654-5167

AANA's SUD

AANA's Resident Wellness

Emotional Intelligence

CRNAs are exposed to a wide array of job-related stressors and therefore experience high levels of occupational stress and job burnout. Occupational stressors can be hazardous and harmful to the CRNA, the institution, and possibly the patient. Within healthcare systems, job burnout from occupational stress may lead to poor patient care and safety outcomes. Research findings suggest nurses who reported higher levels of emotional intelligence (EI) had significantly lower work-related stress and less job burnout than nurses who reported lower levels of EI. Just recently, the relationship between EI and occupational stress among CRNAs was examined and revealed that CRNAs who have higher levels of EI are more able to cope with occupational stressors.
Defining ways to better cope is key to preventing the negative effects of stress on an individual and others. The ability to effectively manage and cope with occupational stress may indirectly allow CRNAs to provide better patient care and avoid job burnout. Emotional Intelligence may be key to decreasing work-related stress and burnout.

Burnout and Compassion Fatigue

Emotional Intelligence Books

• Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ - Goleman
• Working with Emotional Intelligence – Goleman
• The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success – Stein & Book
• The Student EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Academic & Personal Success – Stein, Book & Kanoy
• Emotional Intelligence in Health and Social Care – Hurley & Linsley
• E.Q. Librium - Bethel