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A Publication of the Georgia Association of Nurse Anesthetists Volume 68 Winter 2012Certified RegisteredNurse AnesthetistsCRNAs Represent nearly 150 years ofquality anesthesia Safely administerapproximately 32 millionanesthetics in the US everyyear Represented by 44,000CRNAs nationwide and over1100 here in Georgia Are the sole anesthesiaproviders in nearly 100% ofrural hospitals throughout thecountry Practice in every type ofclinical setting Provide high quality, safe,efficient and cost effectiveanesthesia careMission StatementThe Georgia Association ofNurse Anesthetists is a nonprofit organization committedto advancing patient safety bysupporting and furthering thepractice of nurse anesthesia inGeorgia.Vision StatementRecognized leaders who arecommitted to patient safety,practice autonomously to thefullest extent of their scope ofpractice, and are consummateprofessionals with 100% of itsmembers belonging to the AANA/GANA, and are fully reimbursedfor all anesthesia services.Report from the PresidentTeamwork is SacrificingPersonal Glory for theCollective Victoryby Brent DuBois, CRNA, MNTeamwork is sacrificing personal glory forthe collective victory . this was a mantra Iheard the Butler basketball coach out of Indianasay why his small college of about 2000 studentswent to the Final Four Basketball Championshipfor two years in a row. He has no stand outsuperstars, but all his players are dedicated tothe TEAM. This statement humbles me as Irealize how great a group of CRNAs we haveon your GANA Board. We are in the beginningof the GANA year and have already hit theground running.My first task as President of GANA was toaddress the NBCRNA proposed ContinuedProfessional Certification Program (CPC). TheBoard of Directors met with a representativefrom the NBCRNA during the 2011 AnnualFall Meeting in Atlanta. We learned that weshare many of the same concerns that otherstate associations are expressing. Surprisingly,however, there has not been a large numberof Georgia CRNAs who have expressed theirconcerns to us regarding the CPC. Truthfully,most of us are apathetic, until our way ofdoing things is threatened. The leadership ofGANA felt that certain aspects of the proposedCPC would negatively affect the way CRNAspractice in Georgia. Therefore, we sent aletter to the NBCRNA expressing concernson behalf of Georgia CRNAs. A copy of thatcorrespondence is included in this issue of Toand Fro on page 3.In October several GANA representativesattended the Composite Medical Board Meetingin Macon where draft guidelines for officebased surgery were discussed. The meetingwas attended by Christy Dunkelberger, GANAExecutive Director and Legal Counsel; BarryCranfill, Steve Smith and Rose Synsmir, GANAPast Presidents; and myself. Barry Cranfill alsorepresented of the Georgia Board of Nursing atthis meeting. GANA was well represented andwas able to make comments and suggestions toensure that CRNAs’ practice was not affected bythe guidelines.Rose Synsmir and I attended the GeorgiaAssociation of Nursing Students (GANS)convention in October. We were accompanied atour booth with a great representation of CRNAschools, Mercer and the Georgia Health SciencesUniversity. We had many nursing studentsquestion us about applying to CRNASchool andthe advantages of being a CRNA. Both Mercerand GHSU programs are graduating great peoplewho represent the CRNA community well.The GANA has continued to provide the AANAwith great leaders from Georgia who help toshape the nurse anesthesia profession. We areproud to continue that tradition. GANA hasnominated Leslie Jeter for Region 2 Director,and Steve Smith for the AANA NominatingCommittee for the AANA 2012 ballot. Both are(continued on page 11)

To & FroGANA Officers 2011-2012Representatives for GANABrent Dubois, President1177 Moore RoadDanville, GA 31017Home Phone: 478-962-0814Cell Phone: 478-230-9708Work Fax: 478-962-0201Email: topgunanesthesia.aol.comSteve Smith,Federal Political Director1920 Federal CourtLawrenceville, GA 30044Work Phone: 404-429-8553Home Phone: 770-972-6225Email: slldt@comcast.netRose Synsmir, ImmediatePast President11840 Devon Downs TrailAlpharetta, GA 30005Cell Phone: 917-723-8409Home Phone: 770-232-4715Email: rsynsmir@aol.comJames Masiongale,President Elect369 Sugarcreek DriveGrovetown, GA 30813Work Phone: 706-721-8215Work Fax: 706-721-8206Cell Phone: 706-231-1575Email: jmasiong@georgiahealth.eduMaegan Taylor Brass,Secretary20 Parks AvenueNewnan, GA 30263Cell Phone: 404-433-9442Email: maegan.brass@gmail.comDewey G. Galeas, Treasurer6126 Columbia Rd.Grovetown, GA 30813Work Phone: 864-227-3330Work Fax: 706-541-2025Cell Phone: 706-799-4940Email: ringo55@aol.comGANA Directors 2011-2012Traci Bryan5122 Cantrell Pt. S.E.Acworth, GA 30101Cell Phone: 770-789-6220Home Phone: 770-974-4322Email: htbryan@yahoo.comDaniel Dell142 Tanglewood DriveMoultrie, GA 31768Cell Phone: 229-456-0450Home Phone: 229-890-2238Email: ddellcrna@gmail.comRichard Douberly922 S. Lake DriveEast Dublin, GA 31027Home Phone: 912-704-0414Email: r.douberly@hotmail.comChristy A. Dunkelberger, Esq.Executive Director/LegalCounsel1832 Highway 54 WestFayetteville, Georgia 30214Office: 770-487-3900Fax: 770-632-1625Email:ganaoffice@bellsouth.netMonty Veazey, Lobbyist610 North Ridge AvenueP.O. Box 1572Tifton, Georgia 31793Phone: 229-386-8660Fax: 229-386-8662Email: mveazey@gach.orgDebra P. MalinaAANA President222 South Prospect AvenuePark Ridge, IL 60068Phone: 847-655-1104Email: dmalina@aanabod.comJanice Izlar,AANA President-elect6 Huntingwood RetreatSavannah, GA 31411Work Phone: 912-547-7201Home Phone: 912-598-1027Home Fax: 912-598-9436Email: jizlar@aanabod.comSharon Pearce, AANARegion 2 Director1366 Becks Nursery RoadLexington, NC 27292Phone: 336-250-6008Email: spearce@aanabod.comBrandi Justice, MCCG/MercerStudent Liaison to GANAEmail: blheath71@gmail.comMeagan Joyner, GHSUStudent Liaison to GANAEmail: Report from the Executive DirectorFrom the Executive Directorby Christy A. Dunkelberger, Esq.Happy New Year to all Georgia CRNAs!Pain ManagementThe area of pain management has been receiving a lot of press lately. Just recently,the local news has carried multiple stories of ‘pill mills’ being shut down by legalauthorities. DEA and GBI narcotics personnel have initiated a full court press toshut down these so-called ‘pill mills’ that are issuing prescription pain medicationsillegally. Additionally the Georgia Legislature and the Georgia Composite MedicalBoard (GCMB) are taking steps to fight this battle. The GCMB has publishedproposed Rules that authorize the GCMB to take action against licensees forunprofessional conduct related to pain management. The Rules set minimumstandards for prescribing controlled substances for treatment of pain and chronicpain. Interventional pain management is excluded from these proposed Rules. Onthe legislative side, one of the top priorities of certain legislators for the upcominglegislative session is to adopt legislation that establishes controls on prescribingand dispensing certain controlled substances. HB 184 has been pre-filed byRepresentative Weldon of the 3rd legislative district. HB 184 deals with monitoringthe prescribing and dispensing of Schedule II, III, IV and V controlled substances.If you are involved in pain management services, I urge you to review the proposedunprofessional conduct/pain management Rules and HB 184.2012 GANA Capitol DayPlan to attend the 2012 GANA Capitol Day at the Georgia State Capitol on January25, 2012. CRNAs need to get to know their legislators on a ‘recognition’ basis; andGANA Capitol Day provides you an opportunity to meet and mingle with yourrepresentatives and discuss the issues that are important to CRNAs. One of theGANA goals for 2012 is to be more recognizable in the public eye as well as to thelegislators. Come out and join us for Capitol Day and make “CRNA” and GANAeasily recognized by the Georgia legislators.Guidelines Adopted for Office Based Anesthesia and Surgeryby the GCMBThe GCMB recently adopted Guidelines for Office Based Anesthesia and Surgery.These Guidelines place restrictions on physicians who offer surgery and anesthesiaservices in the office setting. Restrictions apply to the anesthesia services when neitheran anesthesiologist nor CRNA administers anesthesia. The adopted Rules arecurrently posted at the GCMB’s website.(continued on page 4)Need Malpractice Insurance?Contact AANA Insurance Servicesat 1-800-343-1368or obtain insurance informationfrom the AANA website.Mark Schmitz137 Southbend Dr.Carrollton, GA 30116Work Phone: 770-836-9806Home Phone: 770-854-7532Cell Phone: 770-301-8104Email: meschmitz@att.netTo & Fro2www.gana.org

November 10, 2011NBCRNA Board of DirectorsAttn: Mary Anne Krogh, CRNA, PhD, President222 S. Prospect AvenuePark Ridge, IL 60068-4001RE:Proposed Continued Professional Certification ProgramDear President Krogh and Members of the Board:On behalf of the Georgia Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and its 1039 CRNA members, I would like to provide you withseveral comments and concerns related to the proposed Continued Professional Certification Program (“CPC Program”).One of the concerns expressed by Georgia members is the requirement of thirty-five (35) continuing education creditsper year. Some feel this amount is excessive and will cause undue hardship and expense for those CRNAs who do notlive in close proximity to a metropolitan area. Those individuals, who for the most part reside in rural areas, will face theadded burden of needing to plan for out-of-town overnight travel, on multiple occasions, to locations where continuingeducation courses are offered. They just simply do not have ready access to testing facilities and/or continuing educationopportunities. They will also face the need to secure CRNA coverage during their times away and the loss of income frombeing away. CRNAs living in rural areas will have an added disadvantage over those who live in urban settings.Another expressed concern originates with some CRNAs who have been in the workforce for multiple years. Their issuecenters on the requirement to re-test for certification every eight (8) years. Older CRNAs feel at a disadvantage overtheir younger counterparts. They feel that this requirement of the CPC Program is an effort that will force them into earlyretirement.Along the same lines as the above-stated concern and stemming from the same group of CRNAs is the concern regardingthe failure to include a provision for grandfathering in the proposed CPC Program. Again the take away implication is thatthe older CRNAs are being penalized and being given no credit for their past experience.Finally, the Georgia Board of Directors is concerned that some CRNAs may withdraw their membership from AANA as aresult of the CPC Program. If there is a loss of members, the state budgets will be directly impacted. Georgia does notwant to incur any financial losses.Please give our comments your serious and careful consideration as you continue planning the CPC Program. We hopethere will be revisions to the current proposal. Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to comment.Very truly yours,Brent L. DuBois, CRNA, MSNPresident, Georgia Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Inc.cc: Debra P. Malina, President AANA1832 Highway 54 West Fayetteville, Georgia 30214Phone: 770.487.3900 Fax: 770.632.1625 E-mail: ganaoffice@bellsouth.netwww.gana.org3To & Fro