The Duke CRNAs and anesthesia technicians are to be commended for their dedication and commitment to supporting high quality patient care, education, and research in such a dynamic environment. Beginning in 2004, the Duke University Hospital Heart Center requested anesthesia services for the expanding high-risk adult patient population. The anesthesia services required by the adult electrophysiology lab include implantable cardiac defibrillators, cardioversions, transesophageal echocardiogram, and cardiac ablations.

The Duke Nurse Anesthesia Program extended the graduate program of study to 28 months. The extended program will enable nurse anesthesia students to gain more didactic and clinical experience. The program awards the graduate a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Duke University and preparation to sit for the national certification examination. The Nurse Anesthesia Program received accreditation in October 2003 from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. The Duke University Nurse Anesthesia program is ranked sixth out of 89 Programs by US News World Report.

Staff CRNAs have been integral in the clinical education of the students. Several CRNAs have instructed didactic courses for the students at the School of Nursing. Duke North Hospital and Eye Center continued to be one of multiple clinical sites for students of the Duke University School of Nursing’s Nurse Anesthesia Program. One additional operating room was opened at Duke North and the Eye Center to accommodate increasing surgical volume.

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Meri Spencer, CRNA

CRNA Clinical Lead Committee

Paula Alford, CRNA, BA, Ambulatory Surgery Center
Eleanor Carter, CRNA, Eye Center
Russell Giesler, CRNA, Neurosurgery, OHN, Off-site
Janet Hall, CRNA, Pediatric Cardiac
Donalie Guin, CRNA, Pediatrics
Meredith Muncy, CRNA, MS, General, Vascular, Transplant
Tede Spahn, CRNA, Obstetrics
Debra Clements, CRNA, MSN, Urology, Gynecology
Henry Walker, CRNA, MS, MBA, Orthopedics, Plastics

New 2007-2008 CRNAs

Brad Dean, CRNA
Roberta Thompson, CRNA
Lynette Oh, CRNA
Alaine Pribisko, CRNA
Carrie Kaylos, CRNA
Matthew Rogers, CRNA