NURSE ANESTHESIA

Graduated in 2004
Owner and CEO, Allen Bruce Anesthesia

Q: Why did you choose Wayne State? 

A: For its convenient location, plus WSU has a large variety of clinical opportunities, including a satellite option in Toledo, which I was able to utilize.

Q: What inspired you to pursue this career?

A: My mother was an OR nurse for more than 35 years and I got to know many members of the health care team, including CRNAs. When I decided on nursing, I knew I wasn't going to stop after earning my BSN, so I researched and spoke to several of my mother's colleagues and determined that anesthesia was the path I wanted to take as well.

Q: Who was your most memorable instructor?

A: That's a hard question to answer because all of the professors during my time at WSU were excellent. Phil Mangahas was brilliant, personable and easygoing. Valdor Hagland had a great way of presenting complex topics in a format that was easy to understand. Mary Walczyk made the often-complex clinical experience a bit easier, with her personalized attention. I would be extremely remiss if I didn't mention Prudentia Worth — she was inspirational, someone we would want to have a conversation with and who guided us through the program with care and ease — but she never let us off the hook easily.

Q: What was your most challenging class?

A: Human Physiology 

Q: Did you have a favorite hangout on campus? 

A: There were two: Garden Bowl on Woodward and Cutters in Eastern Market. My classmates and I always had a great time at those places after a long day of didactic classes.

Q: Share some reflections about your time at Wayne State.

A: WSU was my graduate school, so I did not have much opportunity to experience campus outside of the Applebaum Building and the DMC campus. All of our didactic and clinical instruction occurred in those locations. Our nurse anesthesiology program was small and tightknit compared to other health programs, which I think helped lead to our success in becoming CRNAs.

Q: In your opinion, what is one of the biggest changes that has occurred in your profession since graduating?

A: I think nurse anesthesiology is always changing and evolving, whether it is pharmaceuticals or equipment and technology. A major development within the last few years has been the movement to formally train CRNAs at the doctoral level.

Q: Tell us a bit about your career.

A: After finishing my degree in 2004, I moved to Washington, DC, where I began my nurse anesthesiology career at MedStar Health. During that time, I was the clinical coordinator at MedStar Washington Hospital Center for the Georgetown University nurse anesthesiology residents. Additionally, I served on the Advanced-Practice Clinician Council and became the first non-physician advanced practice provider to have a voting seat on the Medical/Dental Board of MedStar Washington Hospital Center from 2019-21. In 2021, I moved to an independent practice full-time and have been working in outpatient settings since. Also in 2021, I was elected to the Board of Directors of the Nurse Anesthesiology Pride Foundation, where we work to promote diversity and inclusion in the profession by supporting LGBTQ+ CRNAs and SRNAs through mentorship, scholarship and professional networking.

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WSU Applebaum’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program is led by exceptional faculty and clinical instructors dedicated to the profession and the teaching of students using state-of-the-art teaching facility and anesthesia classrooms. The DNAP degree is 36 months, designed to offer registered nurses an advanced education and full scope of practice as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Graduates will also meet the requirements for the National Certification Examination. Learn more about the application process and make plans to attend a college information meeting, held for prospective students at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.

An anchor in urban health care

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is built on more than 100 years of tradition and innovation in the heart of Detroit. We have grown deep roots in our city, harnessing its powerhouse hospital systems and community service organizations as vibrant, real-world training grounds for students, with an ongoing focus on social justice in health care. And our research at all levels – from undergraduates to veteran faculty members – translates into creative solutions for healthier communities.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 24,000 students.