NURSE ANESTHESIA

Graduated in 2020
Chief CRNA and Clinical Coordinator, Scheurer Health

Q: Why did you choose Wayne State University?

A: I attended Wayne State because it has the best reputation for producing very strong nurse anesthetists. The relationship that Wayne State has with the Detroit Medical Center and Detroit Receiving Hospital offers students unmatched clinical experience and gives the program an advantage over all others.

Q: What inspired you to pursue Nurse Anesthesia?

A: While in high school I participated in the Health Careers Program and had the opportunity to shadow in the OR at Wyandotte Hospital for a day. I was able to see a CRNA get the patient to sleep, intubate them and keep them stable. I was so fascinated and impressed, I knew I wanted to do anesthesia as a career.

Q: Who was your most memorable Professor?

A: Georgia Young is my most memorable professor. She has a unique way of lecturing that keeps you engaged and makes you understand even the most difficult topics. Additionally, she always had the best advice for students and her tips helped me survive some of my more intense clinical site rotations.

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

A: Attending Wayne State's Nurse Anesthesia Program was a combination of the best, worst, most rewarding, scariest, exhilarating, and overwhelming experiences all at the same time. It challenged me in ways I hadn't anticipated and not only molded me into a great CRNA but made me grow into the person I was meant to become.

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

A: The biggest change so far was Michigan deciding to opt-out of federal regulations that require physician supervision of CRNAs, allowing CRNA’s to practice independently!

Q: Share a career highlight or summary:

A: After graduating from Wayne State in 2020, I worked at DMC Harper University Hospital. I will be forever grateful for the experience I gained. As a new grad, Harper's anesthesia team supported me tremendously and taught me so much. In 2022, I took the opportunity to work at Scheurer Health, a critical-access rural hospital, as an independent-practice CRNA. I felt prepared because of the extensive training I had received, even though I had only been a practicing CRNA for 18 months. I quickly became the clinical coordinator for Student Nurse Anesthetists at Wayne State and Oakland Universities, and I precept students almost daily.

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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.