Class of 2022

• Emotional Intelligence Score as a Factor for Student Selection in Nurse Anesthesia Programs

• The Role of Dexmedetomidine for a Gentle Approach to Pediatric Intravenous Access

• Using a Standardized Handoff Tool to Improve Communication

• Technique for Improving First-time Epidural Placement in the Laboring Parturient

• Dexmedetomidine: An Adjunct in Relieving Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgeries

• Cognitive Aids and Managing Simulated Intraoperative Emergencies

• Correcting Perioperative Refractive Hypotension in Patients Receiving Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Blocking Medications

• Emotional Intelligence Score as a Factor for Student Selection in Nurse Anesthesia Programs

• Using a Standardized Handoff Tool to Improve Communication

• Efficacy of Ketamine Infusions for Treatment-Resistant Depression

• Chest X-ray Interpretation: Teaching Resources for Non-Radiologists

• Bioanalytical Methods Used to Detect Propofol Abuse in Healthcare Providers

• Correcting Perioperative Refractive Hypotension in Patients Receiving Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Blocking Medications

• Safety of Intrathecal Dexmedetomidine for Cesarean Section

• Bioanalytical Methods Used to Detect Propofol Abuse in Healthcare Providers

• Intranasal Ketamine to Facilitate Peripheral Intravenous Access in Children

• The Effects of Erector Spinae Plane Blocks on Postoperative Pain and Opioid Consumption in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery

• Safety and Efficacy of Remimazolam: An Evidence-based Review

• The Effects of Erector Spinae Plane Blocks on Postoperative Pain and Opioid Consumption in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery

• Efficacy of Ketamine Infusions for Treatment-Resistant Depression

• Chest X-ray Interpretation: Teaching Resources for Non-Radiologists

• Technique for Improving First-time Epidural Placement in the Laboring Parturient

• Safety of Intrathecal Dexmedetomidine for Cesarean Section

• Emotional Intelligence Score as a Factor for Student Selection in Nurse Anesthesia Programs

• Dexmedetomidine: An Adjunct in Relieving Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgeries

• The Role of Dexmedetomidine for a Gentle Approach to Pediatric Intravenous Access

• Anesthesia Provider’s Disengagement:Is Chronic Exhaustion the Reason?

• Intranasal Ketamine to Facilitate Peripheral Intravenous Access in Children

 

Class of 2021

• Analgesic Efficacy of Interspace Between the Popliteal Artery and Capsule of the Knee Block Combined with Adductor Canal Block Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

• Chronic Exhaustion and Disengagement

• Clinical Outcomes in Patients Who Underwent Deep Extubation with LMA

• Crisis Resource Management and Improved Patient Outcomes

• Does Dexmedetomidine Decrease Emergence Delirium In Pediatrics?

• Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Emergence Delirium in Patients with and without Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

• Opioid-Sparing Anesthesia: Gabapentin and Postoperative Pain

• Prevention of Ventilatory Compromise of Mechanically Ventilated Patients During Transport

• Stop-Bang Score in Adults and Sleep Medicine Referral

• Succinylcholine versus Rocuronium for Rapid Sequence Induction

• Sugammadex or Neostigmine for Neuromuscular Blocking Reversal Agents

• Videolaryngoscopy versus Direct Laryngoscopy in Adult Patients Requiring Endotracheal Intubation for General Anesthesia

 

Class of 2020

• Reducing the Incidence of Postoperative Delirium or Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in the Elderly

• Perioperative Administration of Dexamethasone and Postoperative Glucose Levels in Diabetic Patients

• CRNA Use of Mobile Information Technology in the Patient Care Setting

• Opioid-Free Anesthesia to Decrease the Incidence of Long-Term Postsurgical Opioid Abuse

• Efficacy of Oral and Intravenous Acetaminophen for Pain Management in Joint Arthroplasty

• Pediatric Emergence Delirium and an Effective Dose of Dexmedetomidine

• Tranexamic Acid for Post-Partum Hemorrhage

• Dural Puncture Epidural Technique Compared with Conventional Epidural Technique for Labor Analgesia

• Dexmedetomidine and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

• Cognitive Aids and Managing Simulated Intraoperative Emergencies

• The Timing and Efficacy of Transverse Abdominis Plane Blocks for Laparoscopic Surgery

• Prevention and Management of Barriers to Substance Use Disorder Among Anesthesia Professionals

• Uniport vs Multiport Epidural Catheters for Labor Analgesia

• Opioid Free Anesthesia in the Chronic Pain Patient to Manage Intraoperative Pain

• Intrathecal Catheter for Post-Dural Puncture Headache

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Class of 2019 

• Analgesic Effect of Pectoral Nerve Block Following Mastectomy 

• Pediatric Obesity Surgical Selection Guidelines in Ambulatory Surgical Settings 

• Dexamethasone for Prevention of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting 

• The Effectiveness of Mentoring to Improve Confidence and Decision-Making for the Novice Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 

• Lung Protective Ventilatory Strategies  

• Acupoint Stimulation at P6 for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting 

• Ketamine Infusions for the Treatment of Chronic Neuropathic Pain 

• Treatment of Labor Pain with Nitrous Oxide 

• Best Practices to Mitigate Emergence Delirium in Patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 

• Perioperative Glycemic Control 

 

Class of 2018 (First year completing the scholarly work in pairs of 2) 

• Does Anesthetic Technique Contribute to Post-Mastectomy Cancer Recurrence? 

• Ketamine and Treatment-Resistant Depression 

• Lack of Wellness Resources for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists in the Workplace 

• Anesthetic Implications of Electronic Cigarette Use by Surgical Patients 

• The Use of Tranexamic Acid for the Management of Post-Partum Hemorrhage 

• Addressing the Barriers to Implementing Problem-Based Learning 

• The Effects of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Use during Anesthesia on the Post-Surgical Recurrence of Malignant Breast Cancer 

• Certified Register Nurse Anesthetist Clinical Preceptor Feedback Optimization 

• Outcomes of Patients Receiving Various Blood Component Ratios in Massive Transfusion Scenarios 

 

Class of 2017 

• Goal Directed Fluid Therapy Employing Minimally Invasive Cardiac Output Monitoring in High-Risk Surgery 

• A Review of the Evidence of Intrathecal Hydromorphone and Postoperative Pain Control After Cesarean Delivery 

• The Efficacy of Administering Intramuscular or Subcutaneous Ephedrine Before Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery to Prevent Hypotension 

• A Comparison of Topical Versus Regional Anesthesia Technique in Cataract Surgery 

• Does Gabapentin Decrease Radicular Pain?  

• Are Outcomes Improved with the Use of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Protocols for Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery? 

• Potent Inhalation Agent Effect on Post Anesthesia Care Unit Discharge Times and Total Anesthetic Cost  

• Transabdominal Plane Block and Its Effect on Gynecological Surgeries 

• Tranexamic Acid and Postpartum Hemorrhage 

• Does Gastric Decompression Affect the Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting? 

• Evidence-based Review of Methods to Control Supraglottic Airway Cuff Pressures to Reduce the Incidence of Pharyngolaryngeal Morbidities 

• Intranasal Ketamine Versus Intranasal Midazolam as Premedication in Pediatric Patients  

• An Evidence-Based Review Examining Telehealth’s Use in the Pre-Anesthetic Evaluation 

• Influence on Recovery Time of No- or Low-Opioid Anesthetic Techniques for Obese Patients Undergoing Weight Loss Surgery  

• Liposomal Bupivacaine of Transversus Abdominal Plane Blocks  After Cesarean Delivery 

• Aprepitant Interactions with Commonly Used Perioperative Medications  

• Intraoperative Ventilatory Strategies in Morbidly Obese Patients Undergoing Laparoscopy Procedures 

• Evidence-Based Review Evaluating the Effect of the Timing of Intravenous Acetaminophen and the Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting 

• Hyperoxia and Postoperative Atelectasis 

• The Efficacy of Intravenous Acetaminophen in Reducing Postoperative Opioid Use in Adults 

 

Class of 2016 

• In adult patients with difficult venous access (population), does midline catheter insertion (intervention) or central venous catheter insertion (comparison) offer a lower risk of complications (outcome)? 

• For patients during the immediate preoperative period (P), does the aromatherapy use of lavender (I) reduce anxiety (O)? 

• What has been the impact on patient care, employment opportunities, roles, and the healthcare system in general (O) of APNs (P) prepared with a DNP degree (I)? 

• For hospital employees such as CRNAs and administrators (P), what benefits (O), are realized through the implementation of wellness programs or initiatives (I)? 

• In patients undergoing extremity surgery, do peripheral regional anesthesia blocks placed before surgery result in better postoperative pain relief compared with peripheral regional anesthesia blocks placed postoperatively? 

• Does the use of video laryngoscope by non-anesthesia personnel increase the success rate of endotracheal intubation? 

• Do parturients (P), treated with epidural analgesia (I) have a greater incidence of fever (O) compared to parturients not treated with epidural analgesia (C)? 

• What is the effect of noise in the operating room (intervention) on the vigilance (outcome) of anesthesia providers (population)? 

• For patients undergoing cardiac ablation for AF under general anesthesia, does jet ventilation produce better surgical conditions and outcomes? 

• Are TAP blocks effective in controlling pain for postoperative laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients? 

• In (P) adults presenting for major elective surgery, does (I) intraoperative GDFT compared to (C) traditional fluid therapy improve (O) postoperative cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes? 

• How safe and effective in minimizing blood loss (O) is the use of IV tranexamic acid (I) in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (P)? 

• For patients with suspected risk of aspiration (patient), how effective is the application of cricoid pressure (intervention) in preventing aspiration (outcome)? 

• Does the use of ketamine as an general anesthetic adjunct (intervention) reduce the probability of worsening chronic pain symptoms in patients with pre-existing chronic pain (population)? 

• For patients receiving peripheral nerve blocks for upper extremity surgery (patient) will the addition of dexamethasone to the local anesthetic compared with local anesthetics alone for the peripheral nerve block (comparison) increase the duration of pain relief (outcome)? 

• For those parturients (patient) undergoing a cesarean delivery who receive intrathecal opioids, is the prophylactic administration of a single dose of a medication (intervention) compared with no intervention (comparison) efficacious in preventing pruritus (outcome) 

• What are the causes of first case OR delays (intervention) and what approaches may successfully address this problem (outcome)? 

• Can skilled nurses (I) determine which surgical patients require (P) anesthesia provider assessments before the day of surgery? 

• In healthy parturients requesting PCEA for labor analgesia (P), is there a difference in patient satisfaction and method of delivery (O) between a higher continuous basal infusion rate of local anesthetic and low bolus dose (C) and a lower continuous basal infusion rate and a higher bolus dose (I)? 

• Do patients with BMI > 35 kg/m2 and associated comorbidities undergoing GI endoscopic procedures (patient) with deep sedation using propofol administered by an anesthesia provider (intervention) have an increased rate of airway and respiratory-related complications (outcome)? 

• For the elderly patient undergoing non-cardiac surgery, is the likelihood of developing POCD influenced by the type of anesthesia, the agent utilized, or the depth of general anesthesia maintained? 

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Class of 2015 

• What are the Benefits of Using Dexmedetomidine with Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Undergoing General or Monitored Anesthesia? 

• Does the use of Ultrasound Guidance Improve the Safety and Efficacy of Placing Peripheral Nerve Blocks? 

• The Addition of Transversus Abdominal Plane Block to General Anesthesia in Adults 

• Undergoing Abdominal Surgery: Are Patients Satisfied? 

• Breastfeeding After General Anesthesia 

• Cultural Sensitivity Training of Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Educator 

• Intravenous Acetaminophen  for Post-operative Pain Control after Cesarean Section or Other Abdominal Surgery 

• The Influence of Active Endrotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure Monitoring or Pressure Adjustment on Post-Operative Sore Throat 

• A Review of the Literature on the Effectiveness of Using Warmed Preoperative Intravenous Fluids to Reduce Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia 

• Hypothermia Associated with Intrathecal Opioids 

• Safety of Chlorhexidine Usage in Neuraxial Anesthesia 

• An Evidence-Based Review Comparing Intravenous and Intrathecal Dexmedetomidine for Extending the Duration of a Spinal Anesthetic 

• The Use of Ketamine as An Adjunct Agent in Sedation 

• In Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Does the Use of Cerebral Oximetry Help Prevent Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction? 

• Ketamine and the Treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome 

• Pediatric Video Laryngoscopy 

• Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in Graduate Students: Could it be Worth Offering to Nurse Anesthesia Students 

• Accuracy of Stroke Volume Variation to Guide Intraoperative Fluid Management 

• Laryngeal Mask Airway Compared with Endotracheal Tube Use in the Morbidly Obese 

• Efficacy of ROTEM in Massive Transfusion Resuscitation 

• Transformational Leadership, and Performance Outcome in Nursing Practice 

• Methods to Decrease Constipation in Patients Undergoing Non-abdominal Surgery 

• Contributing Factors to the Diversion and Abuse of Controlled Substances in Nurse Anesthesia Students 

• Cerebral Oximetry: Is it Improving Neurologic Outcomes in Adult Cardiac Surgeries? 

• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in the Prevention of Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, Breast Surgery, and Termination of Pregnancy 

• Evidence for using Bispectral Analysis During General Anesthesia 

• Safe Driving After Propofol Sedation 

• Methods to Decrease Emergence Agitation in Adults 

• Pediatric Procedural Sedation. 

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Class of 2014 

• Anesthetic Technique and Reducing Cancer Recurrence in Cancer-Related Surgery 

• Evidence for Interventions Leading to Job Satisfaction in Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 

• Anesthesia Method for Esophagogastroduodenoscopy 

• Risk of Cancer for Operating Room Personnel 

• Non-pharmacologic Prevention of Postoperative Sore Throat in the Patient Undergoing Elective Surgery 

• Techniques for Preventing Intraneural Injection and Neurovascular Compromise in Upper Extremity Peripheral Nerve Blocks 

• Laparoscopic Pulmonary Complications 

• Evidence for Using Transverse Abdominus Plane Blocks Plus Intrathecal Narcotic or Continuous Epidural Anesthesia for Postoperative Pain Management in Patients Having Transabdominal Surgery 

• Pharmacological and Non-pharmacological Interventions for Pediatric Emergence Delirium 

• Pediatric Emergence Delirium: An Evidence-Based Approach 

• Avoiding Complications of Spinal Anesthesia in the Prone Position 

• Preventing Hypotension with Efficacious Fluid Management for Cesarean Delivery 

• Evaluating the Adult Ambulatory Surgical Patient in Small Critical Access Hospitals 

• Prevention of Accidental Perioperative Hypothermia in Surgical Patients by Infusing Warm Intravenous Fluids 

• Methods to Decrease Pain with Propofol Administration 

• Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System Antagonism and General Anesthesia 

• Tonsillectomy and Ketorolac 

• Evaluation of the Risks of Routine Orogastric or Nasogastric Tube Placement in Healthy Surgical Patients Prior to Laparoscopic Procedures 

• Laryngeal Mask for Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy 

• Gastroenterologist-Directed Propofol Administration 

• Monitoring Cerebral Circulation of Patients Undergoing Shoulder Surgery in the Beach Chair Position 

• Neuraxial Interventions to Prevent Postdural Puncture Headache 

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Class of 2013 

• Use of Thromboelastography Analysis in the Conservation of Blood Components 

• Implementation of Glucose Control Protocols for the Cardiothoracic Surgery Patient 

• An Evidence-Based Review of the Pharmacokinetics of Epinephrine Administered via the Intraosseous Route During Cardiac Arrest 

• Anesthesia and Chronic Pain 

• Evidence for Using Transversus Abdominis Plane Block with Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery 

• Effective Methods of Teaching Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia 

• Pharyngolaryngeal Complications of Laryngeal Mask Airway Use During Non-Airway Surgery 

• Comparison of Peripheral Nerve Block with Continuous Epidural Analgesia for Total Knee Arthroplasty 

• An Evidence-Based Review of the Use of QuikClot Combat Gauze for Hemorrhage Control 

• Prolonged Postoperative Peripheral Nerve Block Analgesia 

• Interventions to Reduce Anesthesia Medication Administration Errors 

• An Evidenced-Based Review of Talent Management Implementation Practices 

• In the Morbidly Obese Patient Undergoing Bariatric surgery, What are Alternative Methods of Analgesia to Traditional Opioids? 

• Novel Preoperative Pharmacologic Methods of  Preventing Postoperative Sore Throat due to Tracheal Intubation 

• A Review of the Evidence for Active Preoperative Warming of Adults Undergoing General Anesthesia 

• Postoperative Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea 

• Alternative Methods for use of the GlideScope Videolaryngoscope 

• Anesthesia Continuity of Care  

• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome 

• Does the Use of Ultrasound Improve Anesthesia Trainee Success with Epidural Placement in the Parturient Population? 

• Ambulatory Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blockade 

• Anesthetic Management of Pediatric Patients with Sleep Apnea 

• An Update: Use of Prone Laryngeal Mask Airway Devices in Patients in the Prone Position 

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Class of 2012 

• In patients undergoing circulatory arrest, what pharmacological agents other than thiopental will decrease the incidence of cerebral injury? 

• What is the best method for ensuring timely perioperative prophylactic antibiotic administration?   

• In pediatric patients undergoing myringotomy and tube placement, what are the optimal methods of providing analgesia in the immediate postop period. 

• In adult patients with difficult IV access is ultrasound guidance a viable technique to place PIV catheters compared to conventional methods resulting in with higher success rates and avoidance of CVC placement? 

• What is optimal perioperative management for patients with aortic stenosis presenting for noncardiac surgery in a rural hospital? 

• In the trauma patients  requiring massive transfusion, does administering a 1:1 ratio of plasma to packed red blood cells decrease trauma related morbidity and mortality compared to administering less plasma? 

• In pediatric patients presenting for surgery, what is the safest method of managing patients with signs and symptoms of upper respiratory infection? 

• In patients undergoing outpatient procedures suitable for spinal anesthesia, is 2-chloroprocaine a safe and effective alternative to lidocaine and other local anesthetic agents? 

• In adult surgical patients, what are the best methods to prevent OSA-related morbidity and mortality in the postoperative period? 

• In uncomplicated patients between the ages of 12 and 80 presenting for procedures such as joint relocation and abscess incision and drainage in the emergency department, what is the efficacy and safety of anesthesia provider-administered sedation? 

• For elderly patients with hip fractures, what are best methods of providing analgesia to provide safe and effective pain relief? 

• In parturients undergoing neuraxial analgesia and/or anesthesia, what are the effective methods of preventing and treating shivering? 

• What are the advere incidents associated with GlideScope® videolayngoscopy as a nontraditional method of placing an endotracheal tube in patients requiring intubation? 

• In patients undergoing femoral anesthesia, does the addition of preoperative forced-air warming blankets to intraoperative warming methods, when compared to intraoperative warming methods alone, result in decreased inadvertent perioperative hypothermia? 

• In patients requiring massive transfusion, does increasing the transfusion ratio of plasma to packed red blood cells decrease coagulopathy and improve survival in the trauma patient compared to one unit of fresh frozen plasma per three units of packed red cells? 

• In adults, does restrictive fluid management yield better outcomes compared to the conventional algorithm for perioperative fluid management? 

• For patients undegoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), what is the optimal anesthetic management technique? 

• For women in active labor is analgesia achieved with a remifentanil patient controlled analgesia comparable to analgesia achieved with neuraxial techniques? 

 

Class 2011 

• How to implement effective means for decreasing the incidence of lateral violence among the hospital' s operating room staff. 

• Does changing to desflurane after a sevoflurane induction reduce the incidence of emergence delirium in pediatric patients? 

• Can the use of a teaching tool be beneficial to Pennsylvania state legislators as they consider Pennsylvania House Bill 1866 for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists? 

• Implementation of anesthesia information management systems. 

• In the elderly patient undergoing hip surgery, does the use of regional anesthesia significantly improve patient outcomes when compared to general anesthesia? 

• Predicting the success of a nurse anesthesia student by developing and utilizing a rubric for admission requirements. 

• Predicting success of nurse anesthesia students. 

• Is there a minimum threshold for the platelet count where an epidural can be placed safely in a parturient with trombocytopenia compared to a parturient with normopenia? 

• In labor patients with an epidural for analgesia using either ropivacaine or bupivacaine, does the addition of fentanyl improve patient satisfaction? 

• With regards to the insertion of a continuous lumbar epidural in laboring parturients, which loss of resistance technique results in a lower re-dose rate and less patchy block: air or saline? 

• What is the effect of preoperative identification of high-risk PONV patients on their receipt of anti-emetic treatment according to recommended practice guidelines proposed by ASPAN among Veterans undergoing surgery? 

• Perioperative use of supplemental oxygen to help lessen post operative nausea and vomiting and decrease surgical site infections. 

• In parturients undergoing cesarean delivery, is phenylephrine or ephedrine the preferred agent to reduce episodes of maternal hypotension and improve fetal outcome after subarachnoid block? 

• The periop management of the cardiac patient with coronary artery stents presenting for non-cardiac surgery. 

• In a time-limited anesthesia training seminar in a developing country, can a learner-needs assessment tool develop an appropriate curriculum? 

• In adult female patients for elective cosmetic surgery, do patients receiving sevoflurane as the primary general anesthetic spend significantly less time in the facility compared to those patients receiving isoflurane as the primary general anesthetic? 

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