FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NURSE ANESTHESIA | | Summer doesn’t stop the good work we are doing in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia | | |
While the festivities of graduation have given way to the summer months, there is still plenty of activity within the Department of Nurse Anesthesia. This issue highlights the incredible work our students and faculty are undertaking.
First, I would like to express my condolences to the family of Gerald “Jerry” Clarke. His passing was an enormous loss to the department and the wider community at the College of Health Professions. In his honor, the Gerald “Jerry” F. Clarke Endowment Fund has been established through gifts.
I also want to extend a warm welcome to our new arrivals in the department and congratulate all the students who took the National Certification Examination. I am proud to say that 96% passed on their first attempt.
I invite you to read about all the exciting and important developments in our department. We are also thrilled to welcome all students back for the fall semester.
| | Nicole Damico, Ph.D., CRNA, CHSE, FAANA, Herbert T. Watson Endowed Professor and Chair, Nurse Anesthesia | | |
From concept to classroom
VCU’s first perfusion cohort builds momentum
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Just months after launching Virginia’s first Cardiovascular Perfusion program, Virginia Commonwealth University’s inaugural class is already moving from textbooks to operating rooms. In January, the master’s program welcomed its first 10-student cohort. Now in their second semester, students are advancing from foundational coursework into increasingly complex simulation training while preparing for clinical rotations that will begin this fall.
“For a brand-new program, it’s going great,” said Keith Pelletier, Ph.D., director. “The students are growing not only in their knowledge, but in how they apply that knowledge in clinical situations. That’s been exciting to watch.”
| | New regional simulation lab expands hands-on training in Southwest Virginia | | This spring, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon dedicated its new Regional Simulation Lab, the culmination of nearly two years of planning and fundraising to create the region’s most advanced clinical training environment. The state-of-the-art facility was made possible through investments from state legislators, regional partners, nonprofit organizations and private donors committed to strengthening Southwest Virginia’s health care workforce – in a campaign led by David Matlock, SVHEC executive director. | | Hunnicutt to be inducted as AANA Fellow | | |
Please join us in congratulating Crystal Hunnicutt, DNAP, CRNA, associate professor and director of Southwest Operations, who will be inducted as a 2026 Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (FAANA) later this month at the AANA Annual Congress. Fellowship is one of the profession's highest honors, recognizing CRNAs who have made outstanding contributions to nurse anesthesiology through leadership, education, research and service.
| | Two CHP students selected to present research at a major conference for nurse anesthetists | | |
Two doctoral students have been selected to present their research at the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiologists’ (AANA) 2026 annual congress in Boston.
Among the presenters will be Alexandra Rieker, BSN, RN, and Douglas Stanfill, BSN, RN, who are both nurse anesthesiology residents in VCU’s DNAP program.
Billed as nurse anesthesiology’s largest annual educational event, the congress is held from Aug. 21-26, featuring nationally recognized speakers, workshops and keynotes.
| | Clarke’s legacy lives on through new endowment | |
Long before virtual classrooms became commonplace and lecture recordings were just a click away, Gerald “Jerry” Clarke was quietly making distance education work.
Today, his impact continues through the Gerald “Jerry” F. Clarke Endowment Fund, established this year through gifts from 102 faculty members, administrators, alumni and friends. The fund will support simulation training, distance education, student needs and faculty development within the department – areas that reflected Clarke’s life’s work.
| Tanya Smith on being interim chief anesthetist at VCU, new workforce challenges, and how CHP still holds a place in her heart | | |
One of the newer leaders within the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System is Tanya Smith, CRNA, DNAP, who was named interim chief nurse anesthesiologist in October 2025. Having attended the College of Health Professions in the early 2000s, Smith has worked for VCU Health for decades and draws on her experience to guide the department into the future.
“I think the most rewarding part is fighting for the ones that you serve,” Smith said. “And then realizing that communication itself could fix a lot of our problems.”
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Invest in Nurse Anesthesia Today
Your gift to VCU’s Department of Nurse Anesthesia strengthens one of the nation’s top programs, supporting student success, simulation training and future nurse anesthetists who will care for patients across Virginia and beyond. You can direct your support toward scholarships, faculty excellence or planned giving opportunities. To give, click or tap the button below.
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Insights into the impact of loan limits for nurse anesthesia students
What it means for nurse anesthesia students
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Changes to student loan limits are concerning for students across the Commonwealth and the nation. Earlier this year, as part of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ the Department of Education proposed significant changes to loan limits and repayment programs that directly impact nursing students. The proposal classified nursing programs, including nurse anesthesia, as graduate rather than professional.
To better understand the impact of student loan limits on nurse anesthesia students and what the future may hold, we spoke with Christopher Simons, DNAP, CRNA, president-elect of the Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, and a graduate of VCU’s DNAP program, who has been following the issue.
| | VCU Nurse Anesthesia represented at VPAP luncheon | | This spring, the VCU Department of Nurse Anesthesia was well represented at the Virginia Public Access Project's (VPAP) "Lighten Up! It's Just Politics" luncheon in Richmond. Nickie Damico, Ph.D., CRNA, chair of Nurse Anesthesia, attended alongside VCU Nurse Anesthesia student Ali Mubariz, who was the only student in attendance. During the event, Mubariz met Gov. Abigail Spanberger and, along with Damico, joined Virginia Secretary of Finance Mark Sickles for the program. The department also extends its appreciation to the Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (VANA) for its continued support of CRNA advocacy. | | Looking ahead: 50 years of excellence | | |
As the NAFA VCU prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027, plans are underway for a milestone year of continuing education, professional development and celebration. Highlights include new partnerships, longstanding educational traditions and expanded opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. Stay tuned for more details about the anniversary celebration, a new NAFA VCU logo and additional continuing education offerings.
Upcoming Continuing Education Events
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August 2026: Joint Meeting with the Alaska Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AKANA), Alaska
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Fall 2026: 45th Annual Walt Disney World Continuing Education Conference (featuring concurrent CRNA and perfusion meetings)
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June 7-8, 2027: Aspiring CRNA Connections Program, Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort
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June 7-10, 2027: NAFA VCU Continuing Education Conference, Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort
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August 2028: Joint Meeting with the Alaska Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AKANA), Alaska
| | Southwest Virginia alumni reconnect at department reception | | |
In May, faculty from the VCU Department of Nurse Anesthesia gathered in Johnson City, Tennessee, to celebrate the department's Southwest Virginia alumni community. The reception brought together faculty and graduates from the Abingdon campus for an evening of conversation, connection and fellowship. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the event a success.
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VCU Department of Nurse Anesthesia
900 E. Leigh St., Box 980226
Richmond, VA 23298-0226
Phone: (804) 828-9808
Fax: (804) 828-0581
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