The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast

In this episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast, host Jeremy Heiner, is joined by co-host Mark Gabot, and special guest Zohn Centimole, PhD, CRNA, for a practical discussion about moving “beyond the BIS Index number”and using electroencephalography (EEG) to better understand the brain’s response to anesthesia. The conversation explores how raw and processed EEG can provide anesthesia professionals with a real-time...

Hypotension can occur during surgery and anesthesia in patients with a history of hypertension who take angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocking (ARB) medications. In this episode Jeremy and Mark talk about what the current evidence says about holding or allowing patients to take their ACEI or ARB on the day of surgery. This has been a hot topic in the anesthesia community with no clear guide...

We spend a lot of time and effort attempting to prevent aspiration during anesthesia, and advising patients to avoid eating or drinking before surgery is an established practice. In this episode, Jeremy and Mark discuss new guidelines from an international multidisciplinary panel that challenges some long established NPO practices. Some of the big shake-ups include allowing clear liquids up to the time of surgery, permitting a smal...

In this episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast, Jeremy explores the supporting evidence, mechanisms, and clinical applications of high flow nasal oxygenation (HFNO) in anesthesia practice with Simon McDonald and Amanda Virginia. These experts share their insights on how HFNO technology enhances patient safety during airway management, procedural sedation, and extubation. 

During their conversation, Jeremy, Simon, and Amanda di...

It's Q&A time with Sass and Jeremy...where they willingly subject themselves—and you—to the intellectual equivalent of laryngoscopy without topicalization! In this episode they dive headfirst (cephalad to caudad of course) into the pharyngeal and laryngeal anatomy that every anesthesia provider thinks they remember… until they don’t. From the classic “wait… is that CN IX or CN X?” mom...

In this episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast, Jeremy talks with Roxane McMurray, DNP, CRNA, APRN who is the creator of the McMurray Enhanced Airway (MEA). The MEA is in a new airway device classification known as “Distal Pharyngeal Airways” or DPAs. Her innovative device is placed orally to help maintain a patent airway in patients who are at risk for upper airway obstruction while under anesthesia or even during air...

Episode Summary

Jeremy and Sass discuss the anesthetic management for a thyroidectomy in this 43rd episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast.

They first review the physiology and signs and symptoms of both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, and then review the essential case management strategies for this front of neck procedure. A key part of the anesthesia management is the pharmacology that’s involved, and knowing what type o...

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast Jeremy discusses the medications used to block/inhibit/blunt the sympathetic response to laryngoscopy and intubation. He discusses the mechanisms of how lidocaine, fentanyl, esmolol, or dexmedetomidine can be used to limit or even prevent the tachycardia and hypertension that can occur from placing a laryngoscope blade into the hypopharynx. 

Gear up…because w...

Jeremy & Mark focus on another potential anesthesia critical event in this 41st episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast…the rare but frothy crisis known as Negative Pressure Pulmonary Edema (NPPE). 

They discuss the clinical presentation, signs and symptoms, etiology, pathophysiology, and most importantly…the management of this potential problem that can occur after general anesthesia or even during the critic...

Episode Summary

Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken a bit of a break from the podcast. But we're back for our first episode of 2026! We wanted to start out the year by reviewing some of the best papers in 2025. 

In this episode Mark and Jeremy each select two of their favorite papers from the past year. They discuss preoxygenation and anesthesia case management using high flow nasal oxygenation, review ultrasound guided n...

One of the best ways we learn is by answering questions. In this episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast Jeremy and Sass cover several Hypermetabolic Syndromes in Round 8 of our Q&A format. We like to periodically host these episodes as a way to sharpen our thinking, reinforce the fundamentals, and keep our clinical decision-making strong.

Answering questions about content we’ve learned in the past helps our brains develop...

Sass and Jeremy talk about the preparation and perioperative management of a patient who requires the removal of a pheochromocytoma. They discuss the important preoperative optimization that’s required to appropriately care for these patients, and what you can do if you ever experience an unexpected pheochromocytoma during the anesthetic care of your patients.

References

1.    Elisha S. “Anesthesia Case Manageme...

In this episode of the Nurse Anesthesia Podcast, Jeremy sits down with two SUPERSTAR ultrasound and acute pain management educators…Nicolette Hooge, DNP, CRNA, FAANA and Christian Falyar, DNAP, CRNA, FAANA from the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia. They talk about the core ultrasound-guided anesthesia nerve blocks that every CRNA should learn and have available as part of their skill set for anesthesia practice. 

If...

Our guests in this episode are Christian Falyar, DNAP, CRNA, FAANA and Nicolette Hooge, DNP, CRNA, FAANA from the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia. They are some of the top educators of regional anesthesia in the country, and direct the only Acute Surgical Pain Management Fellowship for CRNAs. They literally are the rock stars of regional anesthesia! Jeremy had the opportunity to sit down with them and talk about the state of ...

In this episode Jeremy talks about a powerful dual-technique for intubation that blends two modern airway tools — the video laryngoscope and the single-use flexible intubating scope — into a single, coordinated approach.

He calls this method Videolaryngoscopy Including Flexible Intubation, or VIFI. This airway technique combines the visibility of the videolaryngoscope with the precision of the flexible intubating scope.&...

In this episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast, Jeremy, Sass, Mark, and Chloe Gomez discuss the evolution of Topical Thunder for Awake Intubation. They examine how this topical technique for anesthetizing the airway was developed, and talk about each of their unique experiences with Topical Thunder for awake intubation. 

Topical Thunder is a technique that uses only topical lidocaine to anesthetize the airway in preparation fo...

In this episode of The Nurse Anesthesia Podcast, Sass and Jeremy talk about the most commonly used benzodiazepine in anesthesia practice…Midazolam. Without a doubt, this is one of the medications we use frequently to help relieve patient anxiety prior to an operation…it’s just like the Ramones sing…”(They) Wanna Be Sedated!”

You won’t want to miss the discussion between Jeremy and Sass as...

This is the 7th round of Q&A with TNA, and in this round Jeremy and Sass ask some questions and give some answers on Inotropic medications including Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, Milrinone, Dobutamine, Dopamine, and Isoproterenol. 

This is a perfect episode to brush up on your question and answer skills while learning or relearning these medications at the same time!

About The Nurse Anesthesia

We are building a commUNITY of le...

The Nurse Anesthesia Team gets together on this episode to talk all things cricothyrotomy in preparation for the AANA Annual Congress in Nashville! Jeremy, Sass, and Mark will be hosting and running the Advanced Airway Skills Workshop at the Annual Congress. Part of that workshop includes practicing several cricothyrotomy techniques. 

In this episode, they discuss the three cricothyrotomy techniques that include: (1) percutaneo...