Newswise — Park Ridge, Illinois—Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Susan Perry, PhD, CRNA, ARNP, FAAN, Col(ret), NC, USAF, was inducted as a 2017 fellow into the American Academy of Nursing during the Academy’s annual policy conference October 5-7, 2017, in Washington, D.C. Perry, a resident of Tampa, Florida, joins more than 2,500 other nurse leaders in the academy, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 29 countries.

An assertive and action-oriented educator, Perry has worked throughout her career to improve nursing and nurse anesthesia programs, reduce attrition, and improve comprehension and the quality of care in those fortunate enough to be under her instruction. “Because of Susan’s tutelage, hundreds of advanced practice nurses, specifically nurse anesthetists, were ready to fulfill a critical shortage in the armed services nursing workforce,” says Bruce Schoneboom, PhD, CRNA, FAAN, who nominated Perry for induction.

As a researcher, Perry has made great strides in the potentially deadly malignant hyperthermia syndrome (MHS), traditionally thought of as a genetic inherited condition, “which triggers massive release of calcium stores, rapidly increasing body temperature and resulting in death following exposure to anesthetic agents,” according to Perry colleague Christine Kasper, a senior research scientist with the Veterans Administration, who sponsored Perry’s induction. “Dr. Perry determined that MHS patients also had an abnormal response to stress and exogenous norepinephrine, which could trigger a thermal crisis without exposure to anesthesia.”

As a new fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, Perry intends to use her military, education, and research experiences as part of the Military/Veterans Health Expert Panel. She will work to break down barriers to expanded access to APRN-directed health care. Also an advocate for chronic pain management, Perry wants to educate the next generation of nurses at all levels in pain management.

“I am honored to have been selected as a Fellow and look forward to using this opportunity to advocate for our profession and the health of our global community,” said Perry.

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists congratulates Susan Perry on her accomplished career and her induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

About the American Academy of Nursing
The AAN serves the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. The academy’s fellows are nursing’s most accomplished leaders in education, management, practice, and research. They have been recognized for their extraordinary contributions to nursing and healthcare.

About the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Founded in 1931 and located in Park Ridge, Ill., and Washington, D.C., the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is the professional organization representing more than 52,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists across the United States. As advanced practice registered nurses and anesthesia specialists, CRNAs administer approximately 43 million anesthetics to patients in the United States each year and are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America. In some states, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia professionals in nearly 100 percent of rural hospitals. For more information, visit www.aana.com and www.future-of-anesthesia-care-today.com.