Schedule of NAFA VCU Annual Anesthesia Conference – Universal Studios 2026

Monday, June 8, 2026 – Thursday, June 11, 2026
Schedule is subject to change

Meet the Speakers | Event Registration Page

Monday, June 8, 2026

6:15 a.m. — Breakfast with Exhibitors & Welcome Desk

7:00 a.m. — Welcome and Opening Remarks | Nicole Damico, PhD, CRNA, CHSE, FAANA

7:15 a.m. — Difficult Airway Management: Current Recommendations – 1 CE | Rebekah Carmel, PhD, CRNA

Objective: Evaluate current evidence-based guidelines for difficult airway management.

8:15 a.m. — Medication Therapy and Cardiovascular Risk: 2024 Perioperative Guidelines Every CRNA Should Know – 1 CE – .25 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE | Crystal Hunnicutt, DNAP, CRNA

Objectives:

    1. Incorporate guideline-directed strategies into individualized preoperative plans to enhance patient safety and reduce perioperative cardiac complications.
    2. Apply guideline-based considerations for the perioperative management of beta-blockers, anticoagulants, statins, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and other cardiovascular medications.

9:15 a.m. — Refreshment Break with Exhibitors

9:30 a.m. — The Hidden Toll: Identifying and Supporting Second Victims in Clinical Practice Concepts – 1 CE | Crystal Hunnicutt, DNAP, CRNA

Objectives:

    1. Recognize the emotional, psychological, and professional impacts experienced by healthcare providers following adverse patient events.
    2. Explore strategies for supporting colleagues affected by second victim experiences, including peer support models and institutional resources.

10:30 a.m. — From Neostigmine to Sugammadex: Lessons from a Decade of Change – 1 CE
1 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE

Objectives:

    1. Analyze the impact of sugammadex on perioperative outcomes, including the incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade and postoperative complications, over the last decade since approval by the FDA.
    2. Describe current recommendations for the use of sugammandex in diverse patient populations. 

11:30 a.m. — Question & Answer Session – 1 CE 

Objective: Further discuss evidence-based airway and cardiovascular management, support strategies for second victims, and pharmacologic advancements in neuromuscular blockade reversal to enhance anesthesia care.

12:30 p.m. — Scientific Poster Review – 2 CE

Formal time for virtual assessment