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:
Incorporate guideline-directed strategies into individualized preoperative plans to enhance patient safety and reduce perioperative cardiac complications.
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:
Recognize the emotional, psychological, and professional impacts experienced by healthcare providers following adverse patient events.
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 | Nicole Damico, PhD, CRNA, CHSE, FAANA
Objectives:
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.
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.
Lunch and Learn: Aspiration to Admission: Guiding Your First Steps Toward Nurse Anesthesiology Panel Presentations & Discussion: Nicole Damico, PhD, CRNA, CHSE, FAANA and Rebekah Carmel, PhD, CRNA
Thinking about a career in nurse anesthesiology? This session is designed to help you move from curiosity to confident preparation. Learn what to expect on the path to becoming a CRNA—from understanding different types of nurse anesthesiology programs and clinical site models to the essentials of doctoral education.
We’ll cover how to build a strong CV, prepare for interviews, and make the most of shadowing opportunities. Whether you're just starting to explore the profession or ready to take your first steps, this session offers practical strategies to help you prepare for success.
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
6:15 a.m. — Breakfast with Exhibitors & Welcome Desk
7:00 a.m. — CRNAs and Suicide: Raising Awareness, Reducing Stigma, Saving Lives– 1 CE | Crystal Hunnicutt, DNAP, CRNA
Objectives:
Identify peer support tools and institutional resources available to assist CRNAs experiencing suicidal ideation or mental health crisis.
Recognize the prevalence and impact of suicide and mental health challenges within the nurse anesthesia profession.
8:00 a.m. — Perioperative Challenges in Carcinoid Syndrome and Neuroendocrine Tumors – 1 CE | Crystal Hunnicutt, DNAP, CRNA
Objectives:
Identify common triggers of carcinoid crisis in the perioperative setting and their implications for anesthetic management.
Apply current best practices for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of patients with neuroendocrine tumors undergoing surgery.
9:00 a.m. — Break with Exhibitors
9:15 a.m. — GLP-1 agonists and DPP-4 Inhibitors: What Every Anesthesia Provider Should Know – 1 CE–1 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE | Rebekah Carmel, PhD, CRNA
Objectives:
Describe the mechanisms of action of GLP-1 receptor agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors.
Summarize current recommendations for perioperative management of patients on GLP-1 RAs and DPP-4 inhibitors.
10:15 a.m. — Substance Use Disorders in the OR: Practical Strategies for Nurse Anesthetists – 1 CE – .5 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE and .25 Pain CE | Rebekah Carmel, PhD, CRNA
Objective: Identify common substances of abuse and their acute and chronic effects on anesthetic care.
11:15 a.m. — Question & Answer Session – 1 CE
Objective: Further discuss mental health awareness, complex perioperative conditions, and pharmacologic considerations to strengthen anesthesia care and provider well-being.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
6:15 a.m. — Breakfast with Exhibitors & Welcome Desk
7:00 a.m. — This is your mind on plants: Psychedelics – 1 CE–1 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE | Crystal O'Guin, DNP, CRNA
Objectives:
Describe pharmacology and emerging research regarding psychedelic agents.
Develop strategies for preoperative assessment, intraoperative management, and postoperative care in patients with recent or chronic psychedelic exposure.
8:00 a.m. — Fat & blood & air, Oh my!: Embolic physiology and management for anesthesia – 1 CE | Crystal O'Guin, DNP, CRNA
Objectives:
Describe the pathophysiology of embolic events, including the mechanisms of gas, thrombotic, fat, and amniotic fluid emboli.
Develop a systematic approach to the management of embolic events in the perioperative setting, including immediate resuscitation, monitoring, and targeted interventions.
9:00 a.m. — Break with Exhibitors
9:15 a.m. — Demystifying AI: Building Foundational AI Literacy for CRNAs/RRNAs – 1 CE | Jiale (Gary) Hu, PhD, RN, FAAN
Objective: Describe the foundational concepts of artificial intelligence (AI) and the core principles (ACHIEVE) of using AI.
10:15 a.m. — Effective Prompting for Smarter Practice: A Guide to AI Prompt Engineering for CRNAs/RRNAs – 1 CE | Jiale (Gary) Hu, PhD, RN, FAAN
Objective: Practice common prompt engineering techniques and approaches for addressing specific challenges in real-world scenarios.
11:15 a.m. — Question & Answer Session – 1 CE
Objective: Further discuss the clinical implications of psychedelics, embolic physiology, and artificial intelligence to support informed anesthesia practice in real-world scenarios.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
6:15 a.m. — Breakfast with Exhibitors & Welcome Desk
7:00 a.m. — Tailoring Care: Personalized Anesthesia in the Era of Precision Medicine – 1 CE | Jiale (Gary) Hu, PhD, RN, FAAN
Objective: Explain how emerging technologies and data can be used to individualize anesthetic management and enhance patient outcomes through precision medicine.
8:00 a.m. — Beyond ACLS: Essentials for the anesthesia professional – 1 CE, .25 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE | Crystal O'Guin, DNP, CRNA
Objectives:
Analyze key differences in perioperative cardiac arrest management compared with traditional arrest.
Review best practices related to general management of intraoperative cardiac arrest (IOCA).
Discuss tailored management of unique operative cardiac arrest scenarios.
9:00 a.m. — Break with Exhibitors
9:15 a.m. — Minimization of postoperative cognitive dysfunction: Anesthesia’s role – 1 CE, .5 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE | Crystal O'Guin, DNP, CRNA
Objectives:
Discuss available tools for simple pre-anesthesia cognitive screening and frailty assessment.
Outline best practice sedation and analgesia drug selection in the frail and elderly.
10:15 a.m. — Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity (LAST): Early Recognition, Rapid Response 1 CE – .5 Pharmacology/Therapeutics CE | Nicole Damico, PhD, CRNA, CHSE, FAANA
Objectives:
Describe risk factors and prevention strategies for local anesthetic systemic toxicity, including patient-and procedure-specific considerations. 2.
Apply current evidence-based management protocols for LAST, including the use of intravenous lipid emulsion.
11:15 a.m. — Question & Answer Session – 1 CE
Objective: Further discuss key anesthesia practices to improve patient outcomes through precision care, emergency response, cognitive protection, and toxicity management.