Nine student registered nurse anesthetists from the Bryan College of Health Sciences nurse anesthesia program completed their clinical training this spring, marking an important milestone as they transition into their roles as certified registered nurse anesthetists.
Six of the nine students who completed their clinical requirements at Nebraska Medicine will join the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology as CRNAs.
“Our students always graduate well prepared to enter the anesthesia workforce due to the wide variety of case types and experiences not found anywhere else in Nebraska,” said Nicholas Denich, CRNA, director of clinical education.
Graduating students reflected on how their clinical training shaped their readiness and confidence for clinical practice.
“UNMC holds special meaning for me, as it is where I worked as an ICU nurse and completed the majority of my SRNA clinicals,” said graduate Harrison Pearse, who will join UNMC as a staff CRNA. “The familiarity of the hospital, along with the anesthesia team’s approachable and easygoing nature, made it a welcoming environment while still pushing me to learn and improve each day.”
Karmen DeLancey, who previously served as a clinical research nurse coordinator in the department, is returning to UNMC. “I can’t believe how far we have come from day one of clinical at Nebraska Medicine,” she said. “Thank you for helping to get us here.”
The graduates and their future plans include:
- Sasha Balabanava – University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
- Susmita Basnet – University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
- Karmen DeLancey – University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
- Emily Haase – University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
- Luke Jensen – Colorado
- Sarah Kaiser – Children’s Nebraska, Omaha
- Harrison Pearse – University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
- Braden Randall – University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha
- Rhylee Steskal – Ortho Nebraska, Omaha