CRNA & SRNA Burnout Study: UC Students Launch Wellness Podcast
CRNA & SRNA Burnout Study: UC Students Launch Wellness Podcast
Addressing Burnout in Nurse Anesthesia
Awareness continues to grow around the challenges faced by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs). Two University of Cincinnati Nurse Anesthesia Program (UC NAP) students, Scot Brush and Maryclare Schardt, have taken an innovative approach to understanding and addressing this critical issue.
Their capstone project aimed not only to evaluate burnout levels among CRNAs and SRNAs but also to provide a freely accessible, research-informed podcast as a wellness resource for anesthesia providers.
The Research Behind the Podcast
Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), a validated tool for assessing burnout in healthcare professionals, Scot and Maryclare collected data from CRNAs and SRNAs at a large academic medical institution affiliated with the University of Cincinnati.
The MBI-HSS measures three key dimensions of burnout:
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Emotional Exhaustion (EE) – feeling emotionally overextended and drained
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Depersonalization (DP) – developing a cynical attitude toward patients
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Personal Accomplishment (PA) – reduced feelings of competence and success at work
Key Findings
The findings mirrored national trends, revealing moderate to high burnout levels among both CRNAs and SRNAs. Notably, SRNAs scored higher in emotional exhaustion and significantly lower in personal accomplishment than their CRNA counterparts.
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72% of CRNAs working in level-one trauma centers report experiencing burnout
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SRNAs reported significantly higher emotional exhaustion than CRNAs
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Personal accomplishment scores were statistically lower in SRNAs
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Replacing a single burned-out CRNA can cost institutions between $145,000 and $157,000
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Burnout is linked to increased medical errors, depression, and substance use disorders
A Podcast for Awareness and Peer Support
To bring their findings to life, Scot and Maryclare created a two-part educational podcast series, featuring candid discussions about burnout, evidence-based coping strategies, and personal insights from practicing CRNAs Katie Dean and Jessica Storey.
Topics covered include:
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Recognizing signs of burnout
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How to build coping mechanisms early in one’s career
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Destigmatizing mental health conversations in anesthesia
Why This Matters for CRNAs and SRNAs
Burnout affects not just providers, but also patients, healthcare systems, and future generations of nurse anesthetists. By blending clinical research with accessible media, this project provides:
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A foundational snapshot of burnout in the UC NAP cohort
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A model for student-led wellness innovation
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A scalable intervention for raising awareness in the broader CRNA/SRNA community
Importantly, the use of podcasting enhances engagement, accessibility, and knowledge dissemination, particularly among younger clinicians and students.
Scot and Maryclare’s work underscores the value of student-led wellness initiatives and reflects a growing movement toward embedding mental health awareness and support directly into the culture of nurse anesthesia education and practice.
Credit:
Scot Brush, BSN, RN & Maryclare Schardt, BSN, RN
UC Nurse Anesthesia Program Graduates, Class of 2024
Chair: Rachel Smith-Steinert, DNP, CRNA, FAANA
Committee: Molly Chaney, DNP, CRNA & Meghan McDonald, DNP, CRNA
