Shari Harrison, DNP, CRNA, of Cleveland Clinic volunteers with the Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists (OSANA) to help support and encourage future Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Her experience demonstrates why CRNA mentorship and professional outreach matter: connecting students and aspiring CRNAs with those already in the profession can provide encouragement, build community and help strengthen the next generation of nurse anesthetists. 

For Shari, the potential impact can begin with something as simple as one meaningful interaction. 

“The most rewarding part is the possibility of planting a seed of inspiration or encouragement for the next generation of CRNAs.” 

What Inspired Shari Harrison to Get Involved With OSANA? 

Shari’s interest in outreach and mentorship began with her own involvement with OSANA as a student. 

Through those experiences, she saw firsthand the value of networking, meeting new people, and supporting incoming classes by offering assistance, encouragement, and connection. That experience inspired her to continue giving back through outreach and mentorship as a CRNA. 

Her story illustrates an important part of professional involvement: the support someone receives early in a career can become the inspiration to provide that same support to someone else. 

That cycle of connection is at the heart of OSANA’s efforts to build a strong professional community for CRNAs, SRNAs and those exploring a future in nurse anesthesia. 

Why Is CRNA Mentorship Important? 

CRNA mentorship helps students and future nurse anesthetists connect classroom education with the realities of clinical practice while developing professional judgment, confidence and communication skills. 

Experienced CRNAs can offer something that is difficult to gain from coursework alone, and that is perspective developed through real-world practice. 

As OSANA Professional Outreach and Engagement Committee member Jen Howerton, DNAP, CRNA, explains in Mentorship Matters: How It Made Me a Better CRNA, mentorship can help developing clinicians strengthen critical thinking, team communication and their ability to anticipate complications. Effective mentors can also create supportive learning environments by explaining the reasoning behind clinical decisions, providing feedback, and keeping patient safety at the center of the conversation. 

Mentorship is not necessarily one-directional, either. Experienced CRNAs can continue learning from the questions and perspectives of students and new professionals. 

How Does OSANA Outreach Support Future CRNAs? 

OSANA outreach helps connect current CRNAs with students, RNs and others interested in learning more about the nurse anesthesia profession. 

For Shari, those connections are important because they demonstrate the values that help sustain the profession over time. 

“Outreach efforts strengthen the CRNA profession by showing future CRNAs the value of community, mentorship, and professional support,” she says.

OSANA’s Professional Outreach and Engagement Committee supports that mission through initiatives focused on career awareness, professional development, mentorship and engagement. OSANA also works to connect interested Ohio ICU RNs with volunteer CRNAs for shadowing experiences, subject to CRNA availability and facility requirements. 

These opportunities can give future CRNAs a clearer understanding of the profession while creating meaningful connections with those already practicing. 

How Can Mentorship Strengthen the CRNA Profession? 

The benefits of mentorship extend beyond an individual student or mentor. 

By sharing clinical experience and professional perspective, experienced CRNAs can help developing clinicians build the judgment and confidence needed for practice. Mentorship helps bridge education and real-world clinical practice and can reinforce clinical judgment and a culture centered on patient safety. 

This transfer of experience can also help sustain high standards of care across generations of providers. That makes mentorship both a professional-development opportunity and an investment in the future of nurse anesthesia. 

Shari’s perspective brings that larger idea down to a personal level. A volunteer may never know exactly where a conversation, shadowing experience or encouraging word will lead. But as Shari puts it, each interaction offers an opportunity to plant a seed. 

Why Should Ohio CRNAs Get Involved? 

Volunteering gives Ohio CRNAs an opportunity to share their experience, strengthen professional connections, and support people who may become future colleagues. 

OSANA’s Professional Outreach and Engagement Committee welcomes CRNAs and SRNAs interested in contributing to outreach, education, mentorship and member engagement. 

The commitment can take different forms. For some CRNAs, getting involved may mean helping someone understand what the profession is. For others, it may mean offering mentorship, participating in an outreach program, or giving an RN an opportunity to observe a CRNA in practice. 

Whatever form it takes, the purpose is the same: creating connections that support the continued strength of the nurse anesthesia profession. 

Interested in supporting future CRNAs? Learn more about OSANA’s Professional Outreach and Engagement Committee, explore opportunities to become a CRNA mentor, or find out more about OSANA’s CRNA shadowing program for eligible Ohio ICU RNs.