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November 4, 2025 36 mins

In this episode of Airway Exchange, we explore the state of the nurse anesthesia educator workforce with a special focus on faculty stabilization. We’re spending time with Terrica Durbin, DNP, PhD, CRNA, FAANA, who is the Director of the School of Nursing at Western Carolina University and ​a ​Fellow ​in ​the ​AANA. A passionate advocate for rural health and the workforce in nurse anesthesia education, Terrica discusses the challenges and rewards of working in academic roles.

She’ll also share insights on the future of nurse anesthesia education, from faculty retention to the pressing need for mentorship. With her deep commitment to both rural health and stabilizing the workforce, Terrica provides us an invaluable perspective on the evolution of nurse anesthesia programs across the country.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in this episode:

💼 Faculty Stabilization: Tackling turnover rates and faculty vacancies in anesthesia education.

🌱 Mentorship Matters: The vital role of mentorship in faculty retention and growth.

💸 Salary Discrepancies: Addressing the gap between clinical and academic salaries.

💪 Future Workforce: Preparing for the demand of nurse anesthetists in the years ahead.

🤝 Support Systems: The need for better support systems to retain new faculty members.

 

Get Involved! Committee applications open in March: https://www.aana.com/about-us/leadership/committees-overview/

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Visit us online: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/

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Get the CE Certificate here (and directly submit to the NBCRNA): https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf

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