CRNA Spotlight: Katy Dean, MSNA, CRNA
This month, VANA spoke with Katy Dean, a CRNA practicing here in the Commonwealth. She’s worked in government contracting and locum tenens positions, as well as holding the position of Chief CRNA at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center. Katy currently works at Hampton Road Ambulatory Surgery Center, a CRNA only facility. She gave us an insightful look into the current state of the field and how she found her calling.
Q: Can you walk VANA through your journey to becoming a CRNA?
A: My journey to becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) started while I was finishing my prerequisites for medical school. One day my co-worker, Amy Weilar, MSN, CRNA, who had recently begun a nurse anesthesia program, called me. She told me that I would absolutely love the program. She described how being a CRNA would combine my nursing background and desire for autonomy and responsibility in the best possible field. Amy encouraged me to pursue becoming a CRNA.
That call happened in December of 1999. Soon after that call, I took my Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and then in January I applied to VCU. I was three days late for the next round of students, but I interviewed that summer and was accepted to the Class of 2003.
After looking into the role and scope of CRNA practice, I realized how perfectly it aligned with my passion for critical care, autonomy in practice, and the opportunity to directly impact patient outcomes in high-stakes situations.
Q: Were there any pivotal moments or mentors that influenced your decision to become a CRNA?
A: Once Amy turned me on to the profession, I started paying close attention to the CRNAs who responded to codes in the ICU. I really had no idea about the profession until my eyes were opened to it.
I started having conversations with them, trying to understand more about their training, responsibilities, and experiences. These informal mentorships were pivotal. Their encouragement and willingness to share their knowledge further solidified my decision to pursue nurse anesthesia.
Q: In your opinion, what makes nurse anesthesia such a valuable and unique role in healthcare?
A: Anesthesia takes some of the smartest in the field. It’s competitive, it’s autonomous, and it asks for a special kind of personality. Our background in holistic nursing care allows us to approach anesthesia not just from a technical standpoint, but also with a deep understanding of the patient as a whole person. To understand that you’re caring for the whole family, not just the patient.
This dual lens, combining high-level clinical expertise with compassionate care, sets CRNAs apart and makes our contribution to healthcare incredibly valuable.
Q: How do you see the role of CRNAs evolving in the next 5–10 years?
A: Over the next decade, I see CRNAs playing an even more critical role, especially in outpatient ventures, as well as rural, underserved areas. What we’re seeing right now is surgeons buying hospitals out of their joint ventures, taking on the business themselves. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) deliver high-quality, safe, and efficient anesthesia care in a cost-effective manner, making them a vital asset in today’s healthcare landscape.
The expansion of ambulatory surgery centers and the growing demand for cost-effective, high-quality care will continue to open doors for autonomous CRNA practice.
Q: What drew you to work at a CRNA-only facility?
A: I work at the newly established and surgeon-owned Hampton Road Ambulatory Surgery Center.
I have always worked in a care team model. As I’ve progressed in my career, I’ve noticed that I was doing the work, but people didn’t really know about CRNAs. I did a three-year stint as a government contractor and when I worked in West Virginia, nights were just me and another CRNA. This made me realize that I’m trained, I’m confident and can handle difficult anesthesia situations. I can do this.
Working alongside surgeons in this model has allowed me to fully use my skill set while contributing to a culture of mutual respect and clinical excellence. It’s a rewarding environment where we are trusted to provide safe, high-quality anesthesia care independently.
Q: How does the day-to-day dynamic differ in a CRNA-only practice compared to other facilities?
A: This is the first surgery center in the area that is CRNA-only. There were a couple surgeons that pushed this through, and although there were a few that weren’t entirely onboard, it’s great to see our work has turned that opinion around.
Knowing that I’m solely responsible for my patients’ anesthetic care instills a strong sense of pride and purpose. Patients are often more aware that a nurse anesthetist is providing their care, which opens the door for education and building trust.
Q: What do you think are the biggest benefits for patients and providers of CRNA-only models?
A: I think that goes back to why I think CRNAs bring value to the healthcare environment. We’re very holistic in our approach, we are highly educated and we’re taught the skills needed to perform anesthesia and operative assessments.
It really is a full-team benefit. From the surgeon’s perspective, they’re still getting top-notch care, but at a lower cost. It’s more subtle. They’re seeing that if I cancel a case, I have done everything I possibly can to not cancel that case.
I’ve heard concerns from surgeons about cases getting cancelled because it’s ‘late in the day’, or maybe that anesthesiologist doesn’t want to do that case. But because of our position, we know exactly what it means to cancel.
Two weeks ago, a patient came in for a total hip replacement. She was very anxious. She was dealing with high blood pressure and it wouldn’t have been safe to proceed with her surgery that day. I was able to advocate for her, to point out the potential for a bad outcome if we proceeded. When she came back for her surgery the following Friday, she thanked me for saving her life, because she had paused taking her blood pressure medicine, and if it weren’t for the surgery being cancelled, she would have continued down that path.
There’s a level of expertise that is prioritized and valued here.
For patients, this means high-quality care delivered by experienced clinicians who stay with them throughout the perioperative process. For providers and institutions, CRNA-only models enhance efficiency and flexibility without compromising outcomes.
Q: Do you have any words of wisdom for someone just starting their nursing career but with an eye on becoming a CRNA in the future?
A: If you’re a nurse or high school student thinking about going into medicine, I would say stay curious. Stay motivated. At the end of the day, it’s so satisfying knowing that you’re taking care of people and that you made a difference in their life.
The road to becoming a CRNA requires hard work, discipline, and resilience, but it is absolutely worth it.
