Association of Veterans Affairs Nurse Anesthetists

Welcome to the website of the
ASSOCIATION OF VETERANS AFFAIRS NURSE ANESTHETISTS (AVANA)

Happy New Year!!!

In 1973, twenty-six (26) VA CRNA's created AVANA. From the beginning, education has been the first priority of AVANA. In 1974, the first educational workshop was held in Des Moines, Iowa. Annual educational symposiums have continued in various locations nationwide.

AVANA Objectives:

To promote quality anesthesia services in the VA Medical Centers.
Promote continuing education.
Greater understanding and participation in mutual interests with the medical and nursing professions.
Work with all VA Medical Centers in a concerted effort to improve services.
Recommend practices that will help recruit and retain the most capable CRNAs.
Promote utilization of CRNA skills in diagnostic procedures, monitoring, pain management as well as surgical anesthesia.

***2012 AVANA Scholarship applications available!!!***

AVANA Photo Gallery

AVANA Fall 2011 Newsletter

AVANA Membership

AVANA is your source for information on issues affecting VHA CRNAs!

The Association of Veterans Affairs Nurse Anesthetists is the voluntary, non-profit, professional organization of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

We urge you to consider the benefits our professional organization offers. Joining AVANA is easy - just complete the application today.

Get the Details!

AVANA Educational Opportunities

2012 AVANA Educational Meeting
May 15th- 18th, 2012
St. Pete Beach, FL

Watch for Registration Materials coming soon!!

AANA Educational Offerings

AANA Mid-Year Assembly
April 15-18, 2012
Washington, DC

AANA 79th Annual Meeting
Moscone West Convention Center
August 4-8th, 2012
San Francisco, CA

Scholarship Fund

The AVANA Scholarship Fund provides yearly scholarships to VA nurses who are enrolled in an accredited nurse anesthesia program and consider working for the VA upon graduation. Nurse anesthesia programs are vital to ensure delivery of quality anesthesia care for our veteran patients.

The fund was established to train, recruit and retain the best qualified VA CRNAs, and depends entirely on individual donations for all of its funding. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.

Donate today!!

Dr. Maureen Reilly CRNA Scholarship

In recognition of her years of excellent service to our nation�s veterans and to the Association of Veteran�s Affairs Nurse Anesthetists, the AVANA Board of Directors has funded an AANA Foundation Scholarship in the name of Dr. Maureen Reilly CRNA PhD. Dr. Reilly passed away in February 2011 at home in San Antonio TX.

Dr. Maureen Reilly received her degree in nurse anesthesia from US Army Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesia while serving on active duty. After leaving the military, Dr. Reilly joined the anesthesia department at the Audie Murphy VA in San Antonio TX. She was active in AVANA for many years and served on almost every committee. Dr. Reilly was President of AVANA from 2005 to 2007. During her tenure on the AVANA Board, she testified in front of Congress and met frequently with leaders in the Department of Veteran�s Affairs advocating for access to healthcare providers for our Veteran�s. Dr. Reilly was a strong voice for nurse anesthesia practice both in the VA system and throughout the country.

Dr. Reilly played a crucial role in establishing the Joint VA-DoD Nurse Anesthesia program located at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio TX. She taught research and mentored students in the program until shortly before her death. Dr. Reilly�s primary areas of research were the use of herbal medications and music therapy for anesthetic interventions. Dr. Reilly received the prestigious John F. Garde Researcher of the Year Award from the AANA Foundation in August 2011.

Dr. Reilly lectured frequently locally and nationally on very diverse topics from consciousness monitoring to the anesthetic management of obesity to the use of alternative therapies to alleviate perioperative anxiety. She had an impressive record of being published over 30 times and received funding for 14 research projects.

She is much missed by her CRNA colleagues, her friends, and her family.