KPNAA PEOPLE
KPNAA PEOPLE is a celebration of Kaiser CRNAs …. Past, present, and
future!
If you know of one of our members whose story should be told to all
KP CRNAs, Please send an email to chh@socal.rr.com.
We would like to pass on to new staff the narratives of what it was
like to be a CRNA at Kaiser in years past, from our retired or soon
– to – be retired CRNAs. KPNAA PEOPLE wishes to recognize KP CRNA
volunteerism and community service activities. We’d like to hear
about your interests outside of work … and to share ideas of what
you do to promote your personal wellness.
In this issue of KPNAA PEOPLE, we’d like to recognize our esteemed
KPNAA Executive Director: Sandra Even. Sandra is leaving her post
after 10 years of remarkable service to our organization.
I’d like to share
Sandra’s message with those of you who were not
able to join us at the June 12 KPNAA Business Meeting.
Dear KPNAA
members,
For 24 years,
Anesthesia has been my profession. But unlike the rest of you I
have always been aware that my role was not patient care but rather
to care for nurse anesthetists so you could care for your patients.
… In 1990,
CANA’s secretary wanted to retire and I applied. Just to show you
how popular I was – no one else applied but me and they unanimously
but rather reluctantly hired me with several members voicing concern
that I was not a CRNA. I tackled managing CANA with great zest and
dedication.
… By 2000, I
merged The Evans Group with another association management company
and we renamed ourselves Maple Street Management. This is when
KPNAA began to become part of my life -
… upon Tom
Jackson’s recommendation, a group of CRNAs who worked at Kaiser
Permanente met with me to talk about association management
services. We presented a strategic planning session with all of the
KPNAA Facility Representatives in January 2000 and our work together
began. Many of the things we take for granted today began on that
Saturday during the session - at Tony Pecora’ father in law’s pool
house. Your logo, motto and even colors were envisioned that day.
In 2002, I was
blessed to be hired full time upon the recommendation of President
Frank Guadagnini and his Executive Committee as the new KPNAA
business rep, filling the shoes of Nancy Boyajian. Nancy was a
wonderful role model for me and to this day, I try to emulate the
way she treats people and dresses.
I still have
my notes from that beginning when I set three goals for my work with
KPNAA:
·
CRNA practice would be secure in SCPMG.
·
Trust and respect in every department.
·
Strong CRNA leadership for KPNAA.
I have always
tried hard to do my best to ensure these values for the CRNAs at
Kaiser that it has been my job to care about.
I have loved
this job, enjoyed the work and appreciated the support and
friendship of so many of you. You have responded to my efforts with
respect and allowed me to work a flexible schedule. I have deeply
appreciated that.
One of the
phenomena’s I have noted over the years is that CRNAs have a hard
time retiring from the profession they love. A few years ago around
Thanksgiving I was working with a noble and gifted senior CRNA who
really physically needed to retire but was having great difficulty
letting go. She told me that she had three great loves in her life
– her faith, her family and her profession. She didn’t know what
she would do if she couldn’t practice anesthesia. She needed
something to tell her it was time to quit. I remember joking with
her that it would be nice to have one of those pop up plastic
buttons like they have on turkeys – to tell you when you’re done.
Not done baking but done with your career and it’s time to move on.
So – are you
wondering what my pop up plastic button was?
It hasn’t been
a secret that I have downsized my hours in the last couple years and
reduced my responsibilities but I still felt there was work for me
to do. A couple months ago I was looking through my files and came
across my old notes with the three goals scratched down on a pad of
paper and in reviewing them I realized something -
CRNA Practice
is Secure at SCPMG
– Now I know there are constant rumors that CRNAs are being phased
out of Kaiser but in spite of this, CRNAs employment numbers
continue to hold steady. We have recently secured commitments from
SCPMG leadership that there are no plans to phase out CRNAs. There
will always be a need to be vigilant about practice but CRNAs have
been employed by SCPMG for over thirty years and will continue to be
at Kaiser for at least another thirty years. I have been around
long enough to have heard all of the rumors but they have always
ended up being just rumors. Your practice is secure. You have just
received an impressive wage increase with benefits which to me is an
indication that your Employer thinks you are worth your wages.
KPNAA Has
Strong Leaders
– And I am so proud to have had the opportunity to work with your
leaders! Nancy Boyajian, Barb Tracy, Bev Kelly, Mike Churchin, Tom
Jackson, Frank Guadagnini, Carmen Lopez, Carol Hammill, Shelly
Currie, Cathy Forward, Ed Marthaler, Dave Kolodji, Arlene Wilkes,
your astute current president, Paul Aguiar and so many others. All
of them are plugged in all over “Kaiserland” shining in various
capacities. KPNAA is widely noted for its extraordinary leaders
and I have felt privileged to be their conductor these past years
while they became agents for positive change in their departments.
I am also confident that these leaders and those of you in the
audience will continue to lead KPNAA and your profession to
un-imagined success.
There is Trust
and Respect in Every Department
– This became my focus this year, especially for San Diego as my
kind of final frontier for improvement. Now there are some in San
Diego that would state that change has not really happened yet but I
would argue that you already have everything in place you need for
change. Bear with my simple analogy but Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz
comes to mind. The San Diego CRNAs and all of the other departments
represented here for that matter already have everything you need to
gain trust and respect. But as long as you look outside of
yourselves – to the “union,” a Chief, a DA, The Wizard, more staff,
fewer hours - to make the changes you need, you won’t get them. But
just like Dorothy with her desire to go home, you have your ruby
slippers with you all the time to use anytime you want. It’s you!
It’s not someone else who is going to save you – it is all of you
working together to bring the change you need.
The CRNAs are
recognized as the brightest, most resourceful group of leaders in
Kaiser. The same traits that attracted me to CRNAs those 24 years
ago are the traits that will keep your practice secure, through
CRNAs that insist on trust and respect in every department. You
have all of the tools you need for success; you just need to
continue to use them.
When I
finished contract negotiations two weeks ago, I told the EC that
your new contract was my parting gift to you. So when you enjoy
those raises and benefits, think of me. But the greater gift I
leave you with is the excellent position that KPNAA is in today.
Along with your new contract, you have the respect of the leaders
throughout KP and the Coalition and a secure future. I challenge
you to take these gifts and exceed your own expectations for the
future.
But I am not
leaving empty handed myself. I have gained so much from our
profession. Although I have never taken care of a patient, it has
been my pleasure to take care of many of you. From you I have
learned the same skills that make a great CRNA.
Respect,
confidence, intelligence, patience, the ability to articulate
exactly what is on my mind, tenacity, drive, humor, focus and enough
medical terminology to impress my family and friends.
For these
things and so much more - I thank you.
Sandra Even
ARCHIVED KPNAA PEOPLE!
KPNAA People #1
KPNAA People #2
