The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) has awarded Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Bernadette Henrichs of the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis the designation of Fellow of the AANA (FAANA) – a recognized hallmark of leadership and professionalism in the profession and science of nurse anesthesia.
“We recognize Bernadette Henrichs as a leader who has demonstrated a depth of expertise that is critical to shaping the future of anesthesia care,” said Lorraine Jordan, PhD, CRNA, CAE, FAAN, Chief Advocacy Officer of AANA and CEO of the AANA Foundation. “Earning this distinction signifies a commitment of excellence and dedication to making impactful changes for our profession.”
The Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology and head of the Department of Anesthesiology, Michael Avidan, MBBCh, spoke highly of Dr. Henrichs and the impact she’s had on our institutions:
“This honor is a well-deserved recognition of Bernadette’s remarkable accomplishments,” he said. “Over the decades, she has held clinical, research, and educational leadership roles, and has made substantial contributions to the collaborative culture between anesthesiologists and CRNAs, to educational excellence for SRNAs, and to scholarships within our institutions. We are fortunate to have a leader of Dr. Henrich’s caliber at Washington University and in our department.”
Henrichs earned this distinguished designation by demonstrating an exceptional level of expertise, service, and commitment to transforming the nurse anesthesia profession. The FAANA designation is the organization’s most elite professional achievement. Fellows have demonstrated a high level of commitment to the growth and advancement of nurse anesthesia.
Dr. Henrichs is a pillar of the CRNA community in Missouri and the region. With her leadership as Program Director, our Nurse Anesthesia Program has received national and international recognition for excellence and won her the AANA Program Director of the Year Award in 2017. Her service as a leader in CRNA education is represented by her numerous publications on the education and training of nurse anesthetists, including “A Resource for Nurse Anesthesia Educators”, now in its second edition. She is also a reviewer for the AANA Journal and Clinical Simulation in Nursing. She established the Watanabe-Henrichs Endowed Scholarship Fund which awards senior-level students funds to help them pay for their education. Our department, with its contributions to our community, is strengthened through Dr. Henrichs’ dedication to excellence in the education and training of nurse anesthetists.