The important role of our Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

The role of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is an invaluable part of our patient care teams. These advanced practice nurses work to safely administer anesthetics to patients during surgical cases. Whether they’re delivering anesthesia inside hospitals, private practices or specialty offices, CRNAs enjoy autonomy in their professional roles.

At Northwell Health, we know the important role our CRNAs play alongside surgeons and anesthesiologists. This Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Week we talked with two of our very own CRNAs to hear about their careers and the impact they’re making every day here at Northwell!

Meet Sally Caldwell, CRNA, Lenox Hill Hospital

Sally Caldwell is a CRNA at Lenox Hill Hospital who pursued her certification after working as a registered nurse. It was her time in the ICU where she realized she wanted to be in an advanced practice nursing specialty. This background in critical care helped her throughout her extensive training and education to become a CRNA.

As a CRNA, she enjoys being able to care for one patient at a time as well as the additional responsibilities including administering medications, monitoring patients during surgery, and making sure patients are comfortable and safe after surgery.

“I love being a CRNA at Northwell because working here allows me the opportunity to provide top-quality patient care, and that’s something I’m proud of,” she says. “With Northwell I get to work with a great group of providers, from the surgeons and anesthesiologists to the nursing staff. CRNAs are a valued part of the anesthesia team here, so that makes me feel good about what I do.”

Meet Marianne Goodnight, Chief Nurse Anesthetist, Northwell Health Anesthesia

Marianne Goodnight currently works as the chief nurse anesthetist at Northwell Health Anesthesia. There, the CRNA team provides all types of anesthesia services to hospitals and surgicenters in Westchester County, Rockland County, Orange County, as well as New Jersey.

It was early in her nursing career that Marianne fell in love with critical care, learning everything she could about one patient and using all of her nursing knowledge and skills to ensure they received the best care possible. When she made the decision to further her critical care nursing education, it was her husband, a surgical resident at the time, who encouraged her to go to the operating room and meet the CRNAs.

Observing them in their day-to-day practice started her love for a career that has only grown. She enjoys that CRNAs must use interpersonal skills alongside their knowledge of medicine, pharmacology, and clinical skills.

“Our CRNAs at Northwell are highly trained, experienced anesthesia providers, who are very supportive of one another. I feel very blessed and grateful to have had such a wonderful team throughout my years here,” says Marianne. “Our CRNAS and anesthesiologists are a very cohesive team, working very hard every day for the same goal: to provide our patients with the safest and best anesthesia care. I encourage CRNAS to take a look at our exciting practice!”

Are you Made for a career as a CRNA? Explore CRNA opportunities at Northwell Health.