Quentin Smith

CRNA, MSN
University of Pittsburgh Nurse Anesthesia Program

This is what excellence looks like after spending considerable time in the University of Pittsburgh WISER Simulation Lab for readiness in the operating room as a nurse anesthesia provider.

There are unfortunate situations in anesthesia when you may come across a patient who you cannot intubate and ventilate.
In this event, Anesthesia providers are asked to follow a difficult airway algorithm which may require a more invasive approach to securing airway access. At the University of Pittsburgh, we undergo a number simulation scenarios to prepare us for this event. In this picture, I am performing the necessary steps for a percutaneous cricothyrotomy.

Now, show this picture to diverse male students in junior and senior high school…the future of anesthesia is upon us.