By Laura Lesley
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing second-year PhD student and Fellow of the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH). T’Anya Carter, CRNA, MS, presented her research poster, “Barriers to Reentry into Nurse Anesthesia Practice Following Treatment for Substance Use Disorder,” at the 2018 American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) Annual Meeting held April 16 through 18 in Reno, Nevada.
Carter’s research focuses on the difficulties Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) face when attempting to reenter the workplace after being treated for substance use disorder.
“Many CRNAs who have been treated for substance use disorder have been deemed eligible to return to work, yet have difficulty securing employment,” Carter said. “Careers should not necessarily end due to substance use disorder.”
Carter’s goal is to identify barriers to reentry by examining past experiences of CRNAs, their colleagues and employers, with the goal of facilitating successful reentry into anesthesia practice after substance use disorder. Her faculty advisor is Karen Heaton, PhD, CRNP, FNP-BC, FAAN.
A practicing CRNA, Carter currently is a Peer Advisor for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists for the state of Texas and is a member of the advisory board for the Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses.
