One Year In: A New Era for CRNAs

When Thomas Jefferson et al. penned the Declaration of Independence, they ignited a spark that lit the world. Their words, bold and unwavering, spoke to the grand themes of liberty, self-governance, inalienable rights, and the pursuit of happiness. While the grievances against the British crown were significant, it was the underlying principles that resonated through the ages.

I’m aware that comparing our unionization to one of the most important documents in the history of representative governments is . . . grandiose. But, as we come across the first anniversary of the formalization of our union, United Nurse Anesthetists of Northern California (UNANC), I felt it important to discuss the themes of why we have unionized. What sparked the flame? I interviewed and collected the sentiments and experiences of a number of our colleagues. Three strong themes emerged during these discussions.

Truc Le, who played a pivotal role in our successful unionization, quickly mentioned her favorite phrase, “We are no longer on an island.” While we have been employed by TPMG for decades, each service area has historically been isolated. To the benefit of TPMG. In hindsight, we now recognize widely divergent interpretations of pay policies, drastic variability in scope of practice, and a range of work environments, from collegial to oppressive. As we organized, the variation became more clear and we became more determined. The process of organizing our collective voice revealed our individual conditions and strengthened our collective resolve. We believe that our strength lies in our unity.

Our profession is filled with talented individuals: Leaders, data analysts, creators, educators, visionaries, and organizers. TPMG has often neglected, and sometimes suppressed, the unique talents that our members could be offering. This has led to an exodus of talent and a decline in anesthesia departments. The moment we started organizing, this talent flourished. Spreadsheets, data visualizations, motivational speeches, policy analysis, negotiation skills, and true leadership emerged. Not because we were paid nor  because it was part of a job description. We showed up because we had a vision of building something great. We believe that there is talent in our profession.

Becoming a CRNA is a rigorous and demanding journey. That struggle imbues every CRNA with a deep respect for the history, scope, and responsibility of our profession. The hope of almost every CRNA is to work at a facility that values our profession through a robust scope of practice. TPMG has a history of unilaterally making significant changes to our working conditions. While TPMG continuously waffled about our profession, we decided to take the decision out of their hands. From now on, any change to our practice would have to be negotiated. And we will not compromise our profession. We believe that our workplace should reflect the profound respect we all carry for our profession.

We started this journey with a few phone calls and one or two house gatherings. Those initial discussions grew to brewery meetups, virtual town halls, and culminated in delivering more than 300 signed union cards to TPMG on this day one year ago. But, what built that momentum was our collective strength, our unique talents, and our dedication to our profession. Specific issues have and will continue to come and go, but whatever challenges we face in the future, we face them the same way we faced our initial challenges: Together!One Year In: A New Era for CRNAs