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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN HONOR OF GARRY BRYDGES
______
HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Friday, August 2, 2019
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, today I pay tribute to Garry Brydges,
PhD, DNP, MBA, ACNP-BC, CRNA, FAAN. Dr. Brydges will soon complete his
year as national president of the American Association of Nurse
Anesthetists (AANA). I am proud that Dr. Brydges was elected as the
2018-2019 president of this prestigious national organization.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice
registered nurses who administer approximately 43 million anesthetics
to patients each year. They work in every setting in which anesthesia
is delivered including hospital surgical suites, obstetrical delivery
rooms, ambulatory surgical centers, and the offices of dentists,
podiatrists, and specialty surgeons. They also provide acute and
chronic pain management services to patients in need of such care.
CRNAs provide anesthesia for all types of surgical cases and are the
sole anesthesia providers in many rural hospitals.
As a CRNA for over 15 years, Dr. Brydges has contributed greatly to
the healthcare community in the Houston area and nationwide. Having
served in many capacities on professional associations, including on
boards of directors at the state and national levels, Dr. Brydges has
long been active in nurse anesthesia. He is a former president of the
Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists and has had extensive success
in leading large organizations through healthcare policy development,
strategic planning, evidence-based practice, outcome research, and
education. In addition, Dr. Brydges has mentored students across all
nursing disciplines through professional development and clinical
nursing excellence.
Dr. Brydges earned his executive Master of Business Administration
degree from Texas Women's University in Houston. He earned his
Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Texas Christian College in Fort
Worth, Texas. In addition, he graduated with a Master of Nursing in
nurse anesthesia, and a Master of Nursing in Acute Care Nurse
Practitioner from the University of Texas at Houston.
During his AANA presidency, Dr. Brydges has been a prominent advocate
for the patients and practice of nurse anesthesia before federal
agencies and members of Congress. He has worked tirelessly to promote
anesthesia patient safety and the value of CRNAs to our healthcare
system, especially when it comes to dealing with chronic pain and the
opioid crisis. Dr. Brydges has worked to have CRNAs recognized as Full
Practice Providers in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), to
maintain provider non-discrimination, and to achieve full scope of
practice for CRNAs, including chronic pain management and related
services in the Medicare system.
I extend my sincere congratulations to Dr. Brydges today on a job
well done. His service to the AANA and to his patients, and his
commitment to safe, quality anesthesia care nationwide, are highly
commendable. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Brydges'
notable career and outstanding achievements.
____________________