[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 132 (Friday, August 2, 2019)]
[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.

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