[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING DRU RIDDLE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 24, 2024

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Dru Riddle, PhD, 
DNP, CRNA, FAAN. Dr. Riddle will soon complete his year as national 
president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). I 
am proud that Dr. Riddle was elected as the 2023-2024 president of this 
prestigious healthcare organization.
  Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice 
registered nurses who administer more than 50 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. CRNAs have full 
practice authority in the Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the 
predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and in 
combat support hospitals.
  As an AANA member for 14 years, Dr. Riddle has contributed greatly to 
the healthcare community in the Fort Worth area and nationwide. Dr. 
Riddle is an associate professor of Professional Practice and director 
of Clinical Education at Texas Christian University School of Nurse 
Anesthesia.
  He also serves as the Director of the Center for Translational 
Research. A JBI Center of Excellence and Co-Chair of the Cochrane U.S. 
Network. Dr. Riddle's research interest included evidence-based 
healthcare, pharmacogenomics, and genetic implications for anesthesia 
care. Additionally, Dr. Riddle has spoken nationally and 
internationally on evidence-based healthcare, systematic review 
strategies, and various clinical anesthesia topics.
  In addition to his research and teaching roles, Dr. Riddle maintains 
an active clinical anesthesia practice through NorthStar Anesthesia. He 
was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2018.
  Dr. Riddle earned his PhD from Medical University of South Carolina 
in Charleston, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Texas Christian 
University in Fort Worth, a Master of Science in Nursing degree from 
Old Dominion University in Norfolk, and a Bachelor of Science in 
Nursing degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
  During his AANA presidency, Dr. Riddle 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. Dr. Riddle has advocated to eliminate burdensome regulations 
for CRNAs, to have CRNAs recognized as full practice providers in the 
Veterans Health Administration, and to address underlying causes of 
surprise billing such as provider discrimination.
  I extend my sincere congratulations to Dr. Riddle today on a job well 
done. His service to 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. Riddle's notable career and 
outstanding achievements.

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