DVIDS – Information – I Am Navy Medication – and Licensed Registered Nurse Anesthetist – Lt. Jason Balazs

Whether or not it’s preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative for any surgical procedure or process in Naval Hospital Bremerton’s Principal Working Room, Lt. Jason Balazs is straightforward to find.

As an authorized registered nurse anesthetist, Balazs is continually offering vital care providers to each affected person in want.

Such experience and a focus to element by him, in addition to different licensed registered nurse anesthetists, is acknowledged with Nationwide CRNA Week, January 22-28, 2023. The annual occasion was initially established by the American Affiliation of Nurse Anesthetists to acknowledge the anesthetist occupation’s lengthy historical past and enduring document of affected person security.

CNRAs like Balazs present vital care providers reminiscent of reviewing a affected person’s medical historical past and offering anesthesia to that affected person earlier than the surgical procedure/process, monitoring the affected person’s vitals throughout the surgical procedure/process and afterwards overseeing the affected person’s restoration from the anesthesia and assist present any extra post-operative care.

But from Balazs perspective, his main accountability is to take care of mission readiness by offering the absolute best anesthesia look after a surgical procedure/process, whether or not it’s at a stateside army remedy facility like NHB or assigned to a far-flung ahead deployed medical division on a U.S. Navy nuclear plane service.

“The CRNA is an integral a part of the group within the working room. Not solely are we a supplier, however we’re additionally the affected person’s advocate. With our intensive information of anesthesia, we’re champions in bedside method. We be sure that the correct stage and depth of anesthesia is met for the process in addition to preserve the affected person’s hemodynamics [blood flow], all of the whereas making certain that the affected person is protected all through the whole process,” said Balazs.

For Balazs, his present function as NHB’s division head for Anesthesiology and ache providers is outlined by a profession totaling 33 years offering service earlier than self in Navy Medication.

“As a younger man, I used to be at all times intrigued with drugs and my aim was to be a health care provider. Nonetheless, on the time that I entered service, I don’t consider I had the self-discipline or cash to go to school to chase my desires,” stated Balazs, a Pueblo, Colorado native, Centennial Excessive Faculty 1990 grad, with a Bachelor of Science diploma from American Navy College in 2010, Bachelor of Science in Nursing diploma from Colorado State College in 2013 and his Doctorate in Nursing Follow from Uniformed College of the Well being Sciences in 2020.

Balazs was born in 1972. Each his mother and father labored simply to make ends meet.

“We didn’t have the cash to purchase issues that others had. As a baby we realized to do with what we had. I might go round gathering soda bottles to return to the shop or take my snow shovel and stroll from door to door to make cash and assist my household out,” Balazs shared. “After graduating highschool, I used to be requested by a pal if I wished to hitch the Navy. With out a second thought I agreed to go.”

He jumped on the alternative to develop into a hospital corpsman which led him to spending almost 23 years with the Marine Corps as a area medical corpsman, culminating because the senior enlisted chief of third Marines. It was then he was considering retirement earlier than deciding to research the Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program to develop into a Navy Nurse Corps officer.

“It was a brand new and thrilling journey I felt was simply what I wanted. I utilized and was chosen my first time,” associated Balazs, who lastly deciding to pursue turning into a CRNA from amongst the host of nursing specialties – there are 17 within the Nurse Corps – supplied. “To say it was troublesome is an understatement. It is likely one of the most rigorous packages that I’ve ever skilled, but it’s the most rewarding. The training and superior hands-on coaching acquired is by far the most effective.”

His profession in Navy Medication has taken him around the globe to many locales that many different vacationers would by no means expertise.

“I’ve deployed with the Marines to the Center East, Somalia, and Europe, offering healthcare for each our active-duty troops and the native inhabitants alike,” Balazs stated.

Balazs attest that better part about his profession is being a CRNA.

“[and] With the ability to mentor junior corpsman and go on the information that I’ve been blessed with to obtain,” he stated. “Having been within the Navy for many of my life, I do know nothing greater than being part of one thing. At all times serving to your shipmates in addition to subordinates has been a motto that I’ve had engrained in me. I’m at all times an individual that’s approachable and can reply any query.”

“There’s one level I share with our younger corpsman right here and that’s not to attend like I did to use for a Navy program like MECP,” added Balazs.

He additionally affirms that there are a number of perks that include being a CRNA.

“The very first thing is the financial facet. CRNAs have one of many highest bonuses within the Nurse Corps. Second, the quantity of autonomy that you’ve got in performing your anesthesia is superb. Third, as one of the vital educated nurse corps specialties, you may train others about drugs, anatomy, and physiology,” stated Balazs.

When requested to sum up his expertise with Navy Medication in a single sentence, Balazs replied, “Navy Medication has made me who I’m right this moment.”