Biographical Sketch
Susan Torchen, RN, BSN, CCRN, SRNA is currently enrolled in Crozer-Chester Medical
Center- Villanova University’s Nurse Anesthesia Program. She received her BSN from
Villanova University in 2006 and began her nursing career at Lehigh Valley Hospital in the
pediatric intensive care unit. Susan continued as a pediatric intensive care unit nurse at the
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she remains a float pool RN to the pediatric, neonatal
and cardiac intensive care units while pursuing her master’s in nurse anesthesia. Susan is
currently a member of American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and the American
Association of Critical Care Nurses. Susan has had active roles on hospital based education
committees, focusing on using evidence-based practice to update protocols and has lectured at
the critical care RN review course as well as the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetist’s
spring symposium on pediatric laryngospasm and bronchospasm.
Position Statement
AANA Education Committee
I am privileged to be able to run for the student representative to the American Association of
Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) education committee for the 2012 to2013 education year. I have
had the opportunity to work on several education committees as a staff nurse at the Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley Hospital. My responsibilities on these committees
included using evidence based practice to update hospital protocols, teaching at the critical care
registered nurse course, precepting nurses to the pediatric intensive care unit and running the unit
skills fair for tracheostomies. Once I started at Crozer- Chester Medical Center- Villanova
University’s nurse anesthesia program I continued take on roles involving education. As a
student nurse anesthetist (SRNA) I presented at the 2012 Pennsylvania Association of Nurse
Anesthetist spring symposium on pediatric laryngospasm and bronchospasm. I sat on the student
panel representing the school of anesthesia at Villanova University’s fall and spring graduate
open houses, and I participated as the student representative at the joint curriculum meeting
representing Crozer-Chester Medical Center- Villanova University’s nurse anesthesia program. I
am passionate about education and always looking for ways to enhance the nurse anesthesia
curriculum to ensure better patient care and outcomes.
As SRNAs we all wish that we read more, studied more and earned better grades. It is the nature
of our profession to strive for perfection. But perfection is not found in a perfect grade, it is in
exceptional patient care. As SRNAs we are the future of our profession. We have the ability to
make a difference in the lives of our patients and ensure that the mother, father, grandparent and
child all leave our operating rooms in better conditions than how they entered. Our educational
journey through school cannot focus on the “I should haves” and “I wish I had” it must focus on
the positives of what we are doing each day to better ourselves as practitioners. As a nationwide
group of students who enter operating rooms and classrooms across the country daily with fear,
concern, as well as underlying excitement we must focus on the changes we can make to
improve ourselves, our community and our profession.
We are the future of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) and the AANA; our
experiences directly affect how we will practice once we graduate. Education needs to be a
positive experience to inspire a drive for excellence and motivate our student body to be the
force of positivity in our profession. As students we learn to embrace negative situations to
improve ourselves as practitioners, but sharing our positive experiences is just as important to
build character. Our individual ups and downs throughout our schooling allows us to grow as a
group and we become closer through our stories. As we go through school we must always keep
in mind that our education is the foundation for what we are to become. We must embrace each
new situation as a learning opportunity to provide exceptional patient care. We must look past
the negatives, the one test grade that wasn’t perfect, the one night we watched television instead
of reading and embrace our education as the starting point of for the rest of our lives as CRNAs.
Susan Colleen Torchen, RN, BSN, CCRN
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EDUCATION
Villanova University- Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Villanova, PA
Masters of Nurse Anesthesia, August 2011- Present (anticipated degree
in 2013)
Presenter, Pediatric Laryngospasm and Bronchospasm at the
Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists Spring Symposium, May
2012
Student Panel Member, Villanova University Graduate Open House,
2011-2012
Student Curriculum Representative, Crozer-Chester Medical CenterVillanova University, 2012
Villanova University, Villanova, PA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, May 2006
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE
08/08 – Present
Pennsylvania.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Philadelphia,
Registered Nurse - Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Intensive Care Float
Pool
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Performs all duties of a registered nurse within a 450 bed Magnet
Organization with licensure in Pennsylvania since July 2006
Proficient in the care of patients requiring extracorporeal membrane
oxygenation and hemofiltration
Effectively cares for patients pre and post organ transplantation
Holds certification in peripheral intravenous catheter placement
Lecturer at the Critical Care RN Review Course of hematology and
immunology
Serves as a preceptor for both step-down and intensive care
orientees
Developed the power point for staff education on Diabetes Insipidus,
Cerebral Salt Wasting and Syndrome of Inappropriate Anti-Diuretic Hormone
reflective of current evidence based practice
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06/06 – 07/08
Skills Fair Station Coordinator and Qualified Observer for Tracheostomies for
the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Member of the Ventilator Assisted Pneumonia Prevention Team, 2009- 2011
Member of the Education Committee, 2008- 2011
Member of the Skills Fair Committee, 2008- 2011
Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Registered Nurse - Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
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09/01 – 08/05
Experienced in working in a 855 bed Magnet Organization with Level
1 Pediatric Trauma and Burn Accreditation
Certified to place Peripheral Intravenous Catheters
Acted in Leadership roles within the unit as Charge Nurse
Experienced in the care of traumatic brain injuries, burn and wounds
as well as chronic and acute illnesses
Revised the Head Injury and Gastroenteritis protocols to reflect
current evidence based practice
Received recognition during the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems
Foundation Re-Accreditation survey for excellence in written
assessments
Completed the Adult and Pediatric Critical Care Courses as well as
Preceptor Prep Course within a Magnet Organization
Member of the Education Committee, 2006-2008
Pediatric Intensive Care RN Advisor, 2006-2008
St. Peter’s University Hospital. New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Nursing Extern, Nursing Assistant - Pediatric Emergency Room
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LICENSES
Nurse extern and nursing assistant in a 478 bed Magnet Organization
Facilitated the flow in a high acuity Pediatric Emergency Room
Continued in a per diem role as a nursing assistant throughout
nursing school
Provided continuity of care for children and their families from triage
to either discharge or admission
Entered doctor's orders on medical computer system
Pennsylvania Registered Nurse: RN575328
New Jersey Registered Nurse: 26NR15571900
Delaware Registered Nursing: L1-0040735
CERTIFICATIONS
Critical Care Registered Nurse, 2008- Present
Basic Life Support, 2006- Present
Advance Cardiac Life Support, 2006- Present
Pediatric Advance Life Support, 2006- Present
Advance Trauma Certified Nurse, 2007- Present
Advance Burn Life Support, 2008- Present
PROFESSIONAL
Member, AACN, 2008- Present
AFFILIATIONS Member, AANA August 2011- Present
EXTRACURRICULAR Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley, 2006-2008
ACTIVITIES
Run Coordinator and Creator, Angels on the Run 5K, 2008
Safety Town Child Education for Safety and Prevention, 2006-2008
Student Nursing Association of Pennsylvania, 2002-2005
Special Olympics Medical Staff Volunteer, 2003-2005