Faculty Candidate Presentation: C. "Reggie" Elam, PhD, DNAP, CRNA

May 28, 2019 | 2:00 PM | College of Nursing, Rm 470

Predicting Arterial Oxygen Desaturation Events Via Patient Journal and Pulse Oximetry Data in Postoperative Ambulatory Surgery Patients

Dr. Elam, a native Virginian, began his nursing journey earning a diploma in nursing from Southside Regional Medical Center and an Associate in Science from Richard Bland College of the College of William and Mary.  Dr. Elam then completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University while working as a staff nurse in the coronary intensive care unit at VCU Health System.  Dr. Elam attended graduate school at VCU, earning his Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia and Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice.  His research in infection control practices of anesthesia personnel was awarded First Place in the “State of the Science” category of poster abstracts at the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Annual Meeting. 

Most recently, Dr. Elam completed a PhD in Health-Related Sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University.  He studied postoperative respiratory desaturation events following discharge from ambulatory surgery.  Dr. Elam was named a Post-Doctoral Fellow by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Foundation and awarded a $40,000 research grant.  Findings of his research were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Patient Safety.  Dr. Elam’s ongoing research interests include postoperative patient safety, opiate-sparing anesthesia, substance use disorder, and psychosocial predictors of graduate student success.

Dr. Elam has practiced anesthesia since 2011 in a variety of practices in Virginia and Iowa, including large medical centers, critical access hospitals, and pain management practices.  He is an independent practice, full-scope CRNA, and has extensive experience in regional, obstetric, and cardiothoracic anesthesia.  Dr. Elam will be practicing in a CRNA-only facility in Green Valley, Arizona beginning in June of 2019.  In his new clinical role, he hopes to facilitate independent CRNA clinical practice experiences for University of Arizona nurse anesthesia students.

Dr. Elam will be presenting findings from his research of postoperative arterial oxygen desaturation events following patient discharge, and the quality of life and physical/perioperative predictors of these events.  His research of participants in urban Virginia and rural Iowa offers insight into potential morbidity and mortality occurring insidiously in the home after otherwise low-risk surgical procedures.

Live-stream is available for this event. Link will be active on the day of the presentation.

Please click this URL to join: https://uahs.zoom.us/j/903619477