Brent Dunworth, DNP, MBA, CRNA, director of advanced practice and division chief of Nurse Anesthesia in Vanderbilt’s Department of Anesthesia, has been appointed to the clinical advisory committee of the Respiratory Compromise Institute (RCI).
He joins a group of 13 clinicians who make up the committee, which is dedicated to addressing respiratory compromise across the care continuum via public education, research and advocacy. Respiratory compromise is a deterioration of respiratory function that poses a high risk of life-threatening respiratory failure.
“As the Respiratory Compromise Institute continues to grow, we are pleased to have someone on our clinical advisory committee of Dr. Dunworth’s caliber,” said Phillip Porte, executive director of RCI. “We are confident that his nearly 20 years of clinical experience and increasingly responsible leadership at renowned U.S. healthcare centers will enhance our understanding of the impact of anesthesia on respiratory compromise, deepen our advisory talent bench and enrich and expand our research capabilities.”
At VUMC, Dunworth provides administrative leadership to advanced practice perioperative professionals, including certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs).
His oversight responsibilities include preoperative evaluations, procedural assessments and postoperative recovery monitoring in order to provide safe and efficient patient care delivery.
He is responsible for 160 CRNAs, 25 CRNPs and 30 anesthesia technologists. Prior to VUMC, he was senior director for Nurse Anesthesia at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
“I am excited to join the Respiratory Compromise Institute’s clinical advisory committee, where I hope my expertise in nurse anesthesia will add to the committee’s already impressive clinical thought leadership,” Dunworth said.
“Practitioners at every level should be well versed in how to recognize and respond to respiratory compromise, which, if identified early, may lower healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes.”
