CRNA Week 2025 Spotlight: Ricci Robinson and Connor Holcomb
January 23, 2025
This CRNA Week, we’re proud to spotlight two remarkable healthcare professionals from United Anesthesia, a GHR Healthcare company: Ricci Robison and Connor Holcomb.
Ricci’s dedication, skill, and compassion make him an invaluable part of the United Anesthesia team. His professionalism and focus on patient care leave a lasting, positive impact every day.
Connor, a skilled DNP and CRNA, brings expertise, kindness, and a passion for excellence to every case he handles. His ability to balance technical precision with genuine compassion truly sets him apart.
Ricci R. Robison — LTC(R)/CRNA
Port Richey, FL
Q: What inspired you to become a CRNA, and what do you love most about the profession?
A: As a young Army Nurse Corp Officer, I had many encounters with Army CRNAs and was able to observe what role they played in the health care system and their ability to make quick, decisive decisions which impacted the outcome of an individual’s life. I knew then I wanted to be able to do that myself.
Q: Can you share a particularly rewarding experience you've had in your role?
A: I would say my most rewarding experiences were those serving my country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Being part of the of the medical units assigned to provide care for wounded American Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen is what I believe to have been most fulfilling. To nail it down to one experience would be extremely difficult. But for me, I truly feel every day I get to administer anesthesia is a rewarding experience.
Q: How do you approach building trust with your patients, especially when they may be nervous about anesthesia?
A: First and foremost, I always introduce myself so they know who I am and what role I will play in their surgical process. I try to get them to talk about themselves and where they are from and what they do for work or about their family. Usually, within the first 30 seconds, I can determine how anxious and nervous an individual is, and at this point, I’ll go one of two ways. I proceed with either extreme reassurance or joking and playful talk. For those who are extremely anxious, I let them know that is a normal response and 99% of individuals share these same feelings and what they’re experiencing is normal. Above all, I let them know, we as a team, are going to take great care of them. If all else fails, there’s always the “I don’t care medicines”, Versed or Precedex. Because usually once given and they take effect, patients just don’t care anymore.
Q: What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in the profession?
A: Knowing your role in what you bring to the team, strengths and weaknesses. Also, being an effective communicator amongst all members of the surgical team.
Q: How do you manage the balance between the technical and compassionate aspects of your job?
A: Always put the patient first. Knowing it’s never about you but it’s always about the patient.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring CRNAs looking to join the profession?
A: Do your research, and know what you’re about to embark upon. Yes, we tend to make a great salary but there’s a reason. I was always told, “if anesthesia looks easy, it’s because the individual doing it knows what they are doing.” It’s the best job in the operating room.
Q: What changes or advancements in anesthesia care are you most excited about, and how do you see them affecting patient outcomes?
A: The advancements in Ultrasound Regional Anesthesia and the implementation of new peripheral nerve blocks to aid in patient comfort with the potential use of fewer narcotics for pain management.
Q: We’d love to know something fun about you outside of your professional life. What is a hobby or interest that brings joy to your days?
A: The thing I enjoy the most is spending time with my lovely Bride of thirty-six and a half years, Angela. During the week, I’m not afforded the opportunity to spend much, if any, with her, so when I am off, we enjoy going to Nashville to attend concerts and sporting events and going out to eat at the many great restaurants there. Also, when the opportunity permits, I like to go golfing.
Connor Holcomb — DNP, CRNA
Concord, NC
Q: What inspired you to become a CRNA, and what do you love most about the profession?
A: I had a JROTC instructor in High School lead me towards nursing because the military needed more male nurses. While researching the field I came across CRNA and at first thought it was a cool job. As I learned more about the profession I knew it was the perfect fit for me.
Q: Can you share a particularly rewarding experience you've had in your role?
A: Aside from the massive achievement of finishing CRNA school, I think some of the most rewarding times as a CRNA so far were when I first started practicing and building my confidence as an independent provider for the first time. Doing cases by myself, especially difficult ones, is always gratifying.
Q: How do you approach building trust with your patients, especially when they may be nervous about anesthesia?
A: Surgery is an extremely anxiety-provoking event in anyone's life, and I like to make my patients feel at ease by not only being their watchful eye but also their comedic relief. I will slip small jokes into my preoperative assessment so as to catch patients off guard and hopefully make them have a laugh before going back to the operating room. The medical field, especially the operating room, is a very serious line of work and while I can be a very serious person. I think it is calming for everyone to have a laugh when the moments are right.
Q: What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for success in the profession?
A: As a former ICU nurse and current CRNA, I think one of our most important skills is our attention to detail and intuition. I always tell our Nurse Anesthesia Residents that our ability to not only react to what is happening with the patient clinically but also think of 2 or 3 steps to predict what may happen is vital to providing a high-quality and safe anesthetic.
Q: How do you manage the balance between the technical and compassionate aspects of your job?
A: I think as former ICU nurses, CRNAs are highly equipped for this balance in our jobs. Nurses have a special way of being able to explain various aspects of our care to patients on a level that the non-medically trained person can understand and CRNAs are able to bring that to the forefront in anesthesia. I always take the time to explain things the best I can and in the least amount of medical jargon as I possibly can with every patient.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring CRNAs looking to join the profession?
A: I am very lucky that I get to work with not only CRNAs in training but also nursing students and nurses alike who aspire to become CRNAs. One piece of advice I always share with them is that nothing in life worth doing will come easy. CRNA school is 3 of the hardest years of your life, and there will be many times that it seems impossible, but for those who want it bad enough, it will always be worth it 100 times over. Keep your head down, keep working and the ultimate goal will be there before you know it.
Q: What changes or advancements in anesthesia care are you most excited about, and how do you see them affecting patient outcomes?
A: As we get new and exciting technologies in the healthcare field, I often get to see some of them firsthand in the operating room. We have started to employ a lot more non-invasive monitoring techniques that allow us to avoid using invasive monitors such as arterial lines or CVP measurements in certain patient populations. These devices give us very useful data that can help aid in differential diagnosis sooner and more effectively and hopefully decrease negative sequelae postoperatively. As much as I love being able to place invasive monitors in the operating room, I know that patients are a lot happier with one less poke.
Q: We’d love to know something fun about you outside of your professional life. What is a hobby or interest that brings joy to your days?
A: Anyone who knows me even decently knows that the Carolina Hurricanes are my obsession. I have season tickets and attend all 41 home games a year. To say it keeps me busy during the winter months would be an understatement. Now that I have been practicing for a little bit I have also been fortunate to start traveling more. Since graduating I've been to 4 different countries. with a 5th one as of this weekend while I write this blog post, attended my first Oktoberfest, made homemade pasta in Italy, and got to visit my mom's childhood home in England.
We deeply appreciate CRNAs like Ricci and Connor for their unwavering dedication to patient care. By stepping up where it matters most, they’re making a meaningful difference in creating a healthier, safer environment for all. Happy CRNA Week!
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