Congratulations to John Goelz, MSN, CRNA for receiving the 2021 Olive Berger Award for Clinical Excellence and Leadership!

Olive Berger was a Johns Hopkins CRNA who represents the rich history of the CRNA profession. She completed her anesthesia education from the Johns Hopkins School of Anesthesiology in 1922 and became the Chief CRNA at Johns Hopkins in 1931 until 1969. During her tenure, Olive Berger managed the department while still administering anesthesia and training multiple students annually. She worked closely with Dr. Blalock in the OR and provided the anesthesia for the first Blue Baby procedure.

Each year, the Olive Berger Award is given to a CRNA who is a role model within the Johns Hopkins CRNA division. As a facilitator and dedicated clinician, John is someone we all can emulate. When facilitating, John never tires and advocates for break and end-of-day relief for all members of the healthcare team, and even steps in himself to be the relief for his colleagues. In the OR, John provides exceptional care, as noted by a nominator here:

“John is quietly and confidently always willing and able to get cases done and to do them well. His clinical judgement and work ethic are exemplary. He is often requested for cases when friends or family come in for surgery. He keeps things simple and safe, and knows how to execute optimal anesthetic plans. He also works long hours and never seems to lose energy and enthusiasm.”

Congratulations John!