Janice Izlar Receives AANA’s 49th Annual Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment

Rosemont, Ill. –The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) presented Janice Izlar, DNAP, CRNA, FAANA with the Agatha Hodgins Award during its 2023 Annual Congress, August 18-22 in Seattle.

The Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment was established in 1975 to recognize individuals whose foremost dedication to excellence has furthered the art and science of nurse anesthesia. The award was established to honor Agatha Hodgins, founder and first president of the association.

Izlar’s achievements spread far and wide in the state and national arenas. She has been very active within the Georgia Association of Nurse Anesthetists (GANA) and served on various committees. She served as President of the GANA and was a recipient of the GANA’s Rosalie McDonald Award. In addition to being an advocate for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in Georgia, Izlar served on numerous AANA committees and offices, culminating in her successful bid for AANA President from 2012-2013.

A few years after she completed her presidential term on the AANA Board of Directors, Janice was appointed by Georgia’s Governor to serve on the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON). She worked tirelessly for three years as President of the GBON. While serving on the GBON Izlar was an advocate for advancing nursing practice and education for all nursing professionals.

Since her 2014 appointment to the Quad A Board, Dr. Izlar has built strategic connections with fellow board members. As a result, her work has been impactful and transformational for CRNA practice, specifically in ambulatory surgery. Through the Quad A Board work, standards were revised to allow full practice for CRNAs. During her tenure, Janice served as the first female and the first non-physician to chair a major committee within Quad A.

“I am honored to receive the Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment. There are many others who deserve to share in being recognized for these accomplishments. This includes the program administrators, their faculties, the AANA, GANA, GBON and the Quad A Boards and staff whose dedication have made incredible strides to remove practice restrictions for CRNAs,” Izlar said.

According to her nomination, “Dr. Izlar has dedicated her life work to furthering nurse anesthesia practice. Through strong service and leadership, she has continued to significantly contribute and elevate the quality and safety of anesthesia practice. Dr. Izlar’s body of work throughout her career clearly exemplifies her nomination for the Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment.”

Izlar received her diploma in nurse anesthesia from North Carolina Baptist Hospital Program for Nurse Anesthesia, now known as Wake Forest. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from University of Tulsa in Oklahoma and received her master’s degree in nursing from Columbia University in New York City. She earned a Doctor of Nurse Practitioner (DNP) from the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.