Garry Brydges, MBA, PhD, DNP, CRNA, ACNP-BC, FAAN

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Garry Brydges, PhD, DNP, MBA, CRNA, ACNP-BC, FAAN

Director of Anesthesia Quality & Safety at MD 

Anderson Cancer Center 

Houston, Texas 

Director, NBCRNA 

Dr. Brydges is the chief nurse anesthetist and Director of Anesthesia Quality & Safety at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, overseeing over 115 CRNAs. He is adjunct faculty at the University of Texas and Baylor College of Medicine Nurse Anesthesia Programs. He has been a CRNA since 2002, graduating from the University of Texas Nurse Anesthesia Program and recipient of the Agatha Hodgins Outstanding Graduate Award. He has an extensive academic background, also graduating from the University of Texas Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program before nurse anesthesia training, concentrating on cardiovascular surgery. He completed his Doctor of Nursing Practice at Texas Christian University in 2011, focusing research on Preoperative Considerations for the Heart Failure Patient with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy. Other degrees include an Executive MBA at Texas Woman’s University, and a Ph.D. in Financial Management and Economics in Healthcare Delivery, also at Texas Woman’s University. Finally, he is completing his Master’s in Healthcare Administration, concentrating on business analytics. 

He has provided more than 400 lectures nationally and internationally on a wide range of topics, including anesthesia, healthcare economics, and healthcare policy. He is well-published in textbook chapters and journals, such as Health Policy and Advanced Practice Nursing: Impact & Implications, Oncologic Critical Care, The DNP Professional: Translating Value from Classroom to Practice, AANA Journal, Watchful Care 2nd Edition, Journal of Nursing Administration, AACN Journal, and among many more. 

In March 2021, he was selected as a Fellow to the first Coldiron Senior Nurse Executive class at Case Western Reserve University. In 2018, he was the 31st CRNA inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing for my contributions to Opioid-Sparing Strategies in anesthesia. 

Currently, he serves as a board of director for the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists. he completed his term in 2019 as the 79th President of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. He was the President of the Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists in 2012-2013. 

He continues to be involved in extensive committee work throughout nurse anesthesia and other healthcare interest groups, such as the Liaison to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, AANA Foundation, former AANA BOD Liaison to the NBCRNA Board of Directors, AANA Practice Committee, Texas Department of Insurance – authorization of prescription drug benefits committee, The Joint Commission – PTAC Committee, Oklahoma Foundation of Medical Quality – SCIP Committee, the regional chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and ANA’s Congress of Nursing Practice and Economics. Finally, he is working globally to bring the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist to Canada and the European Union working with a range of government officials internationally to legislate the U.S. model of CRNAs.