CRNA Coach Amanda Kay Launches $5 Live Bootcamp as The Mindful CRNA Expands Support for Nurses Entering Anesthesia

CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA opens a live three-day CRNA Bootcamp in late August, adds two coaching portals for nurses already in school, and confirms a pilot program beginning January 2027.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and coach Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA is opening enrollment for a live three-day CRNA school bootcamp launching in late August 2026. Priced at $5, the program is open to registered nurses preparing to apply to nurse anesthesia school and to Nurse Anesthesia Residents already in training — two audiences that are rarely taught in the same room.

KEY FACTS

A bootcamp built for both ends of the path

The bootcamp is the first of several launches planned through early 2027 for The Mindful CRNA, the independent coaching and educational platform Kay founded. Its focus is the part of the nurse anesthesia path that curricula tend to skip: what happens to a person under sustained academic and clinical pressure.

Amanda Kay has coached and mentored more than 700 aspiring nurse anesthetists since 2020, and reaches roughly 1,400 subscribers through her newsletter.

“The goal is more coaching, more leadership skills and development, and more confidence and clarity — with less anxiety, less imposter syndrome, and less spinning in overwhelm.”

— Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA

Two new coaching portals

Two coaching portals are launching alongside the bootcamp. The first pairs structured curriculum with 1:1 CRNA coaching sessions with Kay. The second is a standalone companion built to run in parallel with nurse anesthesia school — designed for residents who need ongoing support through coursework and clinical rotations rather than a single intervention at the application stage. Both are expected to open in late August or September 2026.

Kay has also confirmed that a further program will be revealed later this year, with a pilot cohort beginning in January 2027. Details are being held until the formal announcement.

“Getting into CRNA school is only one part of the journey. Once you are there, you still need ways to stay grounded, lead yourself well, and keep moving when the pressure is high.”

— Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA

The method behind the programs

Kay's work is organized around The Mindful CRNA Method™ and the positioning line “Not just get in and get through, but find peace in the process and thrive in CRNA school.” A second phrase she uses with clients — “Grow up while you show up” — points at the same idea: that the person who finishes the program should not be a depleted version of the one who started it. The framework treats the practical demands of nurse anesthesia — applications, interviews, coursework, clinical hours — as inseparable from the leadership and self-management skills required to sustain them.

She came to the work through her own route. Kay spent years in telemetry, palliative care and trauma critical care nursing before completing her MSN in nurse anesthesia at Rhode Island College in 2016. She was accepted on her first application. What she did not anticipate was how hard the years inside the program would be.

The difficulty was not academic. Kay has spoken about facing bullying during her training, and about the uncertainty that came with it — the recurring question of whether the path was worth staying on at all. It is an experience many nurse anesthesia residents recognize and few discuss openly, and it shaped the kind of support she went on to build.

She began working as a CRNA coach for aspiring nurse anesthetists and residents in 2020, and has since been featured by Healthgrades, Mechanics of Anesthesia, MoneyRx for CRNAs and The CRNA Club.

“There is a point where more information is not the only answer. People also need clarity about what matters next, confidence in how they are showing up, and support that helps them move forward without getting lost in overwhelm. It's more about transformation within the process.”

— Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA

Availability

Alongside the new launches, the platform continues to offer CRNA school interview prep for applicants and a library of free CRNA school resources for nurses at both stages of the path. Those weighing whether coaching is the right fit can book a free CRNA coaching consultation.

“This next chapter is about meeting people where they are and helping them find more peace in the process.”

— Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA

About The Mindful CRNA

The Mindful CRNA is an independent coaching and educational platform founded by Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA. It serves registered nurses preparing for CRNA school and Nurse Anesthesia Residents in training through coaching, interview preparation and educational resources, guided by the principle that peace is built rather than found. The Mindful CRNA is not affiliated with any nurse anesthesia program or credentialing body.

Media contact

Amanda Kay, MSN, CRNA — Founder, The Mindful CRNA
info@themindfulcrna.com
themindfulcrna.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/935e2dda-d9e8-4921-8e35-7c9d2d3b7005