Identical twins Raonna Armstrong and Tianna Brown advance pursue anesthesia careers
Identical twins Raonna Armstrong, BSN, RN, CCRN, and Tianna Brown, BSN, RN, CCRN, are used to doing life side-by-side. They grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and served in the military together. Now, they are working at the bedside and pursuing careers as certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing. Together, they continue to share a remarkable journey.
Their interest in nursing grew from different starting points but a shared desire to help others. For Raonna, that realization came early through military service. “I joined the military at 17 years old and I was a chemical operations specialist,” she says. “I quickly realized that I enjoyed helping others and being hands-on so I decided that nursing would be the right profession for me.”
Tianna’s path to nursing followed a career change—and a clear long-term goal. “Nursing was a second career path for me because I knew I wanted to become a CRNA prior to becoming a nurse!” she says. “I am very grateful for the experiences I’ve gained while working at the bedside because it’s shaped the way I will care for my patients as an advanced practice provider and I’ll never forget that.”
Tianna is also a Goldfarb graduate, having completed the Accelerated Program in Dec. 2022.
Before entering the CRNA program, both twins gained critical care experience at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Raonna began her nursing career in emergency care before transitioning to the Medical ICU (MICU) after moving to St. Louis. Tianna also worked in the MICU—and played a role in bringing her sister there. “I actually convinced Raonna to come work with me in the MICU because I knew she’d get amazing experience prior to applying to CRNA school,” she explained.
Raonna first learned about the CRNA profession during nursing school and was drawn to its focus and intensity. “It involved working with my hands, taking care of one patient at a time, and utilizing critical thinking to obtain the best outcomes for patients,” she explains.
For Tianna, the decision became personal during her own patient experience. “It wasn’t until I was under the care of a CRNA during a dental procedure that I realized this was the path I was meant to take,” she says. “Anesthesia is scary, but it’s less scary when you have compassionate providers caring for you and making you feel like everything will be OK!”
Their influence on each other has been constant and mutual. “I became a nurse before Tianna and I would always tell her how cool nursing was,” Raonna says. “After that, she decided to pursue nursing and become a CRNA too.” Tianna reflected on how often their paths align: “We were in the military together, worked at the bedside together, and now we’re in CRNA school together.”
In the classroom and clinical setting, both students are energized by the depth of learning and hands-on experience. Raonna enjoys “how in-depth we go with our learning of the human body and the drugs and equipment we will be working with on a daily basis.” Tianna values opportunities to connect theory to practice through shadowing experiences at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “Watching it be applied in real time is amazing,” she says.
The twins, who are identical (Raonna is older by one minute) say competition has never been part of their relationship. “We want each other to both do well in class and in life,” Raonna says. Tianna agrees. “We are our biggest cheerleaders, and we push each other to be great,” she adds.
That support extends to their study habits. “We study together all the time,” Raonna says. Tianna adds, “We use our individual strengths to help the other succeed.”
Both students are scheduled to graduate in Dec. 2027. For those considering the CRNA program at Goldfarb, they encourage curiosity and initiative. “Put yourself out there. Advocate for your learning experiences,” Tianna says. Raonna adds, “Research and shadow…it allows you real-life insight into something that you have to put your all into to obtain.”
Learn more about the Goldfarb’s CRNA program.