This DNP track prepares graduates to become one of the primary anesthesia providers in the country, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). All nurse anesthesia programs must be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) for graduates to be eligible to take the National Certification Examination (NCE). According to the COA, Practice Doctorate Programs are designed to prepare graduates with competencies for entry into anesthesia practice. Entry into practice competencies for the nurse anesthesia professional prepared at the practice doctoral level are those required at the time of graduation to provide safe, competent, and ethical anesthesia and anesthesia-related care to patients across the lifespan for diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical procedures.
Entry into practice competencies should be viewed as the structure upon which nurse anesthetists continue to acquire knowledge, skills, and abilities along the practice continuum that starts at graduation (proficient) and continues throughout their entire professional careers (expert). See https://www.coacrna.org/.
The curriculum is based on the COA Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs, Practice Doctorate.
CERTIFICATION
After successful completion of the 36-month curriculum, students will be eligible to apply for the National Certification Examination (NCE) through the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA). CRNA certification requires a passing score on the NCA. The NBCRNA administers the NCE to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for entry-level nurse anesthesia practitioners. The NCE is a variable-length computerized adaptive test for entry into nurse anesthesia practice. See https://www.nbcrna.com/
Nurse Anesthesia Track-Specific Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NR.210.670 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| NR.210.671 | Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesiology | 3 |
| NR.210.672 | Advanced Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesiology | 4 |
| NR.210.673 | Introduction to Anesthesia Equipment, Technology, and Clinical Practice | 2 |
| NR.210.674 | Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesiology Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.675 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles I | 2 |
| NR.210.676 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles II | 3 |
| NR.210.677 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles III | 2 |
| NR.210.678 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles IV | 2 |
| NR.210.679 | Clinical Residency I (336CL) | 3 |
| NR.210.687 | Clinical Residency II (80CL) | 1 |
| NR.210.680 | Clinical Residency III (368CL) | 3 |
| NR.210.681 | Clinical Residency IV (448CL) | 4 |
| NR.210.682 | Clinical Residency V (448CL) | 4 |
| NR.210.688 | Clinical Residency VI (80CL) | 1 |
| NR.210.683 | Clinical Residency VII (368CL) | 3 |
| NR.210.684 | Seminars in Nurse Anesthesiology I | 3 |
| NR.210.685 | Seminars in Nurse Anesthesiology II | 3 |
| NR.210.686 | Advanced Physiology for Nurse Anesthesiology | 4 |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
Track Total [50cr/2,128CL]
Program of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | |
| NR.210.602 | Clinical Pharmacology | 4 |
| NR.210.610 | Health Promotion and Risk Reduction Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| NR.210.670 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.210.606 | Biostatistics for Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.601 | Advanced Health Assessment and Measurement (This course has a required immersion component.) | 3 |
| NR.210.686 | Advanced Physiology for Nurse Anesthesiology | 4 |
| All courses online. | ||
| Credits | 10 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.210.671 | Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesiology | 3 |
| NR.210.672 | Advanced Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesiology | 4 |
| NR.210.608 | The Research Process and Its Application to Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| All courses online. | ||
| Credits | 10 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| NR.210.675 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles I | 2 |
| NR.210.673 | Introduction to Anesthesia Equipment, Technology, and Clinical Practice | 2 |
| NR.210.886 | Problem Discovery | 1 |
| NR.210.674 | Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesiology Practice Class of 2026 - course will be 2 credits | 3 |
| NR.210.806 | Health Finance | 2 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.210.676 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles II | 3 |
| NR.210.679 | Clinical Residency I (336CL*) | 3 |
| NR.210.803 | Nursing Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.210.687 | Clinical Residency II (80CL*) | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| NR.210.887 | Project Advancement | 1 |
| NR.210.805 | Translating Evidence into Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.680 | Clinical Residency III (368CL*) | 3 |
| NR.210.677 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles III Class of 2026 - course will be 3 credits | 2 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| NR.210.678 | Nurse Anesthesiology Principles IV | 2 |
| NR.210.681 | Clinical Residency IV (448CL*) | 4 |
| NR.210.888 | Project Application | 1 |
| NR.210.817 | Analysis and Evaluation of Individual and Population Health Data | 3 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.210.684 | Seminars in Nurse Anesthesiology I | 3 |
| NR.210.682 | Clinical Residency V (448CL*) | 4 |
| NR.210.889 | Project Evaluation and Dissemination | 1 |
| NR.210.802 | Advanced Nursing Health Policy | 2 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.210.688 | Clinical Residency VI (80CL*) | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| NR.210.685 | Seminars in Nurse Anesthesiology II | 3 |
| NR.210.683 | Clinical Residency VII (368CL*) | 3 |
| NR.210.804 | Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care | 2 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Total Credits | 88 | |
*DNP practicum hours will be incorporated into this course for the development of the DNP project.