Nurse Anesthesia - Oxley College of Health Sciences

Nurse Anesthesia

Overview

The Nurse Anesthesia (NA) program is designed to prepare nurses for advanced practice in administering anesthetics to patients across the life span wherever anesthesia is delivered, including in hospital surgical suites, ambulatory surgical centers, the offices of dentists and plastic surgeons, rural settings and the military.

The NA curriculum is an integration of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) core courses and nurse anesthesia specialty courses. This intensive educational program employs didactic learning, laboratory skills and extensive clinical experiences. The NA program culminates with the completion of a scholarly final project. You can find detailed information in the graduate studies bulletin.

Applications open May 1st and close September 30th.

For more information about becoming a CRNA, visit the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology website at https://www.aana.com/membership/become-a-crna.

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA):

10275 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 906.
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603
Phone: 224-275-9130
Fax: 847-692-7137
Webpage: https://coacrna.org

Attrition rate: 0
Employment of graduates as nurse anesthetists within 6 months of graduation: 0
NBCRNA NCE pass rate for first-time takers: 0

  • NA courses (years 1, 2 and 3)

    Year 1

    Summer semesterFall semesterSpring semester
    DNPA 9101 Orientation to Nurse Anesthesia PracticeDNP 9003 Foundations for PracticeDNPA 9111 Anesthesia Simulation Lab
    DNPA 9113 Basic Principles of Nurse Anesthesia PracticeDNPA 9123 Advanced Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice IDNP 8023 Advanced Pharmacology
    DNPA 9114 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthetists I DNPA 9124 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesia IIDNP 8033 Advanced Assessment
    DNP 9023 Health InformaticsDNP 8053 Biostatistics

    Year 2

    Summer semesterFall semesterSpring semester
    DNP 8043 Translational ResearchDNP 9043 Organizational Leadership & QualityDNP 9073 DNP Project Proposal
    DNPA 9112 Advanced Anesthesia Simulation LabDNPA 9164 Clinical Practicum IDNPA 9174 Clinical Practicum II
    DNPA 9113 Advanced Principles of Anesthesia Practice IIDNP 9013 Health Policy
    DNPA 9154 Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia

    Year 3

    Summer semesterFall semesterSpring semester
    DNP 9063 Epidemiology DNP 9173 DNP Project DesignDNP 9082 DNP Project Completion
    DNPA 9186 Clinical Practicum IIIDNPA 9196 Clinical Practicum IVDNPA 9193 Advanced Clinical Topics
    DNPA 9294 Clinical Practicum V
  • Estimated cost of the Nurse Anesthesia program


    The nurse anesthesia program is three years for a total of 87 credit hours. Current cost per credit hour and university fees are at: Tuition & Living Expenses – Graduate School (utulsa.edu)

    Admitted students will be responsible for program specific expenses. These include books, liability insurance, lab fees, AANA membership, and the Self Evaluation Exam. Travel and lodging at distant clinical sites are the responsibility of the student.

  • Admission requirements

    To be considered for graduate admission to the NA program, the following items must be submitted to the Graduate School:
    • Bulletin: Nurse Anesthesia, D.N.P.

    • A baccaleureate or graduate degree in nursing or another appropriate major
    •  An unencumbered license as a registered nurse and/or APRN in the United States or its territories
    • A minimum of one year of full-time experience, or its part-time equivalent, as a registered nurse in a critical care setting such as surgical, cardiothoracic, neurotrauma, medical, pediatric, and neonatal intensive care. Emergency room, recovery room, and step-down units do not meet the requirement.
    • Undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of a 3.0 or above and science grades in each required nursing undergraduate course a B or above.
    •  Graduate School application
    •  Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume
    •  250-word personal essay that tells the review committee more about you that we cannot get from your transcripts and CV/resume
    •  3 Letters of Recommendation. One from a nursing professor, one from a current supervisor, and one from an advanced practice provider (NP or PA) or a physician familiar with your work.
    •  Official or unofficial transcripts from all universities attended
    • Application fee
    •  Shadow experience with a CRNA or physician anesthesiologist
    • BLS, ACLS and/or PALS
    •  If selected, an interview (in-person or virtual)
    •  GRE is NOT required
    • CCRN is not required but preferred. All current students have CCRN and many have other certifications
  • Graduate program FAQ

    Do I need to take the GRE?
    No. The GRE is not required.

    Do I need board certifications (CCRN, RN-BC, CEN)?
    CCRN is not required but preferred. We take into consideration all additional education and certifications.

    What is the typical schedule?
    The schedule will vary according to semester [refer to NA course (years 1,2, and 3)]. Once in clinical practicum schedule is based on clinical placement.

    Can I work and attend school?
    The program is full-time for 36 consecutive months. The time commitment is extensive, especially during clinical practicum. This may preclude outside employment.

    Is this an online/distance program?
    No. Admitted nurses will attend in person classes for the first four semesters. Spring of the second year begins intense clinical practicum which may be at a distance. This is a hybrid program. Core DNP nursing courses are online and asynchronous using a learning management system. Anesthesia specific didactic courses are in person as are courses utilizing the Human Patient Simulation lab. In person didactic and simulation courses are in the Oxley College of Health Sciences building in downtown Tulsa.

    What are the clinical sites?
    Clinical sites are in the Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and many other Oklahoma locations. Out of state clinical sites are in Texas and Missouri. The student is responsible for all travel and lodging expenses for clinical practicum sites.

    Are pediatric or neonatal ICU experiences acceptable?
    Yes. There is no preference for the type of ICU experience. The acuity of the ICU and any leadership roles within the unit/organization are taken into consideration.

    Is graduate coursework required?

    No. However, admission is extremely competitive and graduate level science coursework strengthens the application.