Dr. Ann Culp, Nurse Anesthesia Program Administrator
ann.culp@scranton.edu
570-941-5530
The Nurse Anesthesia program prepares registered nurses to function in the role of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA). Upon completion the graduate will be prepared to administer all types of anesthesia to diverse populations in a variety of clinical settings.
Graduates will be eligible to take the national certification examination for CRNA from the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists.
Curriculum
The BSN to DNP nurse anesthesia program is offered as an 83-credit doctoral degree for baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses.
Accreditation
The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) accredits the University of Scranton Nurse Anesthesia Program. Both the MSN and DNP nurse anesthesia programs are fully accredited by COA.
Date of Last Review: 10/2012
Date of Next Review: 10/2022
Accreditation Status: Continued Accreditation
Council on Accreditation
222 South Prospect Avenue, Suite 304
Park Ridge, IL 60068-4010
847-655-1168
http://home.coa.us.com
Admission Requirements
An applicant for the program must possess a baccalaureate degree in nursing from a CCNE, ACEN, or CNEA accredited program; have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00 or other evidence of ability to complete successfully a graduate program such as grades in other post-baccalaureate courses, scores from national graduate school entrance examinations, or a record of progressively higher work experiences; and be licensed as a registered nurse in the state of Pennsylvania. The applicant should have completed undergraduate or equivalent approved courses in basic physical assessment and statistics. The applicant must submit three professional references and a 300-word essay identifying career goals, demonstrating communication and writing skills. A personal interview with the program director or a faculty member to clarify goals and objectives is required.
In addition, nurse anesthesia DNP applicants must also have a minimum of one year of recent critical care nursing experience, current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification, current Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification, and have completed two courses in college chemistry. Critical care registered nurse certification (CCRN) is strongly recommended, but not required.
The deadline for completed applications is October 1 of the year prior to expected enrollment. All admissions requirements for the nurse anesthesia program must be met by the application deadline.
Scheduling
The program can be completed in 36 months of continuous full-time study. There is no part-time option. Students are accepted for the summer semester to the full-time program, with projected graduation 3 years later in May. Most classes and clinical practicums are scheduled during the day. However, some evening and weekend classes and clinicals are also required.
Academic Regulations
Nurse Anesthesia DNP students are expected to conform to the regulations stated in both The University of Scranton Graduate Studies Catalog and the Department of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia Student Handbook.
Any student who fails to receive a final course grade of “B” or higher in the NA specialty courses cannot progress in the DNP NA specialization. This applies to the following courses in the specialization: NURS 504, NURS 514, NURS 517, NURS 518, NURS 529, NURS 539, NURS 549, NURS 559, and NURS 778. The student may make application to the Department of Nursing to repeat the course when it is next offered. The student shall also be required to repeat any co-requisite laboratory course, regardless of the laboratory grade. Any student who fails to obtain a final course grade of “B” or higher on the second attempt will be dismissed from the program. A student may repeat only one specialty course. Any student who receives an Unsatisfactory in a clinical practicum (NURS 546, NURS 556) or residency course (NURS 765, NURS 775, NURS 785) will be dismissed from the program.
Costs
Tuition, which includes clinical fees, for the 83-credit program is $1,200 per credit. In addition to tuition, nurse anesthesia students are responsible for the following out-of-pocket expenses: student nurse anesthetist liability insurance; self-evaluation examination during the second and third years, background clearances and drug testing; one-time student tracking software; one-time certification review course; and attendance at one anesthesia conference during the program. Students are also required to join the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. All students must maintain Pennsylvania and New York registered nurse licenses and current ACLS and PALS certification. All students must have health insurance.
A one-time, nonrefundable fee is payable at the time of admission to the DNP program with a specialization in nurse anesthesia. This fee assures the student’s place in class and will be applied to tuition for the initial summer semester of full-time nurse anesthesia study.