Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA Program)

Charles Barton, MSN, M.Ed., CRNA - Director
Brian Radesic, DNP, MSN, CRNA - Associate Director
Kelly Pond, MSN, CRNA - Instructor
Betty Papania - Student Advisor (330) 972-5406 eap@uakron.edu

The University Of Akron College Of Nursing offers a Nurse Anesthesia Program that prepares Registered Nurses to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Successful completion of the program leads to the Master of Science in Nursing Degree. The program is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs and graduates are eligible to take the certification examination. The nurse anesthesia curriculum is comprised of 60 credit hours which include the core graduate nursing courses, advanced physiology and pathophysiology, chemistry, physics, basic and advanced pharmacology and principles of anesthesiology.

In addition, this 27-month program includes a 24-month residency which allows students to gain the clinical practice required by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs and needed to provide quality anesthesia care. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination that, upon completion, allows the individual to use the title of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

The curriculum is designed to prepare nurses to provide anesthesia care for patients undergoing surgical and obstetrical procedures and to provide pain relief in a variety of health care settings. The graduate nurse anesthesia resident works with Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and Anesthesiologists to provide assessment preoperatively and to develop an anesthetic plan appropriate to the physical and emotional status of the patient and the procedure that is anticipated. The nurse anesthesia resident then administers the anesthetic in a form such as general, regional, or local anesthesia with sedation and physiological monitoring. Working with clinical preceptors, the resident provides anesthesia care and monitoring during the perioperative period.

The program accepts registered nurses that are able to demonstrate a strong and current adult critical care experience. Graduates are prepared to implement research findings into their professional practice as nurse anesthesia care givers, educators, and leaders in health care.

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements for the Graduate Anesthesia Program are as follows:

• Graduate of a CCNE or NLN accredited baccalaureate nursing program
• BSN
• Current Ohio State license
• A minimum of a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent) from undergraduate work
• A minimum of one year of current adult critical care experience. Current experience is defined as one consecutive year of adult critical care nursing. The following does not constitute critical care experience for admission to The University of Akron: operating room, labor and delivery, step down telemetry units, neonatal intensive care, emergency room, pediatric intensive care, post anesthesia care units and cardiac catheterization labs.
• Shadow a CRNA for a minimum of 8 hours (specific documentation is not required)
• Current ACLS certification. (This must be maintained throughout the program)
• The University of Akron Graduate School Application (submit with check for $30 payable to The University of Akron Graduate School).
• Transcripts of all coursework (a minimum of a 3.0 GPA out of 4.0 GPA is required for admission).
• CCRN certification and/or GRE required prior to the October 2012 interview for the Graduate Anesthesia Program. Beginning January 2013, CCRN certification (only) will be required.
• Essay, a 300-word position paper describing your professional goals and purpose in seeking graduate education. The purpose of this paper is to determine the congruency of your goals with the graduate program's philosophy and to state your rationale for pursuing nurse anesthesia education.
• Information Form
• Nurse Anesthesia Data Sheet
• Resume outlining educational and professional experience, scholarly activity, and professional organization memberships, activities and/or awards.
• References from three individuals who can attest to the applicant's clinical and academic skills and potential.
  • Current nursing supervisor
  • A member of the nursing profession who can attest to the applicant's scholarly abilities.
  • A former college or school faculty member (or a second nursing supervisor if out of school more than three years)

Although the majority of our applicants hold the BSN degree, an RN-MSN option is available for the associate degree or diploma-prepared nurse. RNs that don't hold a BSN should refer to our program guides for the RN-BSN or RN-MSN track.

The Graduate Application must be completed online at www.uakron.edu/gradsch/.  Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Graduate School at 330-972-7663. All additional application materials, including official transcripts, letters of recommendation, test scores and supplemental materials are to be mailed to:

The University of Akron
Graduate School
Akron, Ohio 44325-2101

All application materials must be received by the August 1. Once accepted into the College of Nursing Graduate Program, candidates may begin taking core classes and will be eligible to interview for the graduate anesthesia program in October. Students admitted into the graduate anesthesia program will begin anesthesia course work in June of the following year.

Admission Policies

• The entering student must meet all University requirements for admission.
• Academic records for previous college work will be evaluated and decisions made accordingly.
• The student will be considered for admission to the College of Nursing when all university requirements and college prerequisites are met.
• All transfer grades will be combined with those earned at The University of Akron in computation of a GPA.

Tuition

Graduate Anesthesia Program Tuition

Student Employment

The faculty of the Graduate Anesthesia Program does not recommend employment during the program. If part-time employment is a necessity, the student may not work between 11p.m. to 7 a.m. prior to a class or clinical day. The faculty will not make concessions in clinical or class time due to outside employment.

Stipends

Students do not receive a stipend during the program. However, a limited number of Graduate Assistantships are available during the first year of the program. Information on financial aid is available through the Financial Aid Office at The University of Akron. Tuition assistant programs are also available through the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Clinical Sites

Thirty-two clinical sites are offered throughout the State of Ohio.

Curriculum

The curriculum follows a predominantly front-loaded didactic format. The majority of the first year focuses on didactic work with approximately 20 hours/week in clinical experiences. The curriculum consists of 20 credits of core graduate nursing course work and 40 credits of graduate anesthesia course work. During the last 15 months of the program, students are in the clinical setting four days per week with one day of didactic content.

The curriculum affords the student the opportunity to gain experience in all types and techniques of anesthesia care including regional anesthesia administration and invasive line placement. Students function as a member of a multi-disciplinary health care team to provide anesthesia nursing care to a variety of patient populations. The curriculum includes the following courses:

•  Detailed Nurse Anesthesia Curriculum Table