Nurse Anesthesia

Our DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program features:
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Diverse clinical placements
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Faculty with well-rounded expertise
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Regional anesthesia training
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100% overall national certification pass rate
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100% employment within six months of graduation
The program
The OHSU Nurse Anesthesia Program prepares registered nurses to become advanced practitioners in the field of anesthesia where they administer general and regional anesthesia to surgical and obstetric patients. Students earn a Doctor of Nursing degree upon completion of the 36 month program. Most courses are offered face to face on campus. Core courses may be offered as on-line or hybrid format.
The Nurse Anesthesia Program educates registered nurses with critical care experience to the advanced practice specialty of anesthesia. The program provides nurse anesthesia students with a solid foundation in scientific knowledge, clinical skills, and professional accountability. Students develop the knowledge and skills to deliver safe anesthesia care using sound clinical judgment to diverse patients across the lifespan.
Goals of the Nurse Anesthesia Program:
- Provide a positive and supportive learning environment with a focus on meeting the needs of adult learners.
- Prepare the professional nurse in the art and science of anesthesia.
- Meet the societal need for safe and competent anesthesia care.
Accreditation
The Oregon Health & Science University Nurse Anesthesia Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs to October 2028.
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603
Main Number: 224-275-9130
Email: accreditation@coacrna.org
Website: COACRNA.org
Outcome data for the graduating class of 2022
- Attrition rate: 0%
- National Certification Examination 1st time pass rate: 11/12, 91.6%
- Employment within 6 months of graduation: 100%
Outcome Data 2008 –2022
- Graduation rate: From 2008-2022, 156 of 163 students (95.7%) students admitted have completed the program.
- 1st time pass rate for 2008-2022 is 92.3% (144 of the 156 graduates passed on first attempt).
- Overall pass rate from 2008 to 2022 is 100%. 156 of the 156 graduates have passed the NCE.
Upon completion of the DNP degree, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate readiness to enter clinical practice via specialty competencies with the appropriate scientific knowledge, and considerations for its application to practice.
- Apply ethical principles along with the standards of professional conduct to clinical care, research, and education.
- Evaluate emerging healthcare systems and policy that influence delivery of cost effective patient care.
- Generate entry level practice scholarship through the completion of a clinical practice improvement project based on the principles of improvement science.
- Model interprofessional communication and collaboration to improve individual and/or population health outcomes.
- Identify and address gaps in professional knowledge through ongoing reflection to support the principle of life-long learning.
The 36 month program of study is rigorous and highly clinically focused. In the first year, students receive a firm foundation in basic anesthesia science along with weekly laboratory sessions in our state of the art clinical simulation center. The second year incorporates clinical rotations designed to expose the student to a variety of anesthesia experiences.Students will also complete a scholarly project during this time. The third year is designed to be a clinical immersion with experiences that include a broad range of practice settings and specialty practice.
Upon completion of the OHSU Nurse Anesthesia Program, the graduate will also be able to:
- Deliver safe and culturally competent anesthesia care to patients of all ages and physical conditions.
- Develop and implement anesthesia management throughout the perianesthetic continuum using a variety of current anesthesia techniques, agents and equipment.
- Apply knowledge to practice in decision-making and problem-solving.
- Provide nurse anesthesia care based on sound principles and research evidence.
- Interact on a professional level with integrity using appropriate verbal, nonverbal and written communication in the delivery of perianesthetic care.
DNP student learning outcomes (applies to all Post-Master’s DNP and all APRN specialties)
- Demonstrate readiness to enter clinical practice via specialty competencies with the appropriate scientific knowledge, and considerations for its application to practice.
- Apply ethical principles along with the standards of professional conduct to clinical care, research, and education.
- Evaluate emerging healthcare systems and policy that influence delivery of cost effective patient care.
- Generate entry level practice scholarship through the completion of a clinical practice improvement project based on the principles of improvement science.
- Model interprofessional communication and collaboration to improve individual and/or population health outcomes.
- Identify and address gaps in professional knowledge through ongoing reflection to support the principle of life-long learning.
Nurse Anesthesia Program student learning outcomes
- Exhibit and appraise safe, vigilant care to patients across the lifespan, with an emphasis on continual quality improvement throughout the perianesthetic period.
- Provide patient-centered, culturally sensitive perianesthetic care based upon performance of a systematic assessment of the patient’s condition, and formulation of a comprehensive anesthesia plan.
- Demonstrate critical thinking throughout the perianesthetic period, with an emphasis on the anticipation of and response to varying clinical conditions.
- Facilitate collaborative relationships with patients, families, healthcare partners, and the community to promote effective communication of information and enhance patient safety.
- Conduct a systematic evaluation of evidence from current scientific literature as a basis for informed nurse anesthesia practice.
- Display a commitment to professionalism by exemplifying personal integrity, adherence to ethical standards, humility, accountability and compassion in all professional activities.
Master of Nursing
The Master of Nursing Advanced Practice programs listed below are NOT accepting new students. The Student Learning Outcomes posted here are only valid for students who have already matriculated in the programs and are completing their studies.
The general competencies that must be met for the master of nursing for the AGACNP, FNP, HSOL, MNE, NA, NMW, PNP and PMHNP programs are:
- Apply advanced knowledge in the science of a specialty area of advanced nursing practice.
- Use emerging information and health technologies to access current research and health care data to improve patient care.
- Make sound, culturally appropriate and ethically grounded clinical judgments based on critical analysis of the best available evidence.
- Demonstrate the leadership skills that are essential for influencing policy and organizational systems for improving patient outcomes.

For all program specifics, Student Learning Outcomes and detailed school information, check out the School of Nursing Catalog/Student Handbook.

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Clinical sites
Students rotate to a variety of clinical sites. Get more information on clinical sites for the Nurse Anesthesia Program.
Simulation
The Nurse Anesthesia Simulation Program (NAP) is dedicated to providing students with hands on experiences in a controlled simulated clinical environment.

Don’t live in Oregon?
You may qualify for in-state tuition through the Western Regional Graduate Program.