School of Nursing

Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. Program Classes and Requirements

A nurse anesthetist student wearing a surgical mask and gloves carefully prepares a breathing mask for a patient in a clinical setting.
OHSU’s Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. program gives you the skills you need to practice in both general and specialty surgical settings.

Nurse anesthesia program curriculum

You need 129 credits to earn your Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. degree. This includes 42 credits from clinical practicum courses (2,000 clinical hours) and 7 credits from D.N.P. project courses.

  • Length: 3 years. 
  • Complete your courses with a B- or better to graduate.  

Sample nurse anesthesia classes and program of study

Get a glimpse of the nursing classes you’ll take each year in the program. 

Nurse Anesthesia program of study 

Nurse anesthesia student learning outcomes 

D.N.P. student learning outcomes: 

  • 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 health care 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 lifelong learning. 

Nurse anesthesia student learning outcomes: 

  • Exhibit and appraise safe, vigilant care to patients across the lifespan, emphasizing continual quality improvement throughout the perianesthetic period. 
  • Provide patient-centered, culturally sensitive perianesthetic care based upon the performance of a systematic assessment of the patient’s condition and formulation of a comprehensive anesthesia plan. 
  • Demonstrate critical thinking throughout the perianesthetic period, emphasizing 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, and demonstrating humility, accountability and compassion in all professional activities. 

Degree requirements

You need 129 credits to complete the Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. degree program at OHSU. 

  • Core nursing and nurse anesthesia classes: 77 credits 
  • Clinical practicum: 42 credits (2,000 clinical hours) 
  • D.N.P. project: 7 credits 
  • Electives: 3 credits 

Schedule an admissions meeting.

Application requirements

What you need before you apply 

Before applying, students must have:    

  • Oregon RN license. If you don’t have one, you can get conditional admission, but you need a license before your first clinical course. 
  • One year of critical care nursing experience 
  • A GPA of 3.0 across all undergraduate and graduate courses, including all science courses  

You may receive additional consideration if you: 

  • Have your CCRN certification 
  • Completed a biochemistry course within the last five years 

The GRE exam is not required.  

What you need before you start your program

Before starting your program, you must have:  

  • B.S. or B.S.N. in nursing
  • Completed a college-level statistics course with a B- or better within 5 years of starting the program

How to apply

Applications will reopen in mid-August.

  • Go to Nursing CAS and apply.
  • Enter your college courses in Nursing CAS.
  • Submit 3 letters of reference, your resume and essays in Nursing CAS.
  • Send transcripts to Nursing CAS. Contact Nursing CAS to ensure your transcripts arrive.

You can submit a time limit waiver form if you completed a statistics course beyond the 5-year time limit.

Get application details for international students, veterans and current OHSU employees.

View interview dates. 

Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. program clinical sites

You’ll train at diverse clinical sites, gaining experience in general surgery and in specialty cases. OHSU coordinates your clinicals and preceptors for you, assigning sites based on your goals and degree requirements.

Clinical site locations

Doernbecher Children's Hospital 

  • Location: Portland, Oregon 
  • Size: 151 beds 
  • Offers care for children, including primary care and specialty areas such as cancer, diabetes, endocrinology, neonatology, nephrology, neurology, neurosurgery, pulmonology, lung surgery, and urology 

Henderson Hospital 

  • Location: Henderson, Nevada 
  • Size: 303 beds 
  • Offers obstetric care

Hillcrest Medical Center

  • Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma 
  • Size: 656 beds 
  • Offers specialty care including cardiothoracic surgery, burn care and high-risk obstetric care 

Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center

  • Location: Clackamas, OR 
  • Size: 250 beds 
  • Offers 24-hour emergency care, low-risk obstetrical and neonatal care, inpatient and outpatient surgery and medical/surgical hospital care for adults 

Kaiser Westside Medical Center 

  • Location: Hillsboro, Oregon 
  • Size: 126 beds 
  • Offers 24-hour emergency care, low-risk obstetrical and neonatal care, inpatient and outpatient surgery and medical/surgical hospital care for adults 

Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center 

  • Location: Portland, Oregon 
  • Size: 248 beds 
  • Has 16 main operating rooms, 3 ambulatory operating rooms and multiple ancillary areas including endoscopy and radiology 

Legacy Silverton Hospital 

  • Location: Silverton, Oregon 
  • Size: 48 beds 
  • Offers emergency medicine, obstetrics and pulmonology 

Oregon Health & Science University Hospital 

  • Location: Portland, Oregon 
  • Size: 560 beds 
  • Includes 36 operating rooms across four operating room suites to care for adult inpatients, outpatients and obstetric patients 

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center 

  • Location: Vancouver, Washington 
  • Size: 450 beds 
  • Has main operating rooms, radiology, endoscopy and labor and delivery operating rooms 

Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center 

  • Location: Portland, Oregon 
  • Size: 303 beds 
  • Has 14 operating rooms 

Prosser Memorial Hospital 

  • Location: Prosser, Washington 
  • Size: 25 beds 
  • Offers orthopedics, podiatry services, general and gynecological services, and ENT procedures 

Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital 

  • Location: Hood River, Oregon 
  • Size: 25 beds 
  • Offers general medical, surgical, orthopedic, pediatric, obstetric, outpatient diagnostic services and emergency services 

Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital 

  • Location: Newport, Oregon 
  • Size: 25 beds 
  • Offers general and specialty surgical services 

Seattle Children’s Hospital 

  • Location: Seattle, Washington 
  • Size: 250 beds 
  • Includes all surgical subspecialties, including solid organ transplantation 

St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center 

  • Location: Boise, Idaho 
  • Size: 400 beds 
  • Offers specialties including trauma and cardiothoracic care 

University of Washington Medical Center 

  • Location: Seattle, Washington 
  • Size: 450 beds 
  • Has 19 operating suites, 5 labor and delivery rooms, and ancillary locations in urology, radiation oncology, radiology and dental 

Willamette Valley Medical Center 

  • Location: McMinnville, Oregon 
  • Size: 60 beds 
  • Offers emergency care and obstetrics 

Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. class descriptions 

NURS 515A: Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology I

3 credits. This course provides in-depth knowledge of physiologic concepts essential for advanced practice nursing. Physiologic processes related to the central and peripheral (including autonomic) nervous systems; cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, endocrine and reproductive systems; hematopoiesis, innate and adaptive immunity, microcirculation, neural control of skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle, and acid-base balance are discussed at biochemical, cellular, organ, system, and organism levels. Exemplar pathologies will be utilized throughout the course to demonstrate disruption of normal physiology in disease. Emphasis is on integration of concepts as a basis for understanding interrelationships among complex physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, throughout the lifespan. This course prepares students for more detailed exploration of pathophysiology in future clinical management courses. 

NURS 515B: Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology II

3 credits. This sequel to NURS 515A continues to emphasize in-depth knowledge of physiologic concepts essential for advanced practice nursing. Physiologic processes related to the central and peripheral (including autonomic) nervous systems; cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive, endocrine and reproductive systems; hematopoiesis, innate and adaptive immunity, microcirculation, neural control of skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle, and acid base balance are discussed at biochemical, cellular, organ, system, and organism levels. Exemplar pathologies will be utilized throughout the course to demonstrate disruption of normal physiology in disease. Emphasis is on integration of concepts as a basis for understanding interrelationships among complex physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, throughout the lifespan. This course prepares students for more detailed exploration of pathophysiology in future clinical management courses. 

NURS 517A: Advanced Health and Physical Assessment

3 credits. This course focuses on development of clinical decision-making skills in the process of health assessment across the lifespan. The course provides advanced theory in the assessment of an individual within the context of the family, psycho-social-cultural considerations, functional ability, presence of health risk factors and developmental stage. The concepts of diagnostic reasoning and differential diagnosis will be introduced. The lab component includes hands-on advanced practice health assessment skills. 

NURS 519: Principles of Pharmacology & Prescribing for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

4 credits. This course applies the principles of pharmacology, including pharmacogenomics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, by analysis of common drug classes prescribed by advanced practice nurses across the life span. Factors influencing successful therapy such as effectiveness, safety, acceptability, cost, genetic/environmental influences, alternative regimens, and patient behaviors will be integrated into patient decision-making exercises and discussion. 

NURS 720: Roles, Responsibilities and Concepts for APN

3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore key components that are essential to advanced practice nursing roles. Ethical and legal responsibilities are emphasized related to patient outcomes and safety. Professionalism, scope of practice, leadership and policy are explored within advanced practice work environments. 

NURS 721: Ethics for APN

3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore ethical theories and principles and how they influence various dimensions of health care. Professional responsibilities of advanced practice registered nurses in clinical care, research, and healthcare organizations will be explored. Ethical principles are applied to delivery of care, scholarly inquiry and leadership.

NURS 722: Informatics and Technology for Health Care

3 credits. The purpose of this course is to explore the organization, collection, analysis and dissemination of information in health care. This course will serve as an introduction to clinical informatics with a focus on the electronic health record, telemedicine, and technological approaches to quality and safety. Ethical and legal dimensions of health care technology are examined. Students learn the basics of database design for the collection and analysis of patient outcomes data. 

NURS 723: Critical Appraisal of Evidence 

3 credits. This course is the first in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the different types of evidence and the critical appraisal process. The philosophical underpinnings and methods of knowledge development are introduced. Descriptive and inferential statistics are reviewed. The key steps in the EBP process and its importance to advanced nursing practice are highlighted.  

NURS 724: Application of Evidence to Clinical Practice

3 credits. This course is the second in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to evaluate evidence in the context of practice-based decision making. Students will identify a clinical problem and apply the clinical inquiry process. The focus is on critiquing evidence for practical application. Implementation science, models and change theories used in translating knowledge into action are highlighted.  

NURS 725: Improvement Science 

3 credits. This course is the third in a series to prepare students to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI) focusing on improvement science (IS) methodologies. The purpose of this course is to utilize improvement science to eliminate discrepancies between identified standards of care and clinical practice. Students will build core competencies in improvement science, including appraising the IS literature, differentiating IS methodologies, testing and measuring change, displaying findings and participating in continuous improvement activities.  

NURS 726: Health Care Economics and Finance  

3 credits. This course will provide the foundation for assessing the financial impact of practice policies, procedures, and initiatives when meeting the health needs of the practice populations. The course will emphasize principles of economics and finance, the analysis of practice quality, and cost effectiveness of care. Strategies to design effective and realistic care delivery or practice initiatives are examined.  

NURS 727: Leadership & Health Systems 

3 credits. This course is designed for the practical and integrated application of leadership and system theories to real-world problems in health care. Upon completion of this course, students will be prepared to understand and engage in health care leadership at the entry level.  

NURS 728: Health Policy and Population Health

3 credits. This course will provide an overview of health care policy at the state and national level and provide a foundation for evaluating its impact on health outcomes. Basic principles of population health will be explored within the context of epidemiology, determinants of health, health equity, and health disparities. Social, political, legal, and economic factors are used to understand the relationship between health policy and population health.  

NAP 730: Scientific Underpinnings for Nurse Anesthesia Practice

2 credits. This course is designed as an appraisal of selected scientific topics that are foundational to the specialty of nurse anesthesia. An emphasis is placed on concepts of inorganic and organic chemistry, biochemistry, and physics related to the delivery of anesthesia in the clinical setting.

NAP 731: Anesthesia Pharmacology I

4 credits. This is the first course in a 2-course series designed to provide the nurse anesthesia student with a thorough understanding of the basic science of pharmacology. The primary focus will be on topics that are essential to current anesthesia practice. These include pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacotherapeutics and toxicology, and pharmacogenetics. 

NAP 732: Anesthesia Pharmacology II

2 credits. This is the second course in a 2 course series designed to provide the nurse anesthesia student with a thorough understanding of the basic science of pharmacology. The primary focus will be on topics that re essential to current anesthesia practice. These include pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacotherapeutics and toxicology, and pharmacogenetics. 

NAP 733: Fundamentals of Anesthesia Practice I

4 credits. This is the first of two courses that introduces the student to core concepts of anesthesia practice. The focus is on the principles of airway management, the use of specialized equipment, and the application of anesthesia pharmacology. Students will have an opportunity to practice an array of anesthesia skills and begin to develop critical thinking in a high-fidelity setting. 

NAP 734: Fundamentals of Anesthesia Practice II

4 credits. This is the second of two courses that expands upon core concepts of anesthesia practice. The focus is on the principles of preoperative patient evaluation, intraoperative management, advanced anesthesia techniques and the application of anesthesia pharmacology to clinical scenarios. Students will have an opportunity to practice an array of anesthesia skills and develop clinical reasoning in a high-fidelity setting. 

NAP 735: Anesthesia for Surgical Procedures

4 credits. The focus of this course is the application of core anesthesia concepts to diverse patient populations undergoing surgeries and medically related procedures. This course emphasizes the assessment, planning and anesthetic management for commonly performed procedures. Relevant literature will be reviewed to apply best practices to clinical scenarios encountered by the nurse anesthetist. 

NAP 736: Anesthesia for Advanced Procedures

3 credits. This course integrates knowledge of core anesthesia concepts with physiology and pathophysiology to the management of patients undergoing complex surgical procedures. The course will focus on the anesthesia implications of patients undergoing cardiothoracic, vascular, neurosurgical, organ transplant, and major abdominal procedures. Relevant literature will be reviewed to apply best practices to the management of these advanced procedures. 

NAP 737: Anesthesia for Specialty Practice

2 credits. This course applies core principles of anesthesia to the specialized techniques and management of pediatric, obstetric and trauma populations. Relevant anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, co-morbid conditions, and procedures common to these specialty populations are examined. In addition, pertinent literature will be utilized to highlight current trends in the anesthesia management of these specialty cases. 

NAP 738: Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease

2 credits. This course will expand on concepts of pathophysiology and the related anesthesia implications. A case-based approach allows the students to integrate knowledge of anesthesia principles, anesthesia pharmacology, and co-morbid conditions for the perioperative management of patients with selected disorders. Students will formulate and evaluate evidenced-based approaches to anesthesia management for patients with various pathophysiologic conditions. 

NAP 739: Regional Anesthesia Techniques

2 credits. This course introduces the student to the techniques of peripheral nerve blocks for surgical anesthesia and post-operative pain management. This course expands on knowledge of human anatomy and pharmacology to provide a multimodal approach to acute and chronic pain management. Students will develop hands-on skills for performing a variety of regional anesthetic blocks. The content includes ultrasound and nerve stimulator techniques utilized in the administration of peripheral nerve blocks. 

NAP 740: Nurse Anesthesia Seminar

5 credits. This seminar series expands the students’ understanding of nurse anesthesia practice and the nurse anesthesia profession. The series will emphasize assessment of comprehensive theoretical knowledge, clinical correlation, and the professional role of the nurse anesthetist. 

NAP 780: Applied Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesia

3 credits. This course provides an in-depth review of the pathophysiology and perioperative management of patients with selected complex, major organ system disease. 

NURS 703A: DNP Project Planning 

2 credits. The purpose of this course is to plan an improvement science project for the terminal DNP benchmark. Students will work with course faculty and the specialty chairperson to design a project to meet program expectations. Students will write a project proposal and plan for Institutional review board (IRB) submission. At the end of this course students will submit the project proposal for faculty approval. Students move to the implementation and evaluation of the project in 703B. Alternate projects in program development/evaluation or centered on policy may be developed with specialty program faculty approval.  

NURS 703B: DNP Project

5 credits. The purpose of this course is to implement, evaluate and disseminate an approved DNP Project within the advanced nursing practice specialty. The project takes place within the context of the student’s practicum experience. It provides an experience that can be the foundation for future clinical scholarship. 

Nurse anesthesia program faculty

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Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. program leaders

Nurse Anesthesia D.N.P. instructors

Nursing scholarships

OHSU offers more nursing scholarships than ever before. See if you qualify. 

Contact us 

Technical standards policy 

OHSU requires all students to have a set of basic skills, called 'technical standards,' to successfully complete their program. Review OHSU’s technical standards policy.

COA Accreditation

The nurse anesthesia program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs through October 2028.

COA contact information: 

Phone number: 224-275-9130
Email: accreditation@coacrna.org 
Address: 10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906 
Rosemont, IL  60018-5603