Dear colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that the School of Nursing and Allegheny School of Anesthesia will launch a new three-year Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program in the fall 2022 semester. Students also will take science and applicable pre-clinical courses at the John G. Rangos, Sr. School of Health Sciences.
Allegheny School of Anesthesia, in partnership with Duquesne University, is approved by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) to conduct the entry-level Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program.
The new program prepares graduates for national certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) as certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). Courses will be delivered in a hybrid format utilizing online learning, face-to-face coursework, extensive laboratory practicums and direct patient experiences.
The School of Nursing is proud to offer such a relevant clinical program in Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities. Nearly two-thirds of anesthetics given to patients in the U.S. are administered by CRNAs, and Nurse Anesthetists represent more than 80% of the anesthesia providers in rural counties. Many rural hospitals are critical access hospitals, which often rely on independently practicing CRNAs for anesthesia care. Half of U.S. rural hospitals use a CRNA-only model for general obstetric care, and CRNAs safely deliver pain management care.
CRNAs serve as health care leaders in a wide variety of practice settings, such as traditional hospital surgical and delivery suites; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons and pain management specialists; and in the military. The demand for CRNAs continues to increase, especially in rural and underserved areas.
Applications are now being accepted for this highly competitive program at duq.edu/dnap.
Dean Mary Ellen Glasgow
Duquesne Universtiy, School of Nursing