three nurses in an operating room. A female nurse stands in a capg, surgical scubs and maks in the foreground with two similarly dressed male nurses in the background.

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) Program

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Fill Critical Leadership Roles as a Nurse Anesthetist

Pursue a career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in Allegheny School of Anesthesia's Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program, a partnership established with Duquesne University (DU), which is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). The three-year DNAP program includes nursing courses taught by DU DNP faculty, anesthesia courses taught by ASOA faculty and science courses taught by DU Rangos School of Health Sciences faculty. Clinical practicums are conducted at ASOA's sixteen (16)+ COA-approved clinical sites. Upon graduation, you will be eligible for national certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

You can apply for admission to the DNAP program if you hold a BSN or BS. You are NOT eligible for the DNAP program if you already have CRNA status and want to obtain doctoral credentials. All entry-into-practice graduates of nurse anesthesia educational programs will be required to possess a doctoral degree as of January 1, 2025.

Hybrid Online and Clinical Learning

Complete your DNAP requirements with a blend of online courses, face-to-face classroom learning, extensive laboratory practicums, and direct patient care experiences. This program is an integrated format, enabling you to, early on, apply what you are learning in the classroom to the clinical management of patients.

DNAP Admission: The Basics

You can apply for admission to the DNAP program if you hold a current, unencumbered RN license. You should also hold a BSN or BS from an accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 3.2. To apply, you must have at least 2 years of nursing experience in an adult critical care setting, and we strongly recommend that you shadow CRNAs in multiple settings before applying. You will need current BCLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications at the start of the program. View full DNAP admission requirements.

Prepare for CRNA Careers

In the DNAP program, you'll complete broad and diverse clinical practicums much like the practice settings you'll encounter as a CRNA. In your professional career, you might work in traditional hospital surgical and delivery suites; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; or in the military.

The Impact of CRNAs

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2,900 CRNA job openings each year over the next decade, with the current national average salary for nurse anesthetists being $189,190. CRNAs are vital leaders and essential contributors to healthcare, as more than 80% of anesthesia providers in rural counties are CRNAs - the most cost-effective anesthesia delivery model.

Why Choose Duquesne?

Gain an Education Focused on Caring for the Vulnerable

You will develop skills as a professional nurse equipped to meet the dynamic healthcare needs of culturally diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities. As a CRNA, you will be a member of healthcare teams and devoted to serving patients across the lifespan. Caring for those most vulnerable and unable to advocate for themselves while under the influence of anesthetic agents connects to the continuing and living mission of Duquesne's School of Nursing.

Learn from Faculty Who Lead by Example

Here, your professors and clinical preceptors will challenge you to develop your mind, heart, and spirit. These dedicated teachers and mentors are devoted to the art and science of advanced nursing practice. From these leaders, you will learn ethical, holistic, culturally competent, and collaborative care.

Our DNAP faculty integrate nursing science and evidence-based practice with moral and spiritual values. Following their example of excellence, you can become a local and global leader with a passion for ecumenism and diversity. At Duquesne and Allegheny School of Anesthesia, you and those who teach you will be community partners in the pursuit of inclusion in teaching, learning, scholarship, research, and service.

Participate in Pittsburgh's Healthcare Network

Here, you'll be at the heart of Pittsburgh's booming healthcare industry. We have connections with Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), the two largest healthcare providers in western Pennsylvania, and we also have a network of CRNA opportunities in a wide-range of healthcare settings.

Accreditation

The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)

The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) supports doctoral education for entry into nurse anesthesia practice and has mandated that all students in nurse anesthesia programs graduate with a doctoral degree by January 1, 2025. Education at the doctoral level will equip future CRNAs with effective leadership skills necessary to influence healthcare delivery at local, state and national levels.

This program is approved and accredited by the COA.

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL  60018-5603
Telephone number: 847.655.1160
URL: http://coacrna.org

This is a new degree offering at Duquesne University. After the first cohort of DNAP students graduate, the following cohort data will be published and this information will be updated on an annual basis to reflect subsequent cohorts' statistics:

  • Attrition rate (%)
  • Employment rate (%) of graduates as nurse anesthetists within six months of graduation
  • NBCRNA NCE first-time pass rate

Learn More about the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program

Duquesne University's School of Nursing and Allegheny School of Anesthesia's DNAP program will prepare you to be a patient-centered, knowledgeable, and safe nurse anesthetist. Request more information to learn more about the hybrid in-person and online DNAP program. To start your journey toward a CRNA career, apply now.