Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice
The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program within the ISU School of Nursing prepares exemplary nurse leaders who integrate education, service, and scholarship through practice and research to enhance the quality of life for rural and diverse populations. This rigorous program emphasizes real-world clinical practice. The program culminates in the writing and presentation of a scholarly project designed to demonstrate program outcomes through the improvement of practice.
The DNAP Program is full-time, year-round and consists of 9 semesters over 3 years as required by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. Year one of the program focuses on didactic and simulation experiences. Year two and three are clinically focused. The clinical component includes a minimum number of clinical hours = 2,000. Clinical hours primarily center on the actual administration of anesthesia in the operating room. The ISU DNAP Program meets all requirements for students to take the National Certification Exam (NCE) required to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist (CRNA).
Admissions Requirements
The student must apply to and meet all requirements for admission to the Graduate School. Applications must be received by January 15. In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School, the following are required:
- Nursing License / Prior Education
- Must have a current and unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse (RN) and/or an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the United States.
- RN licensure in the state of Idaho is required prior to final acceptance into the program. Additional state licensure may be needed for future out-of-state clinical sites.
- A baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing or an appropriate major is required prior to registration for courses in the nurse anesthesia program.
- Professional Experience
- Minimum of one year of full-time experience (or part-time equivalent) as a registered nurse in a critical care setting (preferably prior to application into the program).
- Preferred critical care experiences include adult ICU. We will also consider other types of critical care experience (ER, Pediatric ICU, Trauma, and Flight Nurse)
- Prerequisite Courses
- 2 semesters of Anatomy & Physiology or 1 full semester of Physiology and 1 full Semester of Anatomy
- Pathophysiology
- One of the following: Basic Chemistry, Organic, or Biochemistry
- 1-2 of the following: Microbiology, Pharmacology
- Grade Point Average (GPA)
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in nursing coursework and all science courses such as Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, Microbiology, Chemistry and Pharmacology.
- Certifications
- Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are required.
- Certification in Critical Care Nursing (CCRN) is very highly recommended.
- Interview
- Online asynchronous interview - All Applicants will complete an online asynchronous interview using the Kira Talent platform. There is an associated fee for this process and applicants must have a computer with webcam and internet access. Recorded responses will be reviewed by program faculty along with all other application materials in an effort to determine an applicant's readiness for the challenges of this rigorous program.
- Final in-person interview - A final in-person interview will be scheduled for a select number of applicants. These interviews will typically occur during the spring of each year. Distance interviews may be considered at the discretion of the Program Director.
- Background Check and Drug Screen: Clear a background check and drug screen prior to final acceptance into the program.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANES 7720 | Advanced Pathologic Aspects of Disease | 4 |
| ANES 7730 | Foundations of Anesthesia Pharmacology | 3 |
| ANES 7710 | Foundations in Anesthesia | 3 |
| ANES 7721 | Advanced Physiology & Anatomy for Anesthesia I | 4 |
| ANES 7700 | Teaching and Learning Strategies for Nurse Anesthesia Education | 3 |
| ANES 7711 | Anesthesia Principles I | 4 |
| ANES 7711L | Advanced Simulation for Anesthesia Principles I | 1 |
| ANES 7731 | Advanced Pharmacology for Anesthesia I | 3 |
| NURS 6611 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| ANES 6611L | Advanced Health Assessment Lab | 1 |
| ANES 7712 | Anesthesia Principles II | 4 |
| ANES 7712L | Advanced Simulation for Anesthesia Principles II | 1 |
| ANES 7732 | Advanced Pharmacology for Anesthesia II | 3 |
| ANES 7722 | Advanced Physiology & Anatomy for Anesthesia II | 4 |
| ANES 7723 | Applied Anatomy Skills & Simulation Lab | 3 |
| ANES 7740 | Intro to Clinical Anesthesia | 1 |
| ANES 7741 | Clinical Practicum for Anesthesia Practice I | 3 |
| NURS 7735 | Statistical Analysis in Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
| ANES 7713 | Anesthesia Principles III | 4 |
| ANES 7742 | Clinical Practicum for Anesthesia Practice II | 4 |
| NURS 6610 | Advanced Evidence Application | 3 |
| ANES 7750 | Human Factors, Patient Safety, Ethics & Diversity in Anesthesia | 3 |
| ANES 7771 | Scholarly Project Design | 2 |
| ANES 7743 | Clinical Practicum for Anesthesia Practice III | 4 |
| ANES 7714 | Crisis & Trauma Management, Advanced Concepts in Anesthesia | 3 |
| ANES 7744 | Clinical Practicum for Anesthesia Practice IV | 4 |
| NURS 8826 | Approaches to Scholarly Writing | 2 |
| ANES 7772 | Scholarly Project Development | 3 |
| ANES 7745 | Clinical Practicum for Anesthesia Practice V | 4 |
| ANES 7773 | Scholarly Project Implementation | 3 |
| ANES 7781 | Anesthesia Board Prep I | 2 |
| ANES 7746 | Clinical Practicum for Anesthesia Practice VI | 4 |
| ANES 7760 | Business, Leadership & Health Policy for Anesthesia | 3 |
| ANES 7782 | Anesthesia Board Prep II | 2 |
| Total Credits | 101 | |
Scholarly Project
The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program requires students to complete a scholarly project, done over three semesters. Students will receive structured and mentored guidance on the identification of a problem related to anesthesia practice, policy, or education. Each scholarly project course guides the student with the phases of the project: problem identification, review of the literature and evidence, identification of solution and design for implementation and evaluation. Students are required to prepare a professional paper and complete a professional presentation of the completed project.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Apply the complex principles of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, chemistry, and physics related to the art and science of nurse anesthesia.
- Safely and skillfully administer a range of anesthetics for all patient populations and physiological conditions, in urban and rural settings.
- Synthesize preoperative information from historical, physical, and testing data to develop a safe and evidence-based anesthetic plan.
- Utilize current evidence as a basis for clinical decision-making and to improve nurse anesthesia practices.
- Utilize ultrasound technology for regional anesthesia administration, invasive lines, and advanced patient assessment.
- Recognize and appropriately respond to anesthesia complications that occur during the perioperative and post-operative settings.
- Create a safe environment for patients and staff by minimizing the influence of human factors as well as inherent biases and by increasing situational awareness in all settings.
- Apply research and writing skills directed towards developing a solution to an anesthesia problem.
- Demonstrate leadership abilities by completing a scholarly project intended to improve anesthesia practice.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills to communicate with patients, healthcare colleagues, and families.