Nurse Anesthesia Program

Program Description

The Nurse Anesthesia program is a 27-month, full-time, front-loaded program that includes a clinical anesthesia residency. The first year curriculum is devoted to advanced science courses, graduate core courses and specialty courses which form the basis for advanced specialty concepts later in the program. The clinical component starts in May of the second year. During clinical experiences, increasing responsibility for anesthesia patient care under tutorial guidance is afforded. The application of theoretical knowledge to the realities of clinical practice is a dynamic process that enhances and enriches learning as well as prepares the graduate to function effectively and competently as a professional. The sequential design of the program permits the student to acquire the skills necessary to move along this continuum.

Graduates are eligible to take the certifying examination administered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists, a requirement for practice. The program is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) through 2008. For more information on accreditation, please contact the COA at 222 S. Prospect Ave. Park Ridge, IL 60068-4001, 847-692-7050.

The Program Director for the Nurse Anesthesia specialty is Eileen Evanina, MS, CRNA.

Visit the Nurse Anesthesia Website
Anesthesia Program Frequently Asked Questions

Clinical Sites

Clinical sites are available in the tri-state area and beyond, and can be permanent or rotating. Clinical sites vary from large, urban academic medical centers to community hospitals.

During the clinical residency, each student is precepted by both CRNAs and anesthesiologists.

Admission

Please contact the Office of Admissions for details regarding admission and financial aid packages. The Nurse Anesthesia sequence starts in the summer semester. At this time, this program can only be completed full time.

If your application is considered competitive, we will contact you for an interview. Phone interviews will be considered.

For current Master’s prepared nurse practitioners in another specialty, we offer a post-master’s certificate. The certificate program begins only in the fall semester.

For current CRNAs interested in pursuing a Master’s degree, we offer a Master’s completion program.

Applications to start the following summer must be received no later than November 3 to be considered. Please note, to apply to any of the Nurse Anesthesia programs, applications must be submitted online.

Admission criteria include:

*RN's with an associate degree and a non-nursing baccalaureate degree are required to complete 5 credits in community health in addition to the course requirement listed

Curriculum

For Applicants Who Hold an Undergraduate Degree in Nursing
A sample program plan is provided below to make you aware of the academic requirements of the program. Please be advised that this program plan is a sample, and individual plans of study are reviewed and approved upon acceptance to the program. Progression in the program is contingent upon meeting academic policies. The School of Nursing reserves the right to change the course offering schedule as stated in the student bulletin.

Sample Program Plan

Course Number Course Name Credits Type
Summer I: 13 Credits
N6100 Advanced Physiology 3 Core
N6920 Health and Social Policy: The Context for Practice and Research 4 Core
N8102 Advanced Pharmacology 3 Core
N8290 Incorporating Genetics into Advanced Nursing Practice 3 Core
Fall I: 12 Credits
N6110 Pharmacology of Anesthetics 3 Specialty
N6121 Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan 3 Core
N6124 Homeostatic Mechanisms During Anesthesia 3 Specialty
N6869 Basic Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice I 3 Specialty
Spring I: 13 Credits
N6835 Assessing Clinical Evidence 4 Core
N6868 Regional Anesthesia, Theories and Technique 2 Specialty
N6870 Basic Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice II 3 Specialty
N6879 Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease 2 Specialty
N8110 Pharmacology of Accessory Drugs 2 Specialty
Summer II: 5 Credits
N6871 Advanced Principles of Anesthesia Practice I 2 Specialty
N8835 Critical Decision Making in Nurse Anesthesia Practice I 1 Specialty
N8870 Nurse Anesthesia Residency I 2 Specialty
Fall II: 6 Credits
N6872 Advanced Principles of Anesthesia Practice II 2 Specialty
N8836 Critical Decision Making in Nurse Anesthesia II 2 Specialty
N8871 Nurse Anesthesia Residency II 2 Specialty
Spring II: 5 Credits
N8837 Critical Decision Making in Nurse Anesthesia Practice III 2 Specialty
N8839 Advanced Principles of Nurse Anesthesia III 1 Specialty
N8872 Anesthesia Residency III 2 Specialty
Summer III: 6 Credits
N6930 Interpersonal Violence and Abuse: Prevention, Assessment and Intervention for Health Care Professionals 1 Core
N6940 Management and Advanced Practice Nursing 1 Core
N8838 Critical Decision Making in Nurse Anesthesia Practice IV 2 Specialty
N8873 Anesthesia Residency IV 2 Specialty
Total Credits 60  

School of Nursing

The School of Nursing has paved the way for professional nursing since 1892 and continues to lead the field as the foremost institution for advanced practice nursing.

The School of Nursing is a designated World Health Organization Collaborating Center for International Nursing Development in Advanced Practice. With urban clinical sites, expert faculty practitioners, cutting edge research, and the strength of the Columbia name and reputation, the School of Nursing produces graduates who possess the skills necessary to bring advanced practice nursing into the new millennium. As medical advances offer a cascade of new and useful therapies, the need for more health care providers will increase exponentially. Our country will face many health care challenges in the next 20 years, and nurse practitioners are essential to providing access to quality primary care.

Founded in 1892 as Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, the School became part of Columbia University in 1937 and began offering the baccalaureate degree. It is one of the oldest schools of nursing in the US. In 1956, it became the first nursing program in the country to award a master’s degree in a clinical nursing specialty. In 1999, the School granted its first doctoral degree. More than 10,000 nurses have graduated since the School opened.

The School shares the Columbia University Health Sciences Campus with the Mailman School of Public Health, the School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Each of these schools adds to the richness and diversity of the educational experience of students and faculty.

School of Nursing faculty have substantial experience in curriculum, instructional design, and research. They maintain expertise in their areas of teaching responsibility through participation at local, regional, and national conferences, involvement in scholarly presentations and publications, and faculty practice.

Columbia University School of Nursing is distinguished by the clinical excellence of its programs and graduates. Columbia nurses are making crucial contributions and improving the health of individuals wherever they practice.

This page was last updated on 05/05/2009 and is subject to change at any time.