The School of Nursing offers a BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program in
Nurse Anesthesia. The 36-month program requires a minimum of 86 course credits, including
core courses and anesthesia specialty courses. The program integrates research, physiology,
pharmacology, pathophysiology, and anesthesia principles and prepares students for
the national certification examination. The application deadline for the May 2020
class is September 15, 2019. Interviews will be held in late October.
Applications will undergo early review on May 31, 2019. At this point, a limited number
of highly qualified applicants may be offered interviews, with the possibility of
early acceptance.
ADMISSION CRITERIA
Please visit our Admissions page for complete details on admissions requirements. General requirements include:
Bachelor's degree in nursing
Current unrestricted RN license
Minimum 3.0 GPA on last 60 undergraduate hours
Minimum 3.0 science GPA and minimum of a "B" in science courses (e.g. general chemistry,
microbiology, A&P I and II)
Minimum one-year full-time critical care experience within the two years prior to
application
Successful completion of statistics and research courses
Competitive GRE score
Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be completed by a current immediate
supervisor
Program Mission
The Nurse Anesthesia Program's mission is to create an academic center of teaching
and learning excellence for the advancement of nurse anesthesia practice. The program
seeks to promote clinical scholarship and life-long learning and aims to support skilled
and ethical service to our communities. Through nurse anesthesia research, education,
and practice, students and faculty will seek to enhance the quality of life for people
of all cultures, economic levels and geographic locations.
CURRICULUM
The BSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program in Nurse Anesthesia is a 36-month
program.
Program Director Ian Hewer, PhD, CRNA Assistant Professor
Core Faculty Cheryl Johnson, DNP, CRNA Assistant Professor Mark A. Kossick, DNSc, APN Full Professor/Director of Graduate Programs Mason McDowell, DNAP, CRNA Assistant Professor
Reasons to Choose WCU’s Nurse Anesthesia Program
Small class size (14 to 16 students per class) and low student-to-faculty ratio; open
door policy with faculty
Diverse clinical experience with no competition from other anesthesia learners
Total anesthetic cases average in excess of 900; unique learning experiences at two
clinical sites where CRNAs are sole anesthesia providers; experience with ultrasound
guidance in placement of nerve blocks
Employed within six months of graduation: 100% Overall employment rate within six months of graduation (2009 - 2018): 100%
estimated cost of attendance
Full-Time Nurse Anesthesia Graduate Student
NC Resident Tuition and Fees
Out-of-State Resident Tuition and Fees
Each Fall and Spring semesters (6 total)
$7,374.38*
$12,577.88*
Summer semester per credit charge
$589.17/credit hour
$657.17/credit hour
Total Tuition and Fees
$58,975.53*
$69,994.53**
Other Program-Related Fees
Application Fee
$65
Graduation Fee
$60
Self Evaluation Examination Fee
$160
AANA Associate Membership Fee
$200
Textbooks
$1,800
Stethoscope
$200
Earpiece
$75
Lab Coat
$40
Precordial Stethoscope
$20
PDA
Optional
Scrubs
$40 per set
Transportation Costs (clinical and conferences)
$8,000
Certification Examination
$725
ACLS, BCLS, PALS
$225
Professional Liability Insurance
$548
Health Insurance
$4,000
Background Check
$20
Medatrax
$210
PC or MAC Laptop
$1,500
Other Program-Related Fees Total
$12,459.60
Total Estimated Program Costs
$71,435.13
$82,454.13
*A tuition surcharge for anesthesia students is included in Total Program Costs above.
Tuition rates may change during the course of the program. Fees include $1,111 for
health insurance which may be waived by verifying coverage.
**The out-of-state total program tuition and fees estimate assumes students will apply
and be eligible for in-state residency status after three consecutive semesters in
the Nurse Anesthesia Program.
A complete medical examination record is required of all students entering the University.
All students are required to have the following current immunizations: diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus
vaccination, measles, mumps, rubella (“MMR”) vaccination, and polio vaccination. Evidence
of the immunizations must be in the student’s records at the time of registration.
In addition to the immunizations required by WCU, the Nurse Anesthesia Program will
require current tuberculin skin testing (“PPD”), annual influenza vaccination and
a hepatitis B series (or statement refusing the series). Some clinical sites may require
proof of immunization. In addition to these expenses, the student should also consider
housing, meals, and loss of income during the educational period. All expenses quoted
on this page are subject to change without notice.
Accreditation
The DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of
Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA). The Council on Accreditation is a specialized
accrediting body recognized by both the United States Department of Education and
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). In May 2017, the DNP Program received
initial accreditation through 2022 (222 S. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge, IL 60068, 847-655-1160). COA website
