NURSE ANESTHESIA CONCENTRATION
WHY CHOOSE UNCG:
- Complete your DNP in three years
- 0% attrition rate for Class of 2022
- 85% pass rate for NBCRNA NCE first-time takers in Class of 2022
- 96% employment rate within six months of graduation for Class of 2022
- 100% graduation rate for Class of 2022
- Affordable tuition and fees; scholarships available
- State-of-the-art classroom and simulation spaces
- Small classes taught by nationally recognized faculty
The 2025 Application opens April 15th and will close in September 2024
NOTICE:
The U.S. Department of Education requires that all higher education institutions advise students as to whether their curriculum provides them with the eligibility to apply for a professional license and/or certification in the state for which they plan to practice.
As such, please review UNC Greensboro’s status by state for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, post-baccalaureate nurse anesthesia concentration. You should note whether the program either “meets”, “does not meet”, or if there “has not been a determination” of the program’s status in the state for which you plan to practice. You should contact the program’s support staff at ydeaves@uncg.edu with any questions regarding this data.
Connect with us
The UNC Greensboro nurse anesthesia concentration provides a 36-month clinical and didactic curriculum that offers students the opportunity to develop into safe and competent CRNAs. Students receive a course of study that encourages lifelong learning in the practice of nurse anesthesia. The didactic and clinical education prepares students to take the national board certification exam administered by the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) to become a CRNA.
Participating clinical sites are located throughout North Carolina and offer our students exposure to such experiences as general anesthesia, monitored anesthesia care, regional anesthesia, and pain management. Specialty anesthesia rotations in obstetrics, pediatrics, cardiac, and neurosurgery ranging from routine to complex and covering all ages prepares students to practice in a wide range of specialties.
The program’s 2021 pass rate was calculated at 88 percent utilizing Method 1, which exceeded the threshold of the pass-rated requirement of 80 percent as defined by the COA. The attrition rate was 0 percent for the cohort that graduated between June 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021. The employment rate was 97 percent in the first six months following graduation for the cohort that graduated between June 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021.
- DNP students: 107 credit hours over 3 years beginning in fall
- Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
- Accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Web-enhanced executive format courses
- Online courses
- Campus-based clinical courses, labs and seminars
- State-of-the-art simulation laboratories
- Award-winning faculty
Delivery Methods:
The courses in the curriculum are delivered in a variety of methods: campus, online, and hybrid.
Campus: All campus classes are face to face at our Union Square Campus. Online: All online classes are asynchronous, web-based. Hybrid: Classes meet at the Union Square Campus 51 percent of the time and online 49 percent of the time.
NOTE [IMPORTANT]: During orientation or first week of classes, students will meet with their advisors and sign a finalized plan of study that will be filed in the student folder and updated as needed.
One of six nursing anesthesia programs in North Carolina, the UNC Greensboro School of Nursing offers a concentration in Nurse Anesthesia leading to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
Graduates of the program have advanced clinical skills to optimize health outcomes in the provision of quality anesthesia care and to assume leadership positions in anesthesia nursing practice. CRNA positions offer great flexibility with a variety of work settings including, but not limited to: hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers. Graduates of this program are prepared for the National Certification Exam for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA). Please Note: All anesthesia courses are held at:
The Union Square Campus (USC)
124 E. Gate City Blvd.
Greensboro, NC 27406
The USC building is a state-of-the-art nursing education building outfitted with technology classrooms, labs, simulation space and an Operating Room (OR) suite. Additional amenities include easy access parking, student lockers, student lounge with refrigerators and microwave, and student study areas.
The UNCG nurse anesthesia concentration is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). The COA is located at
10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603
Phone: 224-275-9130
COA website: https://coacrna.org
In May 2012, the program received a 10-year continuation of accreditation, the maximum accreditation period attainable through the COA, through May 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program’s accreditation was extended through October 2023.
In 2015, UNCG was approved by the COA to offer an entry-level to practice Post-Baccalaureate DNP nurse anesthesia program.
For a link of all COA-accredited programs, please see- https://www.coacrna.org/programs-fellowships/crna-school-search/
- Bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) from a program accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency
- Minimum 3.2 GPA (cumulative)
- Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) within five years of application
- Scores should be competitive in the >50% range
- Basic Life Support (BLS); Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) & Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification must be American Heart Association certifications. ACLS alone does not meet the BLS certification requirement.
- Satisfactory completion of an undergraduate Health Assessment course
- In an undergraduate Health Assessment course, students are introduced to the body’s organ systems and functions and are then asked to master through hands on demonstration physical assessment skills for each organ system.
- Course content should include collecting and interpreting verbal and observational data from the patient and/or family/caregiver, interpreting lab and other noninvasive and invasive testing data, collecting and interpreting patient history data, and interpreting data collected from the hands-on physical assessment of the patient.
- If you have taken a course that is not listed as a Health Assessment course, specifically, UNCG will need to review the course syllabus and the course description for the course you took in your undergraduate nursing program to determine if it meets the prerequisite criteria.
- Satisfactory completion of undergraduate Chemistry (three semester hours minimum). Biochemistry may be accepted in instances where an undergraduate Chemistry course was not part of the plan of study for the degree.
- Satisfactory completion of an undergraduate course in Statistics. High School AP coursework and “testing out” at college acceptance is not accepted.
- A minimum of one year of continuous full-time acute care experience in a critical care setting – adult experience is required
- A minimum of 2 shadowing experiences with a CRNA. The CRNA should document the shadowing experience, sign and date and give to the applicant.
- CCRN certification
- Applicants will not be considered for admission until they have received their CCRN certification.
- CCRN examinations must be scheduled no later than August 30 of each year so there is time for the applicant’s score and certificate to arrive and fulfill the requirement. If an exam cannot be scheduled before August 30, the applicant must wait until the following year to apply. This is required so that the admission process for all applicants can proceed as scheduled.
Admission to the nurse anesthesia concentration program is on a competitive basis. Students are chosen on the basis of their academic record and general fitness for the study of anesthesia nursing. All students accepted to the program must furnish, before enrollment, complete immunizations, vaccinations, licensure, TB testing, flu shots, drug screen, and background check as requested by UNCG Graduate School.
The UNCG DNP nurse anesthesia concentration program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, creed, veteran status, any protected classes, or any factor protected under state or federal law in its programs or activities, which is required to maintain our accreditation with the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policy:
Linda Stone, DNP, CRNA
Concentration Coordinator
UNCG Graduate School of Nursing
DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration
124 East Gate City Blvd
Greensboro, NC 27406
336-553-6084
The Occupational Safety and Health Act, which is applicable to the clinical sites at which students are required to work, specifically states that the religious exemption from medical examinations, immunizations, or treatment does not apply if requiring that a person undergo these activities is necessary for the protection of the health and safety of others.
The UNCG DNP nurse anesthesia concentration will open its application process in July 2023. The application process is completed through the Graduate School at UNC Greensboro.
Apply online via The Graduate School website (Apply Now) to start the process. The UNCG deadline for applications to attend the UNCG DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration Program is September 1, 2023, for 2024 matriculation. The application fee for UNCG Graduate School is $65.00. YOUR APPICATION IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND EMAIL IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS. Please check your email at least daily! Offers for Interviews will be sent to your PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS that is listed on your application, they WILL NOT come from the Graduate School. Please check your SPAM and JUNK folders also. If you overlook or otherwise do not see your invitation to interview, if you are sent one, you will miss your opportunity.
Once an application is submitted, is complete, and reviewed by the admissions committee for the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration Program, a decision is made on whether or not the applicant is selected for an interview. Please remember, all applications are reviewed carefully and not all applicants will qualify for an interview.
If you are selected for an interview, the interview dates will start in mid-September 2023 and continue through October, with November being added if needed.
Prerequisites for admission to UNCG’s Graduate School can be found on their website: UNCG Graduate School of Nursing.
An official GRE score report must be sent to UNCG school code 5913. This is required for the DNP program regardless of GPA (unless you have an MSN in which case it is waived for admission to the DNP program).
If you are currently enrolled in course work to meet prerequisites, verification of completion must be submitted to the Graduate School before an interview will be considered.
For all eligible applicants, personal interviews are required. The DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration Program will only interview applicants who meet prerequisites for admission. The DNP Nurse Anesthesia Admissions Committee reviews the credentials of each applicant and an invitation for a personal interview may be extended to the qualified applicants. Submitting an application by the application deadline does not guarantee an interview. Specific dates for interviews are predetermined and interviews are only conducted on these dates. Following the interview dates, final admission decisions are made. Admission to the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration program is for the beginning of the following Fall semester. Full-time participation in the program is required; therefore, students are urged to plan finances carefully to avoid the need for employment. It is very important to monitor the status of your application through your email.
For questions regarding the application process, please email Betty Coats at BJCoats@uncg.edu.
| Course Semester | Course Title/(Delivery Method(/[Credits] | Clinical Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||
| Semester I – Fall |
| |
| Semester II – Spring |
|
360 Hrs – (Nur771A)* |
| Semester III – Summer |
|
480 Hrs – (Nur771B)* |
| Year 2 | ||
| Semester IV – Fall |
|
360 Hrs – (Nur772)* |
| Semester V – Spring |
|
360 Hrs – (Nur773A)* |
| Semester VI – Summer |
|
420 Hrs – (Nur773B)* |
| Year 3 | ||
| Semester VII – Fall |
|
360 Hrs – (Nur774)* |
| Semester VIII – Spring |
|
360 Hrs – (Nur775A)* |
| Semester IX – Summer |
|
360 Hrs – (Nur775B)* |
Students receive the required clinical practicum experience under the instruction/supervision of CRNAs and anesthesiologists. The hours of practicum vary in order to offer a wide variety of clinical experiences and to enable the student to correlate theory and practice. Graduate and clinical clock hours average approximately 35 hours per week per semester. Additional time is required for preoperative and postoperative visits, care planning, and independent study. The time committed to study, class, and practice may consume over 60 hours per week.
The UNC Greensboro DNP NA Concentration Respects the Following Rights:
APPLICANTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
- Be treated with respect and to expect their application to be reviewed fairly and without discrimination.
- To receive accurate information about the program, the University and clinical sites.
- To be informed of graduate success on the National Certification Examination.
- To speak with faculty and/or students currently in the program.
- To receive a letter from the Program Administrator about the admission decision.
APPLICANTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY:
- Of ensuring the application and supporting documentation is accurate and complete and received by the University and the program.
- For notifying the program if he/she wishes to withdraw from the application process.
- For assessing and exploring financial aid, monetary stipends or monetary clinical work contracts.
- For accepting or refusing to accept an offer of a position in the program.
- For accepting or refusing an alternate position in the program.
- For notifying the program if he/she has accepted a position in the program and has a change of plans that prevent them from enrolling.
FACULTY HAS THE RIGHT:
- To be treated with respect by students.
- To be treated with respect by the program administrator and other faculty/staff.
- To know the objective(s) for the course that he/she will teach.
- To remove a student from the classroom or the clinical area if the integrity of the class or the safety of the patient becomes compromised.
- To see course evaluations and to discuss the evaluations with the program administrator.
- To provide feedback regarding the program, curriculum, and students and make suggestions for improvements.
FACULTY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY:
- To provide feedback regarding the program, curriculum, and students and make suggestions for improvements.
- To demonstrate respect for students and the learning process.
- To evaluate student performance in the classroom and in the clinical area.
- To evaluate the success of teaching strategies.
- To evaluate the success of evaluation methods.
- To be prepared for lectures.
- To have a good understanding of the material that he/she is teaching.
- To place patient safety first and above all else.
STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT:
- To be treated with respect and as a member of the program and the clinical site.
- To have the educational process viewed as an interchange between student and instructor.
- To meet faculty during appropriate office hours.
- To expect faculty to be prepared for class/clinical.
- To have syllabi for each didactic and clinical course with the objectives of the course or clinical experience.
- To fair and timely evaluation of progress and to receive constructive feedback for improvement.
- To provide feedback in a timely and professional manner regarding the program, curriculum, clinical experience, and faculty.
- To provide suggestions for improving the program, curriculum, clinical experience and faculty.
STUDENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY:
- To provide feedback in a timely and professional manner regarding the program, curriculum clinical experience, and faculty.
- To provide suggestions for improving the program, curriculum, clinical experience and faculty.
- To have syllabi for each didactic and clinical course and to know the objectives of the course or clinical experience and to make every effort to attain the objectives.
- To complete all projects and assignments on time.
- To seek learning experiences and be available for these experiences even if attaining them is outside of scheduled times.
- To respect faculty, classmates, staff, and other members of the perioperative team.
- To place patient safety first and above all else.
PATIENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
UNCG DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration shall ensure that students are current with OSHA and HIPAA regulations each year of enrollment. Additionally, the Rights and Responsibilities of Patients for each clinical site are included in the UNCG DNP Nurse Anesthesia Student Handbook. The patient rights for each site are reviewed with students each year; students are advised that the rights for each clinical site are in the student handbook. Students shall sign a statement that these rights have been discussed with them.
THE PROGRAM HAS THE RIGHT:
- To expect timely and accurate information from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.
- To expect accurate information from applicants.
- To expect accurate information from the University and the clinical sites.
- To expect faculty to be prepared for class/clinical.
- To expect notification if an applicant who has accepted a position in the program has a change of plans that prevent him/her from enrolling.
- To remove a student from the program who has not met criteria for remaining.
- To accept feedback regarding the program, curriculum, and students as well as suggestions for improvement.
- To expect an evaluation of student performance in the classroom and the clinical area.
- To expect faculty to have a good understanding of the material that he/she is teaching.
- To expect students to complete all projects and assignments on time.
- To expect students and faculty to place patient safety first and above all else.
THE PROGRAM HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY:
- To provide a safe learning environment.
- To have syllabi for each didactic and clinical course with the objectives of the course or clinical experience.
- To provide feedback in a timely and professional manner regarding the program, curriculum, clinical experience and faculty.
- To improve the program based on evaluations and suggestions.
- To seek additional learning experiences and additional clinical sites in order to better the educational process.
- To respect faculty, students, and everyone who is associated with the program.
- To respond to applicants in a timely and accurate manner.
- To council faculty and students in a timely and appropriate manner.
- To abide by the standards and guidelines of the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.
- To provide students with information necessary to take the National Certification Examination.
- To provide students with the courses and clinical experience necessary to take the National Certification Examination.
THE CONDUCTING AND AFFILIATING INSTITUTIONS HAVE THE RIGHT:
- To expect accurate information about all aspects of the Program.
- Where applicable, to expect orientation to the evaluation process.
- To have access to both student and faculty handbooks.
- To have access to a summary of evaluations related to them for continued growth and improvement.
- To timely information when requested.
- To have accurate and current contracts.
- To have access to all program policies in which these entities are involved.
- To uphold the Programs responsibilities as spelled out in contracts.
THE CONDUCTING AND AFFILIATING INSTITUTIONS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY:
- To provide courses and clinical experience for students.
- To provide instructors for core courses and clinical education.
- To provide accurate information to the Program.
- To provide evaluation and suggestions to the Program for its improvement and growth.
- To provide copies of policies relative to the Program and students.
- To provide a safe learning environment.
- To put patient safety above all else.
THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ACCREDITING AGENCY:
As long as the University of North Carolina Greensboro DNP Program, Nurse Anesthesia Concentration (the Program), is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), the COA has the right to receive a self-study in a timely fashion prior to an accreditation visit, make an accreditation visit, to receive an annual report on or before the due date, to receive fees and expenses owed by the Program in a timely fashion, receive any requested information in a timely fashion, and have its visitors and staff treated with courtesy and respect. The COA has the right to expect the Program to comply with its standards and guidelines and its policies and procedures. It also has the right to expect the Program to attend workshops or other educational sessions required by the COA of the Program. The COA also has the right to make unannounced visits when deemed necessary.
The COA has the responsibility to inform the Program of changes in the standards and guidelines and its policies and procedures. It has the responsibility to make an honest and professional accreditation visit and to share with the Program the results of that visit. The COA has the responsibility to respond to requests and questions from the Program in a timely fashion.
Will I be allowed to work as a nurse while I am attending your school?
The time committed to study, class, and clinical practice may consume over 60 hours per week. The University encourages students to plan finances appropriately, before entering the program, so they will not have to work while enrolled in the program. Students enrolled in the DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program are discouraged from working as an RN. Enrolled students shall not work as a nurse anesthetist while in the program.
What does the DNP NA Program accept as “critical care experience”?
Critical care experience needed in order to be considered a successful applicant would be full-time employment in an acute critical care unit such as CVICU, Neuro ICU, Surgical ICU or Medical ICU. Emergency Room, PACU, or Operating Room experience is not considered to be critical care experience. RNs working in these areas are not involved in the management and treatment of hemodynamic changes on a routine basis. Pediatric ICU and Neonatal ICU experience is accepted as long as the applicant also has experience in adult critical care. In addition, the applicant should be able to calculate drug dosages and vasoactive drips without the use of an IV pump or hemodynamic monitor.
I have a bachelor’s degree in an area other than nursing. Can I apply for admission to the DNP NA Program?
No, all applicants must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a program accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body.
Is my deposit refundable once I have been accepted into the program?
No, deposits paid to the University are nonrefundable. A $3000.00 deposit is required upon acceptance into the program and is applied towards the fees payable to UNCG .
When do students begin clinical rotations and how long do they last?
First-year students begin clinical rotation beginning in January during the second semester. The clinical schedules will be prepared in 4-12 week blocks depending on the level of the student in the program. The first rotation is 12 weeks.
Can I only be assigned to a clinical rotation located near my home?
The UNCG DNP NA program has numerous clinical sites throughout North Carolina. Our students only rotate through official sites of the program and could conceivably rotate through all clinical sites upon completion of the program. It is not permissible to place a student in one clinical site near their respective home.
Does the UNCG DNP NA program have a patient simulator?
Yes, students can experience simulator scenarios in both the first and second semester. The program also has an inventory of airway, spines and CVP practice mannequins. In addition, the school offers both a difficult airway workshop and a spinal workshop as part of the curriculum.