Request to revise the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN): Nurse Anesthesia curriculum

Date: April 27, 2010
To: College of Health and Human Services
From: Clarence Greene, Faculty Governance Administrative Assistant
Approved On: March 2, 2010
Implementation Date: 2010

Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.

Catalog Copy

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (MSN): NURSE ANESTHESIA

The specialty concentration in Nurse Anesthesia is offered m conjunction with Carolinas Medical Center and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA). It provides both the theory and clinical practice required to qualify to take the national certifying examination upon graduation. The program consists of 67 semester credit hour and can be completed in 27 months of full-time study.or 39 months of part time study. In addition to MSN core courses, students complete cognate and clinical courses in nurse anesthesia. Clinical experiences are offered at Carolinas Medical Center and other affiliated sites.

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School and College, applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia program must have:

  1. Baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited nursing program.
  2. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate work after high school
  3. A grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all basic undergraduate science courses (Chemistry, Physics,Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Microbiology).
  4. Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE); a score of 950 is preferred (MAT scores are not accepted).
  5. A minimum of l8 months of current full time critical care experience with adult clients prior to matriculation.
  1. Acceptable experience includes: Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit, Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Neuro Intensive Care Unit, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit.
  2. Experiences not acceptable include: Flight Team, Emergency Room, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Post Anesthesia Care Unit.
  1. Current certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Life Support with documentation provided only to Carolina Health Care System Nurse Anesthesia Program.
  2. Statement of Purpose in application packet limited to a single page.
  3. Applicants who meet the academic admission requirements will be eligible to be invited for an interview with the Clinical Program Admissions Committee, which are held in October/November, January, and April.

Degree Requirements

The program requires completion of 63 67 semester hours in approved courses including:

Core Courses (15 19 hours)

  • NURS 6101 Theoretical Basis for Nursing Practice (3)
  • NURS 6115 Health Policy and Planning in the U.S. (3)
  • NURS 6160 Research in Nursing and the Health Professions (3)
  • NURS 6230 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
  • NURS 6430 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Practicum (1)
  • STAT 6127 Introduction to Biostatistics (3)
  • BIOL 6273 Advanced Human Physiology (3)

Specialty Courses (48hours)

  • NUAN 6151 Principles of Nurse Anesthesia I (3)
  • NUAN 6152 Principles of Nurse Anesthesia II (3)
  • NUAN 6153 Principles of Nurse Anesthesia III (3)
  • NUAN 6154 Pharmacology of Non Anesthetic Agents (4)
  • NUAN 6155 Pharmacology of Anesthetic Agents (4)
  • NUAN 6156 Applied Physics and Chemistry in Nurse Anesthesia (3)
  • NUAN 6157 Applied Pathophysiology in Nurse Anesthesia I (3)
  • NUAN 6158 Applied Pathophysiology in Nurse Anesthesia II (3)
  • NUAN 6171 Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia I (1)
  • NUAN 6172 Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia II (1)
  • NUAN 6485 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia I (5)
  • NUAN 6486 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia II (5)
  • NUAN 6487 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia III (5)
  • NUAN 6489 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia IV (5)

Application Process

The application process requires two applications – one to UNC Charlotte and one to Carolinas Medical Center.

  1. The UNC Charlotte application is completed online and information can be obtained from:
Graduate Admissions

UNC Charlotte
210 Cato Hall
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223-0001
704-687-5503 (phone)
704-687-7254 (fax)
http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/

  1. 2) The Carolinas Medical Center application forms and materials can be obtained from:
Carolinas Medical Center

Nurse Anesthesia Program
P.O. Box 32861
Charlotte, NC 28232-2861
704-355-2375 (phone)
704-355-7263 (fax)

http://www.carolinashealthcare.org/education/nurseanesthesia/site/index.cfm

POST-MASTER’S Certificate in NURSE ANESTHESIA

The post-master’s certificate (48-52graduate credit hours) will be awarded to students who have completed a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from an accredited program and wish to function as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). The full-time course of study plan allows for certificate completion within 27 months of full time study or 39 months of part time study. Courses must be taken in the order outlined in the master’s curriculum. In addition the student must complete all requirements outlined by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists (CCNA).

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School and College, applicants to the Nurse Anesthesia program must have:

  1. Current unrestricted licensure as a Registered Nurse. Current license in North Carolina or a compact state or the state identified by faculty for clinical practice before enrollment.
  2. Master’s degree in Nursing from an accredited program
  3. Evidence of a GRE score. Score of 950 is preferred. (MAT scores are not accepted)
  4. Application to CMC accompanied by current fee
  5. 18 months current critical care experience with adult clients A minimum of 18 months of current full time critical care experience with adult clients prior to matriculation.
  1. Acceptable experience includes: lntensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit, Trauma Intensive Care Unit, Neuro lntensive Care Unit, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Cardiovascular lntensive Care Unit.
  2. Experiences not acceptable include: Flight Team. Emergency Room, Pediatric lntensive Care Unit, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Post Anesthesia Care Unit.
  1. Certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
  2. An essay (statement of purpose) in application package describing the applicant’s experience and objective in undertaking certificate study
  3. For the three letters of recommendation required by the Graduate School, all must be from persons familiar with the applicant’s professional qualifications, such as clinical manager or supervisor, academic professor, or physician.
  4. A grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate work after high school.
  5. A grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate science courses (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Microbiology).
  6. Completion of an advanced Human Physiology course within the past 3 years.
  7. Current certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
  8. In person interview. Interviews are conducted three times per year, in October/November, January, and April. All application materials must be submitted to the Graduate School and the Nurse Anesthesia program no later than eight weeks prior to the interviews Applicants who meet the academic admission requirements will be eligible to be invited for an interview with the Clinical Program Admissions Committee. Only after a successful interview will the applicant be admitted.
  1. Interviews are conducted three times per year, in November, January, and April.
  2. All application materials must be submitted to the Graduate School and the Nurse Anesthesia program no later than six weeks prior to the interviews.

Certificate Requirements

Core Courses(4 hours)

  • NURS 6230 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (3)
  • NURS 6430 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Practicum (1)

Specialty Courses(48hours)

  • NUAN 6151 Principles of Nurse Anesthesia I (3)
  • NUAN 6152 Principles of Nurse Anesthesia II (3)
  • NUAN 6153 Principles of Nurse Anesthesia III (3)
  • NUAN 6154 Pharmacology of Non Anesthetic Agents (4)
  • NUAN 6155 Pharmacology of Anesthetic Agents (4)
  • NUAN 6156 Applied Physics and Chemistry in Nurse Anesthesia (3)
  • NUAN 6157 Applied Pathophysiology in Nurse Anesthesia I (3)
  • NUAN 6158 Applied Pathophysiology in Nurse Anesthesia II (3)
  • NUAN 6171 Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia I (1)
  • NUAN 6172 Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia II (1)
  • NUAN 6485 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia I (5)
  • NUAN 6486 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia II (5)
  • NUAN 6487 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia III (5)
  • NUAN 6489 Clinical Residency in Nurse Anesthesia IV (5)

Application Process

The application process requires two applications – one to UNC Charlotte and one to Carolinas Medical Center.

  1. The UNC Charlotte application is completed online and information can be obtained from:
Graduate Admissions

UNC Charlotte
210 Cato Hal,
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223-000 1
704-687-5503 (phone)
704-687-7254 (fax)
http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/

  1. The Carolinas Medical Center application forms and materials can be obtained from:
Carolinas Medical Center

Nurse Anesthesia Program
P.O. Box 32861
Charlotte, NC 28232-2861
704-355-2375 (phone)
704-355-7263 (fax)
http://www.carolinashealthcare.org/education/nurseanesthesia/site/index.cfm