DNP Nurse Anesthesia

Our DNP Nurse Anesthesia prepares you for the full scope of nurse anesthesia practice with robust training in varying clinical settings, from hospitals and outpatient surgery centers, to physicians’ offices.

About the Program

Learn from a team of expert practitioners and top nurse researchers

Led by a team of expert practitioners, and top nurse researchers, our DNP Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA) program brings the real world and innovative science into the classroom. Our program faculty–who include many alumni–are nurse anesthetists who practice across a range of settings and are vested in helping you develop your educational and professional career. Mentored by expert nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists, you’ll acquire the critical thinking skills for independent as well as collaborative clinical decision-making.

You’ll hone your skills in our state-of-the-art simulation center, performing procedures like placing regional anesthetics, using fiber optic intubating equipment, inserting central venous catheters, pulmonary artery catheters and chest tubes, using ultrasound guidance, performing needle cricothyroidotomies, and placing double lumen endotracheal tubes. And you’ll be exposed to experiences that range from common complications to rare occurrences.

Graduates are eligible to take the National Certification Exam (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) to be certified in every state as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

All of Penn Nursing’s programs are accredited. To learn more about the accreditation and pass rates, please visit our Accreditation page.

Program Information

Full-Time

Program Length

3 years

Financial aid available?

Yes

Start Semester

Fall

Learning Format

In-person

Program Details

Curriculum

Our curriculum is divided into four conceptual areas: core courses, area courses, translating research into practice, and leadership and management.

Our robust clinical rotation allows you the opportunity to work with patients of all acuity levels including concentrations in pediatric, cardiac, and non-cardiac thoracic specialties. Our clinical coordinators work to provide you with a supervised introduction to clinical experiences, relying heavily on our excellent faculty to mentor students as they gain independence, critical thinking, and autonomy.

The DNP-NA program is offered full-time and can be completed in 36 months. Starting January 2021, the plan of study includes 36 course units (previously included a 1 CU for Pain, Science, & Practice).

Click the link below to view the curriculum for this program in the University catalog or download a sample plan of study.

View the curriculum

Requirements

Minimum qualifications for the program

BSN is required, and we recommend a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Prerequisites

Introductory-level, undergraduate statistics course at an accredited university with a grade of B or higher.

Experience

You must have at least two years of ICU/critical care experience working with the most critically ill patients. All work experience should be calculated after your orientation period. Our most competitive applicants usually have more than two years. Neonatal ICU, Emergency Room, Recovery Room, Step Down Units, and Interventional Radiology will not be considered as ICU experience.

Licensure

Active RN license(s) is required. With progression into the clinical component, an active Pennsylvania Registered Nursing License, and as specified by individual programs in Delaware (compact state) and New Jersey.

Application Deadlines

Summer 2026 Enrollment Deadline: November 1, 2024

Latest Decision Notification: late-April

*Dates subject to change without notice.

Costs & Tuition

The estimated total cost (tuition and fees) of the 2023-2026 full-time DNP Anesthesia program is as follows: 36 month program costs (34 CU program): $243,945

To be considered a full-time student you must have a course load of 3 CUs or more per semester, including summer terms; anything less, in any semester, is considered part-time. If you apply as a full-time student, but switch to part-time, lowering the number of CUs you take per semester will decrease the cost of your tuition and fees, which will in turn lower your student budget and reduce your financial aid eligibility. You will no longer be eligible for nursing grant or endowed scholarship funds.

The charts below outline costs based on the school year/summer sessions as well as include estimated other expenses like housing.

Program Outcomes

At completion of the DNP program, a student will demonstrate the competency to effect advance high-quality, equitable and accessible healthcare by:

  • Developing ways to improve health and healthcare outcomes through translating research, evaluating evidence-based practice, and implementing innovative ideas.
  • Applying project management acumen and data analytics to improve outcomes for patient/family, systems, or community-based care.
  • Disseminating practice knowledge that contributes to nursing and interprofessional scholarship.
Josiah Borden

“The people I leaned on, learned from, and grew beside in the DNP in Nurse Anesthesia program at Penn Nursing not only helped me get through the challenges of grad school, but continued to be a part of my life as we have grown in our careers.”

Events

 

March 27 | 7:00pm

Spring 2024 Graduate Programs Info Session

 

April 10 | 6:00pm

Spring 2024 Graduate Programs Info Session

Frequently Asked Questions

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