A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.
Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.
Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.
Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.
Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education. From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.
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.
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).
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.
Tuition
$6,392
Online Services Fees
$472
TOTAL (1 CU*)
$6,864
* Total cost of initial semester of the program will depend on if you will be registering for 4 or 5 CUs in your first Summer term.
Summer living expenses budget
TOTAL (both sessions)
$9,205
Tuition and Fees
$56,262
Housing
$17,388
Meals
$5,796
Books*
$1,358
Other Person Expenses (Including the University Student Health Insurance Plan)*
$7,276
TOTAL
$88,080
* Please keep in mind that the school does not bill the student for books and personal expenses. We do, however, build these figures into the Student Budget to better help students and their families plan for all costs associated with a Penn Nursing education. Likewise, we give financial aid based on the entire student budget, not just on the cost of tuition and fees.
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, DNP, CRNA, GRN’21 DNP-NA Program Alumnus
“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
April 10 | 6:00pm
Spring 2024 Graduate Programs Info Session
April 24 | 1:00pm - 2:30pm
2024 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Showcase