Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

What Are the Admissions Requirements to Apply for the CRNA Program? 

Admission requirements are consistent with current requirements for the BSN to DNP program and those set forth by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA). The requirements include:

Academic Requirements 

• A baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing from a regionally or internationally accredited college or university. Official transcripts must be submitted through NursingCAS as part of the application process.
• A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
• Successful completion (grade of B or better) of one graduate-level chemistry course and a chemistry laboratory component. The graduate-level chemistry course must have been completed within five years prior to beginning the program. The laboratory component may be completed at the undergraduate or graduate level and is not subject to the five-year requirement. Organic chemistry or biochemistry is strongly preferred.
  • NURS 6301: Transition to Nurse Anesthesiology, offered by UIW, meets the program's chemistry lecture prerequisite. It does not include a lab component.

Clinical Experience and Certifications 

• An unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse and/or an APRN in the United States or its territories or protectorates. 
• A minimum of 1-year full-time work experience as a registered nurse in a critical care setting within the last three years. Two to three years of critical care is preferred. The applicant must have developed as an independent decision maker capable of using and interpreting advanced monitoring techniques based on knowledge of physiological and pharmacological principles. 
• Current Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN).
• Current certification in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support

Application Support Materials  

• Two professional references from healthcare providers who can speak to the applicant’s academic potential and clinical aptitude.
• Applicants are required to arrange an observation (shadowing) experience with a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) and provide documentation of this experience. 
• Documentation of the understanding of the role of a CRNA with an essay submission is required (personal statement). 

Interview and Selection 

• Attendance at a personal interview, invited by the Program's Admission Committee, is required.  
• Attendance at the program's mandatory orientation is required for matriculation. 

Requirements After Acceptance 

• Students must successfully complete all required background checks, fingerprinting, and drug screenings and maintain current certifications and licensure throughout the program.
• Upon acceptance to the program, a non-refundable program fee is required to hold a seat in the program for enrollment (the program fee is separate from tuition fees and does not count toward tuition).