About
Enhancing your education in the professional practice of nurse anesthesia
TCU’s School of Nurse Anesthesia offers one program for entry into the nurse anesthesia practice. The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) is a 36-month program which begins with 20 months of coursework including research, biostatistics, decision science, informatics, complexity, innovation, emerging science, health care policy, politics, pharmacology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and pathophysiology.
The program concludes with a 16-month clinical residency. You’ll have access to placement in hospital settings across the nation for clinical education where you can practice under the guidance of clinical faculty, nurse anesthetists, and anesthesiologists.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certifying Examination (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetist (NBCRNA). Prospective students should check their state Board of Nursing (BON) requirements for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, to determine the necessary steps needed to practice as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the United States Department of Education (DOE). (COA, 222 South Prospect Ave., Ste. 304, Park Ridge, IL 60068-4010) www.coacrna.org.
Mission
A Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice post baccalaureate degree prepares professional registered nurses for nurse anesthesia practice by providing the terminal academic education along with advanced, specialized knowledge and skills to meet the health needs of diverse populations. The purpose of the DNAP program is to prepare nurse anesthetists to assume clinical leadership positions in a variety of health care, business, government, and educational organizations.
- Support the TCU mission, vision, and core values
- Prepare graduates to become competent Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists who are ready to serve society as leaders and partners in health care
- Promote core values and behaviors that encourage personal growth, respect for diversity, acknowledge human worth and dignity, and support professional nurse anesthesia practice
- Foster an appreciation for the necessity of critical thinking, life-long learning, and professional involvement
- Contribute to the profession of nurse anesthesia and to society by engaging in expert, evidence-based clinical practice and by demonstrating a commitment to ethical leadership and responsible citizenship
The faculty believes that graduate education should prepare an individual to exhibit qualities of mind and character that are necessary to live a fulfilling life. Such education facilitates thoughtful judgment, analytical problem solving, ethical leadership, and responsible citizenship. Learning is expected to be interactive, continuous, collegial, and reciprocal in nature as faculty and students learn from one other. This educational approach is casual and purposeful, and involves necessary affective, cognitive, and psychomotor changes.
A safe, supportive environment, high expectations, freedom to question and explore, and a diverse, challenging practice experience enhance education in the professional practice of nurse anesthesia. The graduate must be able to integrate sound scientific knowledge with technical and clinical skills in order to competently manage complex anesthetic care of patients. This educational process results in the advancement of the practitioner, the profession, and society.
The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) accredits the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice in TCU’s School of Nurse Anesthesia. The COA is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the United States Department of Education (DOE). Initial accreditation was received on June 5, 2003 and is currently accredited through 2026.
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
222 South Prospect Avenue, Suite 304
Park Ridge, IL 60068-4010
847-692-7050
www,coacrna.org
The School of Nurse Anesthesia is also accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The Commission on Colleges of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accredits Texas Christian University.
The Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs endorsed by the COA is merely a guideline for TCU to follow. They are not a contract between any members of the TCU School of Nurse Anesthesia and should not be construed to give rise to any liability of TCU to any student enrolled in the School of Nurse Anesthesia. The school, the parent institution, or the clinical affiliates will not distort or misrepresent the school’s accreditation status.
The name of the school, recognized by the COA, is TCU School of Nurse Anesthesia (SNA). In recognition of the position that clinical sites hold in the school, Primary Clinical Sites may refer to their affiliation with the school or the University as TCU, School of Nurse Anesthesia/ Site Name; e.g.; TCU / School of Nurse Anesthesia/Harris Methodist Fort Worth. No other name will be recognized or advertised by the school or its affiliates. The Director must approve any materials published by the affiliating institutions that refer to the school.
TCU’s School of Nurse Anesthesia offers two programs designed to provide the very best in academic and clinical preparation. Students may pursue a DNAP or, for the current CRNA, a fellowship in advanced pain management.
Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice
Advanced Pain Management Fellowship