Master of Science in Nursing: Nurse Anesthesia

 

School of Nursing 3008 Human Health Building  (map) (248) 370-4253 • Fax (248) 364-8740 www.oakland.edu/nursing

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Program director:
Anne Hranchook
3024 Human Health Building
(248) 364-8708
hranchoo@oakland.edu

 

Accreditation

The Master of Science in Nursing degree program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. In addition, the Nurse Anesthesia program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.

Program description

The plan of study for the Nurse Anesthesia (NA) program prepares nurses as specialists in anesthesia care. As advanced practice registered nurses, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) practice with a high degree of autonomy and professional respect. Nursing courses and clinical internships provide the opportunity for students to gain experience in nurse anesthesia practice in all specialty areas. Students study physiology, pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology and gross anatomical dissection in cognate courses. The graduate applies nursing theory, principles of nurse anesthesia practice and research in the delivery of anesthesia care. After 28 months of full-time study, nurse anesthesia graduates are prepared to take the certification examination offered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, leading to the designation CRNA.

Master’s program objectives

Building on the foundation of the undergraduate program, the master’s program will prepare the graduate student for advancement in nursing practice. The Master’s graduate will:

1. Integrate theories and research findings from nursing and the related sciences to translate evidence into practice.
2. Integrate professional practice standards and guidelines in the provision of nursing practice in the student’s specialty area.
3. Demonstrate the foundational competencies necessary for successful completion of the certification examination in the student’s specialty area.
4. Demonstrate the foundational competencies necessary for continued study at the doctoral level.

Admission terms and application deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

• September 15 for the following fall semester

Readmission and program transfer

Request to Program Transfer to another program must be completed and approved prior to the beginning of a semester. Students seeking readmission to the nurse anesthesia program must complete a traditional, new application.

International application deadlines

International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment in the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission.

Application requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all of the following university and program application documents by the published application deadlines.

University graduate application requirements

• Online Application for Admission to Graduate Study    
• Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
• Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
  • As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
• Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
  

  (Note: Some programs require more than two recommendation forms. Refer to the program application requirements listed below for the total number of recommendations and specific requirements for the recommendations.)

• Proof of English language proficiency

• International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.

Program application requirements

• Two School of Nursing Supplemental Application forms: one for the School of Nursing and one for the Nurse Anesthesia program
• Requirements for recommendations:
  The two recommendations (above) must be from healthcare professionals (prefer letters from nurses in leadership/education) who are able to attest to the applicant’s nursing skills and/or abilities. Program applicants must have one recommendation from their current nurse manager.
• Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results for those applicants whose overall undergraduate GPA’s are less than 3.5.
  • Satisfactory achievement on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (V>400, Q>400, A.3.0 for tests taken prior to August 2011; V> 146, Q> 140, A >3.0 for tests after August 2011).  
• For applicants with undergraduate GPAs of 3.5 or greater, the GRE is not required.
• Professional Goal statement of 500 to 1,000 words. The goal statement should focus on career goals after completion of the program; how recent clinical experiences have prepared them for advanced practice role; and plans for professional development. The goal statement will be evaluated on content and appropriate use of grammar, style, spelling and rhetoric.
• Proof of BLS and ACLS certification. 
• Applicants for admission to the Master of Science in Nursing program must have completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with an overall undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above from an institution accredited by the National League for Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
• Applicants must be eligible for a current Registered Nurse license in their state of practice.
• Applicants must have completed an undergraduate physical assessment course.
• Undergraduate physiology and pathophysiology courses must be within seven years of applying to the program. Undergraduate anatomy, pharmacology and either organic chemistry or biochemistry must be within 10 years of applying to the program. Grades in each of these courses must be at or above a 3.0.
• A minimum of one year of experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories, or a U.S. military hospital outside the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse is to have developed critical decision making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routine basis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (such as pulmonary artery catheter, CVP, arterial); cardiac assist devices, mechanical ventilation; and vasoactive drips. The critical care area includes intensive care units. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) experience must have occurred within two years of the application deadline. Emergency room, recovery room and step-down units typically do not satisfy the ICU requirement. This experience must be completed at the time of application.
• Qualified applicants will be selected to attend an interview and complete a brief evaluation of their critical care nursing knowledge and skills. 

Admission review and assessment

Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.