Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesia

College of Applied Studies

Website: https://pc.fsu.edu/nap/program

Program Administrator: Stacey VanDyke, DNP, CRNA; Assistant Administrator: Lonnie Hodges, DNP, CRNA; Faculty: Hodgen, Hodges, Hogan, Stewart, Smith, VanDyke

The College of Applied Studies offers a Nurse Anesthesia Program (NAP) leading to a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) degree. The graduate degree curriculum provides advanced study in anesthesiology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and an intensive clinical practice culminating in the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and independent critical thinking that are required to practice as a certified registered nurse anesthesiologist (CRNA). Each graduate student will be actively engaged in a scholarly inquiry project which will ultimately be presented at the local, state, and/or national level to a body of peers. The mission of the Florida State University Nurse Anesthesia Program is to embrace the advancement of the science of anesthesiology through a philosophy of intensive scientific education, evidence-based practice and application of clinical education to practice for the betterment of citizens in both the local and national communities. Exceptional clinical, didactic, and applied research educational experiences are provided to students enabling the development of lifelong habits essential to continued success in the field of nurse anesthesiology.

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Degree Program

In January 2021, Florida State University's Nurse Anesthesia Program received continued accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) for ten years and was approved to offer the DNAP program in February 2021. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will receive a doctoral degree, be an expert in research-based anesthesia clinical practices, be eligible for the National Certification Exam (NCE) and acquire knowledge, skills, and competencies including patient safety, individualized perianesthetic management, critical thinking, and communication skills needed for their professional role. The DNAP curricular framework was developed with the required standards set forth by the COA, as well as additional coursework that will best develop graduate students into independent advanced practice nurses prepared to enter the workforce. The courses are sequenced in a manner that helps students to blend didactic knowledge with clinical application and culminates in the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and independent critical thinking that are required to practice as a CRNA. Each graduate student will be actively engaged in a scholarly inquiry project which will ultimately be presented at the local, state, and/or national level to a body of peers. Students obtaining the DNAP degree from Florida State University are required to attend the program full-time and complete ninety-nine credit hours in nine semesters. The program does not accept transfer credits.

Facilities

The Nurse Anesthesia Program is housed in the Bayside Building of the Panama City Campus. The high-fidelity simulation lab is housed within the Technology Building and is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and technology designed to simulate real clinical procedures.

The FSUPC Campus Library is part of the Florida State University Libraries and plays a cooperative role within the library system, providing students, staff, and faculty with collections, resources, and services to enhance the learning, research, and service activities of the Florida State University. The FSUPC Library has a panoramic view of Saint Andrews Bay and serves as the central and busiest service point on campus. Through FSU accounts, students have internet access via wireless access points on campus.

In addition to dedicated and fully equipped classrooms on a modern campus, there are multiple approved clinical sites located in various geographical regions. The students have access to a variety of clinical experiences to include specialty training in regional anesthesia, pediatrics, obstetrics, cardiac, and other unique clinical experiences in anesthesia. All sites are contractually affiliated with FSU and permit utilization of their facilities and patient populations by the FSU nurse anesthesia graduate students to engage in clinical education within their facilities.

The program identifies a COA and university approved clinical coordinator at each clinical partner site to coordinate student experiences based on individual student needs.

Requirements

University Requirements

All standard requirements of the University must be met in addition to the programmatic requirements. Admission to graduate study is a two-fold evaluation process. The Office of Admissions determines eligibility for admission to the University and the Nurse Anesthesia Admissions Committee determines admissibility to the degree program. Applicants for admission to the doctoral degree program must meet the University's minimum standard of a 3.0 upper division GPA and completion of the verbal, quantitative, and writing sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) before an application will be considered by the program. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance for graduate study in the program as admission is competitive and limited in class size. Prospective students must apply to the University and pay the application fee before their application is reviewed at the program level. Applicants must submit copies of their official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended and official GRE scores from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Admission is for the summer semester. There are additional requirements and procedures that are required for admission to the program. Please see the program website for full application requirements, submission dates of application materials, and additional information at https://pc.fsu.edu/nap/program/requirements. Final admission to the University is subject to approval by the Office of Admissions.

Program Requirements

Admission to the Florida State University Nurse Anesthesia Program is a competitive process. Students are invited to an interview before being selected for admission. Applicants must possess a bachelor's degree or higher in nursing obtained from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the United States. Applicants must also hold a current, valid, unrestricted, professional nursing license in at least one jurisdiction of the United States and have a minimum of one year of recent Registered Nurse (RN) experience in a critical care setting as defined by the COA. Applicants who are accepted into the degree program must possess and maintain a current unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in accordance with the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) which was implemented in Florida on January 19, 2018.

Statement of Professional Conduct

While enrolled in the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia graduate program, students are expected to demonstrate conduct and behavior which conforms with the Nurse Practice Act of the State of Florida, the Florida State University Student Conduct Code, Workplace Violence Guidelines, the Academic Honor Code, and all other applicable rules and policies of the University. The College of Applied Studies reserves the right to refuse or discontinue the enrollment of any student whose conduct or behavior is so negative, disruptive, or destructive as to compromise the work of fellow students, the effectiveness of the faculty, and/or the ability to work positively in a collaborative environment consistent with the policies and guidelines. Faculty members continually assess each student's professional performance. The program insists that graduate student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) always conduct themselves as professionals. Students must adhere to the code of ethics for Nurse Anesthetists, located at https://www.aana.com/practice/clinical-practice/clinical-practice-resources/code-of-ethics-for-crnas.

Failure to meet “Student Professional Conduct” criteria may result in a verbal warning, written counseling statement, academic jeopardy, or recommendation to the Student Promotions Committee for dismissal from the program.

Academic Performance/Academic Honor Code

College of Applied Studies graduate students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress consistent with the University's minimum retention standards for graduate studies. Student and faculty responsibilities for maintaining academic honesty and integrity are outlined in The Florida State University Academic Honor Code and Student Conduct Code. The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice graduate program reserves the right to refuse or discontinue the enrollment of any student who fails to maintain the academic integrity of the program as described in these codes.

Academic Requirements

Students will undergo a series of examinations while in the Program: verbal quizzes, reports/projects, simulated clinical/return demonstrations, performance evaluations, discussions, written and computerized examinations, oral comprehensive examinations, Self-Evaluation Examination (SEE), and the National Certification Examination (NCE). No course for which a student receives a grade of unsatisfactory or a “B–” (2.75 quality points) or below may count toward the degree requirements of the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. Students in the graduate program are required to maintain 82% in all DNAP coursework each semester. Failure to do so will result in the student's placement on academic probation. A passing score of 82% or better must be achieved for each course. The inability to meet academic requirements will result in dismissal from the program. Graduate education, and Nurse Anesthesia education, is a major undertaking academically, professionally, emotionally, and financially. Classroom time, clinical time, and study time average around sixty-four hours per week. As such, this is a full-time graduate program and outside employment is not consistent with the demands and expectations of such a program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to research all aspects of this undertaking carefully.

Reinstatement

To be reinstated into the DNAP graduate program after having been dismissed for academic reasons, the student is required to reapply to the program.

Definition of Prefix

NGR—Nursing: Graduate

Graduate Courses

NGR 6002. Advanced Health Assessment (3). Prerequisite: Admission to the nurse anesthesia program. This course includes the history, physical, and psychological assessment of signs and symptoms, pathophysiologic changes, and psychosocial variations of a patient as they relate to preoperative assessment, intraoperative management and postoperative management of patients receiving anesthesia. The course provides students with the cognitive and psychomotor skills necessary to perform advanced health assessment for patients undergoing anesthesia.

NGR 6400. Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics (3). Prerequisites: Admission to the nurse anesthesia program and undergraduate coursework in chemistry, biochemistry, or physics. This course investigates the concepts and principles of chemistry, biochemistry and physics that are fundamental to anesthesia practice, medical equipment and operating room safety.

NGR 6404. Anatomy, Physiology/Pathophysiology I (4). Prerequisites: Admission to the nurse anesthesia program and undergraduate course work in anatomy and physiology/pathophysiology. This course presents, analyzes/evaluates anatomy, physiology/pathophysiology of the respiratory and renal systems. The course also examines fluid and electrolyte balance, abnormalities and management in the acute and chronically ill patient.

NGR 6405. Anatomy, Physiology/Pathophysiology II (4). Prerequisite: NGR 6404. This course presents, analyzes/evaluates anatomy, physiology/pathophysiology of the cardiovascular, neurological, and hepatic systems. The course also examines acid base status, abnormalities, and management in the acute and chronically ill patient.

NGR 6406. Anatomy, Physiology/Pathophysiology III (4). Prerequisite: NGR 6405. This course presents and analyzes/evaluates the anatomy and physiology of the endocrine, hematologic, gastrointestinal, immune, renal, and hepatic systems. This course also examines the pathophysiology and anesthetic management of disorders in each of these systems.

NGR 6420. Basic Principles of Anesthesia (3). Prerequisites: Admission to the nurse anesthesia program on completion of an undergraduate nursing degree. This course presents principles relevant to the practice of anesthesia: history of anesthesia, scope of anesthetic practice, documentation, preoperative patient evaluation and preparation, anesthesia technique, airway assessment and management, anesthesia delivery systems, positioning of the patient for anesthesia and surgery, effects of coexisting disease on anesthetic administration, physiologic response to anesthesia, intraoperative anesthetic management, anesthesia administration in locations outside the operating room, postoperative patient complications, postoperative patient management.

NGR 6424. Advanced Principles of Anesthesia (3). Prerequisite: NGR 6420. This course analyzes/evaluates principles relevant to acute care and the practice of anesthesia for the following specific populations: orthopedic patients, trauma patients, burn patients, ENT patients, spinal cord injury patients, patients with neuromuscular disease, chronic pain patients, patients being monitored with evoked potentials, patients undergoing organ transplant, and patients with coagulopathies. The course also explores the anesthesia techniques of neuraxial and regional anesthesia.

NGR 6425. Advanced Anesthesia Principles II (3). This course presents, analyzes, and evaluates the application of principles relevant to the advanced practice of anesthesia to include specific patient populations, procedures, and co-existing diseases. Pediatrics, obstetrics, transplants, radiology, point of care ultrasound testing (POCUS), and rare co-existing diseases are covered in depth in this course.

NGR 6432L. Anesthesia Practicum II (4). (S/U grade only). Current medical malpractice coverage as a SRNA, a valid license as a registered nurse in the state of Florida, and certification in BLA, ACLS, and PALS. This course allows for clinical application of principles of nurse anesthesia. Students are precepted in the perioperative clinical site. Experiences include application of skills specific to the role of nurse anesthetist. Important concepts include anatomical, physiological, pathophysiological, and pharmacological principles.

NGR 6433L. Anesthesia Practicum III (6-8). (S/U grade only). Prerequisites: NGR 6432L, current medical malpractice coverage as a SRNA, a valid license as a registered nurse in the state of Florida, and certification in BLS, ACLS, and PALS. This course allows for clinical application of principles of nurse anesthesia. Students are precepted in the perioperative clinical site. Experiences include application of skills specific to the role of nurse anesthetist. Important concepts include anatomical, physiological, pathophysiological, and pharmacological principles.

NGR 6434L. Anesthesia Practicum IV (8). (S/U grade only). Prerequisites: NGR 6433L, current medical malpractice coverage as a SRNA, a valid license as a registered nurse in the state of Florida, and certification in BLS, ACLS, and PALS. This course allows for clinical application of principles of nurse anesthesia. Students are precepted in the perioperative clinical site. Experiences include application of skills specific to the role of nurse anesthetist. Important concepts include anatomical, physiological, pathophysiological, and pharmacological principles.

NGR 6435L. Anesthesia Practicum V (8). (S/U grade only). Prerequisites: NGR 6434L, current medical malpractice coverage as a SRNA, a valid license as a registered nurse in the state of Florida, and certification in BLS, ACLS, and PALS. This course allows for clinical application of principles of nurse anesthesia. Students are precepted in the perioperative clinical site. Experiences include application of skills specific to the role of nurse anesthetist. Important concepts include anatomical, physiological, pathophysiological, and pharmacological principles.

NGR 6436L. Anesthesia Practicum VI (6-8). (S/U grade only). Prerequisites: NGR 6435L, current medical malpractice coverage as a SRNA, a valid license as a registered nurse in the state of Florida, and certification in BLS, ACLS, and PALS. This course allows for clinical application of principles of nurse anesthesia. Students are precepted in the perioperative clinical site. Experiences include application of skills specific to the role of nurse anesthetist. Important concepts include anatomical, physiological, pathophysiological, and pharmacological principles.

NGR 6441L. Anesthesia Simulation I (2). (S/U grade only). This course is the first of two courses that allow simulated clinical applications of principles of nurse anesthesia. Students will apply acquired foundational skills to multiple surgical patient populations: the routine patient, those with co-existing diseases, those in various life stages, and those with procedure-specific needs, as well as anesthesia for subspecialty populations.

NGR 6442L. Anesthesia Simulation II (4). (S/U grade only). This course is the second of two courses that allow simulated clinical applications of principles of nurse anesthesia. Students will apply acquired foundational skills to multiple surgical patient populations: the routine patient, those with co-existing diseases, those in various life stages, and those with procedure-specific needs, as well as anesthesia for sub-specialty populations.

NGR 6460. Pharmacology of Anesthesia I (3). Prerequisites: Admission to the nurse anesthesia program and completion of an undergraduate pharmacology course. This course presents, analyzes/evaluates general principles of drug action, signs and stages of anesthesia, uptake and distribution of inhalation agents, and pharmacology of specific drug classes: inhalation agents, anesthesia induction drugs, opiate agonists/ antagonists, and non-narcotic agents.

NGR 6461. Pharmacology of Anesthesia II (4). Prerequisite: NGR 6460. This course presents, analyzes/evaluates pharmacology of specific drug classes: neuromuscular blocking drugs, local anesthetics, autonomic drugs, and cardiovascular drugs.

NGR 6491. Nurse Anesthesia Practice Comprehensive I (1). Prerequisite: Successful standing in the nursing anesthesia program at the end of semester four. This course is designed to measure the knowledge base and clinical competency of the nurse anesthesia student.

NGR 6495. Nurse Anesthesia Practice Comprehensive II (2). Prerequisite: NGR 6491 and good standing in the nurse anesthesia program. This course is designed to measure the knowledge base and clinical competency of the nurse anesthesia student. In this second course in a series of three Comprehensive Review courses, the opportunity for students to demonstrate increased mastery of didactic and clinical knowledge and its appropriate application in patient management is reviewed and examined.

NGR 6496. Nurse Anesthesia Practice Comprehensive III (2). Prerequisites: NGR 6491, NGR 6495, and successful standing in the nurse anesthesia program at the end of semester six. This course is designed to measure the knowledge base and clinical competency of the nurse anesthesia student. In this course, the opportunity for students to demonstrate increased mastery of didactic and clinical knowledge and its appropriate application in patient management is reviewed and examined.

NGR 6803. Research and Evidence-Based Practice I (2). Prerequisite: Satisfactory academic standing within the nurse anesthesia program after semester three. This course provides foundational knowledge about nursing research. Upon completion, students should be able to analyze and evaluate current anesthesia literature. Practice critiques on Randomized Controlled Trials, Meta Analyses, and Clinical Guidelines enhance students' abilities to be critical consumers of published clinical literature and to understand how evidence supports clinical practice.

NGR 6809. Research and Evidence-Based Practice II (1-2). Prerequisite: NGR 6803. This course prepares advanced practice nurse anesthetists who are proficient in ethical utilization and clinical application of research including problem identification and evaluation to provide high quality care and improve practice.

NGR 6929C. Clinical Correlation Conference (1). Prerequisites: Admission to the nurse anesthesia program and successful completion of each Clinical Correlation Conference course in the series. This course provides the opportunity for analysis and evaluation of current anesthesia literature through student presentations and discussion and anesthesia related guest lectures. May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours.

NGR 7776. Health Systems Leadership and Interprofessional Practice (3). This course focuses on the assessment and development of leadership and interprofessional teamwork skills necessary to prepare the graduate student for their role as an advanced practice nursing leader to improve health care delivery and health outcomes with emphasis on systems thinking, communication, health system fluency, and management of ethical dilemmas. The course is designed with special consideration to the nurse anesthesia role.

NGR 7874. Informatics and Patient Care Technology (3). This course focuses on the collection, organization, analysis, and dissemination of information in healthcare. Students explore the application of innovative technologies in healthcare to research, teaching, and practice. Topics include computer networks, information technology and systems, information life cycle, Internet, basic computer security including security management, and their impact upon healthcare delivery and patient safety. Students locate and critically analyze online resources for their relevancy, accuracy, and usage in evidence-based healthcare. The course examines policy and practice of healthcare informatics and technology within ethical, regulatory, and legal frameworks.

NGR 7892. Health Care Policy and Clinical Prevention (3). This course explores the underpinnings of healthcare policy and provides the background knowledge and strategies for engagement in the analysis, development, and implementation of health policy and for the application of health promotion and disease prevention to improve population health. In addition, this course explores healthcare policy specific to nurse anesthesia.

NGR 7940. Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Project (2). Prerequisites: Enrollment in the Nurse Anesthesia Program, NGR 6803, and NGR 6809. This course begins the process of scholarly inquiry for the Nurse Anesthetist. It provides for synthesis and application of knowledge and skills acquired in the program and previous coursework. Students are guided through the process of problem identification and process change development as part of their doctoral project. May be repeated to a maximum of eight credit hours.

NGR 7946. DNAP Clinical Residency (1). Prerequisites: Enrollment in the nurse anesthesia program, NGR 6803, NGR 6809, and NGR 7940. The Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice practicum experience provides students with advanced knowledge and expertise in a focused area of advanced nursing practice within the students' established population focus. May be repeated to a maximum of two credit hours.