Information Sessions

If you are interested in learning more about the Anesthesia for Nurses program we encourage you to attend one of our Information Sessions. Click here for more information. Twenty-first Annual Charleston Anesthesia Conference May 2-4, 2008

Quick Reference

Student Handbook: Download Student Handbook Starting semester: Fall Length of program: 7 semesters (28 months) Degree awarded: Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia (MSNA) Credentials: National Certification Examination administered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists Admissions deadline: November 30 Accreditation: The Anesthesia for Nurses Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) through Spring of 2009 and the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Universities. FAQS: Click here Contact info: (843) 792-3785 (843) 792-1984 - fax 151B Rutledge Avenue P.O. Box 250963 Charleston, SC 29425

The nurse anesthesia program is a twenty-eight month course of study leading to a master's degree in nurse anesthesia. This program includes a didactic portion conducted at Medical University of South Carolina and a clinical anesthesia component to be carried out at local and regional hospitals. The first twelve months are primarily didactic, allowing the student to acquire the basic and advanced skills necessary for the safe administration of anesthesia. During the remaining sixteen months, the student continues didactic instruction and receives an introduction to the practice of clinical anesthesia under the supervision of adjunct facuty who are Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and anesthesiologists. As the student progresses through the program, didactic instruction lessens while clinical time and case complexity increases. Second-year students explore professional leadership issues while assuming greater responsibility in the hospital through increased call and leadership under a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

Application deadline     Prerequisites     Application checklist 

The curriculum of the program has a wide range of physical, behavioral, and biological science courses to help the student establish a theoretical base. Instructional approaches include a one-to-one instructor student ratio, lecture, lab, self-directed study, and structured learning. The clinical portion of the program consists of a hands-on approach to the adminstration of anesthesia.

Students are encouraged to expand personal, educational, and professional goals as they push toward excellence.

Students are instructed with the standards set by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). Applicants are required to enroll in the Anesthesia for Nurses/Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia curriculum.

The clinical curriculum offers opportunities for diverse experiences in the anesthetic management of elective and emergency surgical procedures. Students are required to administer anesthesia to a minimum of 600 patients with experience including inhalation, intravenous and regional anesthetic agents. These agents will be administered by all of  the recognized techniques to a wide variety of patients. Clinical rotations include the following:

• MUSC Medical Center
• Veterans Administration Medical Center
• Trident Anesthesia Group
• Bon Secours St. Francis Xavier
• Beaufort Naval Hospital
• Lexington Medical Center
• Greenville Hospital System
• Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Greenville
• Spartanburg Regional Medical Center
• McLeod Regional Medical Center, Florence
• Conway Medical Center
• Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia

Mission Statement

• Nurse anesthesia is a service, health related profession with the primary function to contribute, in its unique way, to the health needs of society. The delivery of anesthesia care today is not only based upon competence in the academic setting and the acquisition of professional skills, but also upon the ability of the practitioner to integrate related information to solve unique problems found in the clinical area and healthcare in general.
• The Anesthesia for Nurses Program at MUSC is committed to uphold the standards set forth by the professions' credentialing councils, University, College of Health Professions and to produce skilled nurse anesthetists who are qualified to write the National Certification Examination administered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists.
• The Anesthesia for Nurses curriculum is dedicated to producing competent Certified Nurse Anesthetists who meet the anesthesia health care needs of society, and who, in addition, are knowledgeable in health administration, education, and research and who are capable of producing scholarly works to advance the profession of nurse anesthesia. Through education, application of knowlege, and the assumption of leadership roles, graduates will provide cost-effective, quality patient care that is essential to America's health care system.

The Profession
Nurse anesthesia is one of the original advanced practice nursing specialties. A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is an RN who provides anesthesia care for patients undergoing surgical procedures, invasive diagnostic studies, and chronic pain management. Nurse anesthetists enjoy a high level of professional autonomy with an accompanying degree of remuneration.

Career Options

• hospitals
• medical centers
• outpatient surgery centers
• pain clinics

Skills Needed

• must be a registered nurse
• nursing experience in the critical care setting
• ability to provide leadership and function as part of a health care team
• effective communication skills

Curriculum

Non-Discrimination
This program will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, nationality, origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation or sex/gender in its admissions and other educational activities or programs. Because of the nature and intensity of the work, all students will be assessed on an inidividual basis in relation to their ability to meet the didactic and clinical requirements of the curriculum.

To successfully progress through the nurse anesthesia program, applicants must be able to perform the essential functions or tasks of an anesthetist using the following abilities:

Sensory:

• Discriminate variations in human responses to disease using visual, auditory, tactile and other sensory clues.
• Discriminate changes in monitoring devices and alarms using visual and auditory senses.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in English through oral and written methods in order to interact with other health care providers and patients of all ages.

Motor:

• Coordinate gross and fine motor movements and the senses of touch and vision required of the anesthetist to safely provide all aspects of general, regional and Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) and the endurance to handle multiple patient needs.
• Examples of such care include, but are not limited to, such tasks as: insertion of intravascular and intra-arterial access lines, administration of regional anesthetics, performance of airway management, and the ability to respond to in-house emergencies in a timely manner.
• Demonstrate sufficient physical strength to perform airway management and move and position patients and equipment.
• Sufficient stamina to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time.
• Safely maneuver the operating room and other anesthetizing locations.
• Respond appropriately to alarms and changes in patient conditions that require physical interventions.

Cognitive

• Use reason, analysis, calculations, problem solving, critical thinking, self-evaluation and other learning skills to acquire knowledge, comprehend and synthesize complex concepts.
• Interpret information derived from auditory, written and other visual data to determine appropriate anesthetic management plans.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to practice to provide safe anesthetic care.

Behavioral

• Demonstrate personal and professional ethical behavior and self-control as well as tactfulness, sensitivity, compassion, honesty, integrity, empathy and respect.
• Work flexibly and effectively in stressful and rapidly changing situations.
• Cooperate with other members of the health care team to provide a therapeutic environment and safe patient care.

Admissions

Anesthesia for Nurses Program
Phone: (843) 792-3785
Fax: (843) 792-1984
E-mail:  chipas@musc.edu
             
Admissions Coordinator
Office of Enrollment Management
Phone: (843) 792-3313
Fax: (843) 792-6615
E-mail: mcgregom@musc.edu

Application deadline
November 30

Interview dates
Mid-January

Acceptances offered
Early February

Acceptance criteria

In order to be qualified for admission, the applicant must:

• be a graduate of an accredited baccalaureate or higher generic nursing program or hold a bachelor of science degree in a basic or appropriate health science.
• have academic preparation and licensure as a registered nurse (RN).
• have a minimum of one year as an RN in a critical care setting (e.g., ICU, CCU, SICU, MICU, etc.) when you apply to the program
• have a minimum 3.0 GPA
• submit satisfactory scores on the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). To be competitive, an applicant should have a score of ~1000 (~500 on verbal and math). The essay is not needed.
• complete prerequisite courses in general chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and statistics. Organic chemistry or biochemistry is recommended, but not required.

Provisional acceptance is considered with prerequisite courses or bachelor degree completion pending at the time of interview.

Application checklist

• Complete university application
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
• Using MUSC reference forms, three professional references from the following:
  1. your most recent employer
  2. a health care professional, preferably a licensed physician or CRNA
  3. an individual who can attest to your academic suitability to pursue graduate education
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) results
• Resume or Anesthesia for Nurses form listing Work Experience and Additional College/Universities
• Essay
• Copy of nursing license
• International students need a copy of TOEFL if they have not studied in the U.S.
  
  NOTE: All above information must be received before an admission decision can be made. It is the applicant's responsibility to review the status of his/her application by viewing http://www.musc.edu/es/application/progress.html 

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation