Mission
The mission of the University of Iowa DNP Anesthesia Nursing Program is to educate registered nurses to become remarkable CRNAs. We do this through superior didactic preparation and clinical experiences using the mastery learning methodology. Since Iowa and other rural environments have a shortage of anesthesia practitioners, students participate in mandatory clinical rotations in rural and critical access hospitals. University of Iowa DNP-CRNA graduates are prepared to be leaders within the profession and U.S. health care system.
Program Design
Our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) curriculum is designed to provide a BSN or BAN, or equivalently prepared Registered Nurse with graduate level education and clinical experience to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Successful students will graduate with a DNP degree with a specialization in nurse anesthesia and be eligible to sit for the NBCRNA National Certification Exam.
Benefits of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
The American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) has recommended the DNP as the graduate degree of choice for advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) including CRNAs. The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) has required CRNA programs to be at the doctoral level since 2022. The University of Iowa College of Nursing was one of the first in the nation to receive approval for the DNP from the CCNE in 2009. The Iowa anesthesia nursing program was one of the earliest programs to be approved for a DNP-CRNA educational program by the COA in October 2010.
The DNP degree will allow CRNAs to be full partners in the developing health care system of the future and provide the high quality, cost-efficient care for which they are known.
Online Completion DNP Degree Program for Practicing CRNAs
The College of Nursing also offers a number of post-graduate certificate programs that might be of interest to a CRNA. Please click here to see the plans of study for those degree options. These programs are available to any CRNA with a Master’s or Doctoral degree.
CRNAs with questions about this program should contact kara-avis@uiowa.edu.
Clinical Experience Obtained during UI DNP Program of Nurse Anesthesia
Click here for the pdf of the Clinical Experience
| Totals | COA Required | Class of 2023 | Class of 2024 | Class of 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Cases | 650 [700] | 1126 | 1145 | 1107 |
| Hours of Mentored Anesthesia | 2000 | 2258 | 2500 | 2227 |
Patient Physical Status | ||||
| Class I and II | 598 | 605 | 610 | |
| Class III, IV, V, VI | 200 [300] | 527 | 540 | 497 |
Special Cases | ||||
| Geriatric | 100 [200] | 346 | 386 | 338 |
| Pediatric <12 years | 30 [75] | 87 | 105 | 94 |
| Pediatric < 2 years | 10 [25] | 32 | 40 | 38 |
| Emergency | 30 [50] | 70 | 81 | 64 |
Anatomic Categories | ||||
| Intracranial | 5 [20] | 41 | 36 | 34 |
| Intrathoracic | 15 [40] | 26 | 39 | 31 |
| Obstetrics | 30 [40] | 44 | 52 | 55 |
Methods of Anesthesia | ||||
| General anesthesia | 400 | 796 | 824 | 828 |
| Endotracheal intubation | 250 | 502 | 528 | 520 |
Regional techniques | ||||
| Management | 30 [50] | 314 | 356 | 320 |
| Administration | 25 | 266 | 147 | 135 |
| Arterial puncture/catheter insertion | 25 | 90 | 79 | 79 |
| CVP Placement | 5 [10] | 15 | 15 | 14 |
() Minimum Required Cases [ ] Preferred Number of Cases