Vigilance, Knowledge, and Compassion

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• Overview
• Philosophy
• Statistics
• Simulation Lab
• Faculty & Staff
• Clinical Sites

Overview

Curriculum

View our DNP curriculum.

DNP Course of Study 2023

1. Passionate faculty that has a mission to develop the highest quality nurse anesthetists.
2. Dedicated clinical site faculty that provide excellent clinical learning opportunities and mentoring.
3. Hard-working and motivated students who are becoming excellent clinicians and leaders in the Nurse Anesthesia profession.
4. Devoted alumni who support the NAP and students as well as serve as professional mentors.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our Nurse Anesthetist Program. If you are a prospective applicant, please contact us to learn more and schedule a visit for a class or simulation.  To our alumni, thank you for all you do to support our students and the NAP!

Sincerely, ​

Jason Lowe, Ph.D., CRNA, PHRN

Program Director

The Nurse Anesthetist Program received a ten-year reaccreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. The next scheduled accreditation review is in 2023. The COA can be contacted at 10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906, Rosemont, Illinois 60018-5603, phone: 224-275-9130

Program Philosophy

The anesthetized patient is perhaps the most vulnerable and helpless patient in all realms of healthcare. The nurse anesthetist functions in the role of an advocate during the period of the patient’s unconscious or decreased levels of cognition during surgery. The role of the advocate is an immense undertaking. To successfully navigate this role, the student nurse anesthetist must excel in the areas of knowledge, professionalism, and psychomotor skills relevant to the administration of anesthesia.

Socrates described the educated person in this fashion:

“Whom, them, do I call educated? First, those who control circumstances instead of being mastered by them…those who meet all occasions…and act in accordance with intelligent thinking…those who are honorable in all dealings, who treat good-natured persons and things that are disagreeable…”

The philosophy of the NAP follows this definition to the extent possible:

First, the NAP believes that the nurse anesthetist must have at their command the details of a discrete body of knowledge. This knowledge has come from both nursing and medicine and is taught to allow the student to better care for patients. To “control circumstances instead of being mastered by them,” the student must understand the wide range of events that can occur during a surgical procedure, as well as the armamentarium at their disposal to control these events.

Second, mastering and controlling the events requires “intelligent thinking.” Students must critically analyze the data and evidence in didactic and clinical instruction and then come to a decision based upon their analyses and then act in accordance with their decisions. After acting, the students review the effects of their actions and take corrective measures, if needed, to achieve their goals. This applies to patient care as well as completing didactic courses and assignments. The educational preparation of the students throughout the course of the program will always utilize this model.

Third, being “honorable in all dealings” requires a focus on integrity. The emphasis on autonomy in anesthesia practice makes integrity a crucial aspect of instruction. Students are expected to maintain the highest standard of honesty and openness during their instruction and practice. The YCP Graduate Catalog is very clear in its expectations for the graduate student; academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal from the NAP.

Finally, the practitioner in any area of advanced nursing must “treat good-natured persons and things that are disagreeable.” It is important for each student to stay focused and positive during their rigorous course of study. Classmates and faculty are meant to be supportive. Though faculty members are always available for coaching, the student will still need an upbeat outlook and “failure is not an option” attitude to succeed in the NAP. On entering the clinical practicum, the student’s focus will begin to change. Unfailing respect for the dignity of every patient as a unique human being with his or her own individual needs and goals is crucial for the aspiring nurse anesthetist. Difficult and demanding cases, highly emotional and stressful situations in the operating room, and working with a wide variety of personalities require the student to maintain a professional demeanor always. Flexibility, calmness, and self-assurance are the hallmarks of an excellent student.

On entry into the NAP, each cohort becomes a team. Studying together and working on group projects enhances the professional relationships that will last a lifetime in the small nurse anesthetist community. The faculty has but one purpose; to help you become the best possible nurse anesthetist. On occasion, you may fail to understand why we are asking you to do the things we are asking of you. It is important for you to ask questions, understand that you may not fully grasp the answer you receive at that moment, and to trust the process. As faculty and staff, we ask for your trust in our judgment.

We, as your faculty, promise:

1. Your time will not be wasted.
2. You will be treated with the respect you have earned as a professional registered nurse.
3. You will be reliably and validly evaluated at every point in your education

Program Statistics