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Doctor of Nursing Practice - Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA)

Dr. Martin Rivera, Director
For critical care nurses with CCRN certification, this 36-month, intensive program allows graduates to earn dual certifications simultaneously as an AGACNP and a CRNA. Our Nurse Anesthesia Residents will be well-prepared to face numerous healthcare challenges from a unique perspective and contribute to the growth of the Nurse Anesthesia profession.

Program Objectives

 UT Tyler Nurse Anesthesia Program graduates will demonstrate the following competencies: patient safety, perianesthesia management, critical thinking, communication, leadership, and professional role (2024 Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs Practice Doctorate, Section D). 

Upon completion of the program, graduates must demonstrate the ability to:

  1. Patient Safety
    1. Be vigilant in the delivery of patient care.
    2. Refrain from engaging in extraneous activities that abandon or minimize vigilance while providing direct patient care (e.g., texting, reading, emailing, etc.).
    3. Conduct a comprehensive and appropriate equipment check
    4. Protect patients from iatrogenic complications
  2. Perianesthesia Management
    1. Provide individualized care throughout the perianesthesia continuum.
    2. Deliver culturally competent perianesthesia care. 
    3. Provide anesthesia services to all patients across the lifespan.
    4. Perform a comprehensive history and physical assessment.  
    5. Administer general anesthesia to patients with a variety of physical conditions
    6. Administer general anesthesia for a variety of surgical and medically related procedures. 
    7. Administer and manage a variety of regional anesthetics.
    8. Maintain current certification n ACLS and PALS. 
  3. Critical Thinking
    1. Apply knowledge to practice in decision making and problem solving.
    2. Provide nurse anesthesia services based on evidence-based principles.
    3. Perform a preanesthetic assessment before providing anesthesia services.
    4.  Assume responsibility and accountability for diagnosis.
    5. Formulate an anesthesia plan of care before providing anesthesia services.
    6. Identify and take appropriate action when confronted with anesthetic equipment-related malfunctions.
    7. Interpret and utilize data obtained from noninvasive and invasive monitoring modalities.
    8. Calculate, initiate, and manage fluid and blood component therapy.
    9. Recognize, evaluate, and manage the physiological responses coincident to the provision of anesthesia services.
    10. Recognize and appropriately manage complications that occur during the provision of anesthesia services.
    11. Use science-based theories and concepts to analyze new practice approaches.
    12. Pass the National Certification Examination (NCE) administered by the NBCRNA.
  4. Communication
    1. Utilize interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients and their families.
    2. Utilize interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective inter-professional exchange of information and collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
    3. Respect the dignity and privacy of patients while maintaining confidentiality in the delivery of inter-professional care.
    4. Maintain comprehensive, timely, accurate, and legible healthcare records.
    5. Transfer the responsibility for care of the patient to other qualified providers in a manner that assures continuity of care and patient safety.
    6. Teach others.
  5. Leadership
    1. Integrate critical and reflective thinking in his or her leadership approach.
    2. Provide leadership that facilitates inter-professional and inter-professional collaboration.
  6. Professional Role
    1. Adhere to the Code of Ethics for the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
    2. Interact on a professional level with integrity.
    3. Apply ethically sound decision-making processes.
    4. Function within legal and regulatory requirements.
    5. Accept responsibility and accountability for his or her practice.
    6. Provide anesthesia services to patients in a cost-effective manner.
    7. Demonstrate knowledge of wellness and substance use disorder in the anesthesia profession through completion of content in wellness and substance use disorder.
    8. Inform the public of the role and practice of the CRNA.
    9. Evaluate how public policy making strategies impact the financing and delivery of healthcare.
    10. Advocate for health policy change to improve patient care.
    11. Advocate for health policy change to advance the specialty of nurse anesthesia.
    12. Analyze strategies to improve patient outcomes and quality of care.
    13. Analyze health outcomes in a variety of populations.
    14. Analyze health outcomes in a variety of clinical settings.
    15. Analyze health outcomes in a variety of systems.
    16. Disseminate scholarly work.
    17. Use information systems/technology to support and improve patient care.
    18. Use information systems/technology to support and improve healthcare systems.
    19. Analyze business practices encountered in nurse anesthesia delivery settings.

Admission Requirements

  1. Submit a completed graduate application to the university.
  2. Must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from a U.S. Accredited Nursing Program recognized by the Department of Education.
  3. International students must follow the Graduate Admission guidelines for UT Tyler. (https://www.uttyler.edu/admissions-aid/graduate/admission-requirements/index.php)
  4. Must have a current unencumber RN license in the State of Texas or have a compact license with multi-state privileges that includes Texas.
  5. Must have a 3.0 or higher overall GPA in undergraduate studies and graduate studies if applicable. Candidates should also have a science GPA greater than a 3.0.
  6. Required Science courses include Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and/or Biochemistry, and Physics with a B or better.
  7. Basic Statistics course with a B or better.
  8. A Professional Writing Course with a B or better is strongly recommended. Candidate should be familiar with American Psychological Association (APA) style writing.
  9. Minimum of 1-year of current Intensive Care Unit (ICU) experience not including precepting time. Candidates should have a strong professional background as a Registered Nurse (RN) in any current ICU setting demonstrated by their American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (CCRN) certification. All adult, pediatric and Level III and Level IV neonatal ICU experiences will be considered. Please note that Operating Room, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Emergency Room, and Flight Nursing experience will not be considered as ICU experience.
  10. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required.
  11. Must have successfully completed and possess current Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training and submit current proof of each.
  12. 3 Letters of professional recommendations (Supervisor, Manager, CRNA, etc.…). Professional recommendations from a peer nursing colleague will not be accepted.
  13. Personal essay in APA style explaining why candidate desires to be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and the implications in their academic journey of becoming a CRNA.
  14. Shadowing experience with a CRNA. Must have documented experience of a minimum of 40 hours of shadowing a CRNA. Shadowing experiences must be 8–12-hour shifts with more than 1 CRNA.
  15. Updated Resume or CV.
  16. An assessment report on Emotional Intelligence utilizing the recommended questionnaire and submitted with all admissions paperwork. https://www.talentsmart.com/test/
  17. Upload all forms and statements to CastleBranch.
  18. All forms must be completed prior to being considered for an interview. Submission of all required forms does not guarantee an interview due to the competitive nature of the program.
  19. The Program does not accept transfer credits from other nurse anesthesia programs. The UT Tyler transfer policy will be followed for non-anesthesia courses. Please visit https://www.uttyler.edu/admissions-aid/transfer/ for more information.
 
 

Degree Requirements

All candidates for a Doctor of Nursing Practice – Nurse Anesthesia degree at The University of Texas at Tyler must meet the following requirements:

• A minimum grade-point of 3.0 on all graduate level work taken at UT Tyler. No course with a grade below “B” may be applied toward this degree.
• Nursing courses within the DNP NA curriculum may not be repeated. 
• Satisfactory completion of all degree requirements, including 114 semester credit hours, 2750 clinical hours (includes CRNA and AGACNP).
 

Typical Progression:

Year 1

Fall 1

CRNA 7300Advanced Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology I
CRNA 7321Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostics
NURS 5354Advanced Nursing Pharmacotherapeutics
NURS 7351Principles of Acute Care 1
NURS 7352Principles of Acute Care 2

Spring 1

CRNA 7301Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology II
NURS 7353Principles of Acute Care 3
NURS 7354Principles of Acute Care 4
NURS 7391Practicum I for the DNP-NA AGACNP
NOTE: NURS 7391 - 375 Clinical Hours

Summer 1

CRNA 7302Anatomy, Physiology & Pathophysiology III
CRNA 7423Basic Principles & Techniques in Nurse Anesthesia
CRNA 7305Advanced Pharmacology for Anesthesia Practice
NURS 7303Healthcare Informatics
NURS 7392Practicum II for the DNP-NA AGACNP

Year 2

Fall 2

NURS 7302Foundations of Evidence-based Practice
NURS 7371Organizational and Systems Leadership
CRNA 7427Advanced Principles & Techniques in Nurse Anesthesia
CRNA 7201Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency I

Spring 2

NURS 7315Evidence-based Practice 1
CRNA 7330Nurse Anesthesia Practice for Special Populations: OB, PEDS & Geriatrics
CRNA 7308Biostatistics & Epidemiology for Evidence-Based Practice
CRNA 7403Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency II

Summer 2

NURS 7317Evidence-based Practice II
CRNA 7340Nurse Anesthesia Practice for Cardiac, Neuro, & Musculoskeletal Disorders
NURS 7373Financial & Business Management for DNP Leaders
CRNA 7405Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency III

Year 3

Fall 3

CRNA 7261Professional Aspect & Ethics in Nurse Anesthesia
CRNA 7200Nurse Anesthesia Crisis Management I
NURS 7358Population Health for DNP Leaders
CRNA 7507Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency IV

Spring 3

NURS 7377DNP Scholarly Synthesis
NURS 7331Health Policy & Advocacy for DNP Leaders
CRNA 7205Nurse Anesthesia Crisis Management II
CRNA 7509Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency V

Summer 3

CRNA 7250Nurse Anesthesia Senior Synthesis
NURS 7375Healthcare Quality & Safety for DNP Leaders
CRNA 7611Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Residency VI