D.N.P. in Nurse Anesthesia
As a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), you will be at the heart of important moments in medicine. You will provide anesthesia care before, during, and after surgery, helping to ensure the best possible outcomes. You will perform complete patient assessments, develop and implement anesthesia care plans, and closely monitor patients.
This program prepares registered nurses who have a baccalaureate degree in nursing and a minimum of one year of critical care experience for the advanced practice role of nurse anesthetist.
Program Eligibility
- A bachelor’s degree from a nationally accredited nursing program
- An undergraduate grade point average of B or better (3.5 or greater preferred)
- A completed course in statistics (AP credits cannot be accepted)
- A current U.S. RN license
- An unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse in the United States or its territories or protectorates
- Official GRE Scores
- The average percentile scores on the Graduate Record Exam tend to be at or above the 50th percent in each individual category.
- A minimum of one year (minimum two years preferred) of full-time critical care experience as an RN in the U.S., its territories, or a U.S. military hospital outside of the U.S., excluding orientation and/or residency experiences. Acceptable critical care experience includes ICU, SICU, CCU, MICU, PICU, or NICU. High acuity surgical ICU in a tertiary medical center is strongly preferred.
- ACLS and PALS certification
- CCRN certification
The Connell School difference
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Graduate Nursing Student's Day in the Life
The Connell School of Nursing combines rigorous classroom academics with hands-on clinical experiences to prepare students for transformative careers in health care.
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Filling a crucial need in medicine
CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses who provide care in any setting where anesthesia is delivered, including surgical suites, delivery rooms, and outpatient clinics.
In rural U.S. counties, 80 percent of anesthesia providers are CRNAs, according to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.
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Advanced Practice Nursing
At the Connell School, you will gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to transform health care, improve patient outcomes, and advance nursing science.
At a Glance
Curriculum
In this 36-month, full-time program, you will take advantage of the core courses common to all DNP nursing specialties, learn advanced physiologic and pharmacologic principles, and gain hands-on clinical experience.
SUMMER—Year 1 | FALL—Year 1 | SPRING—Year 1 |
|---|---|---|
Epidemiology (3 cr.) | Nursing Leadership in Complex Health Care Settings (3 cr.) | Health Information Technology for Nursing Professionals (3 cr.) |
Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology across the Lifespan (3 cr.) | Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice (3 cr.) | Examining Diversity in Nursing and Health Care (3 cr.) |
Pharmacotherapeutics in Advanced Practice Nursing (3 cr.) | Population Health Principles, Program Planning and Evaluation (3 cr.) | Advanced Health/Physical Assessment across the Lifespan (3 cr.) |
Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics for Nurse Anesthesia Practice (3 cr.) | Foundations of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (3 cr.) | Nurse Anesthesia Care for Patients with Coexisting Diseases (3 cr.) |
Respiratory Physiology and Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesia Practice (3 cr.) | Pharmacotherapeutics in Nurse Anesthesia Practice | Cardiovascular Physiology & Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesia Practice (3 cr.) |
15 credits | 15 credits | 15 credits |
SUMMER—Year 2 | FALL—Year 2 | SPRING—Year 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care Quality Management (3 cr.) | Foundations of Evidence Based Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr.) | Health Care Policy for Nursing Leaders (3 cr.) |
| Role of the D.N.P. Prepared Nurse Anesthetist (3 cr.) | Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practice II (5 cr.) | Methods of Advanced Scholarly Inquiry (3 cr.) |
Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practice I (5 cr.) | Advanced Practice Principles for the Nurse Anesthetist II (3 cr.) | Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practice III (5 cr.) |
Advanced Practice Principles for the Nurse Anesthetist I (3 cr.) |
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14 credits | 11 credits | 11 credits |
SUMMER—Year 3 | FALL—Year 3 | SPRING—Year 3 |
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Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practice IV (5 cr.) | Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practice V (5 cr.) | Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practice VI (5 cr.) |
D.N.P. Project Seminar 1 (2 cr.) | D.N.P. Project Seminar 2 (2 cr.) |
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7 credits | 7 credits | 5 credits |
- Conduct a thorough pre-anesthesia assessment synthesizing data obtained through patient history and physical examination together with that available through facility information systems.
- Create a patient-specific and evidence-based plan of anesthesia care incorporating the requirements of the planned surgical procedure.
- Actualize a plan of anesthesia care incorporating various techniques according to established guidelines and current research.
- Demonstrate leadership with regard to patient safety standards in all aspects of anesthesia care.
- Critically analyze patient response to anesthesia and surgery and modify the plan accordingly.
- Discriminate among various anesthetic techniques, selecting the best approach for all patients across the lifespan.
- Evaluate the need for and interpret information from various monitoring modalities for each individual patient.
- Formulate and implement a strategy for maintaining perioperative homeostasis through the use of adjunctive medications, fluid replacement, and thermoregulation.
- Provide anesthesia care across the perioperative continuum insuring safety, comfort, and consultation for other professionals.
- Engage in self-reflection as a basis for professional growth and improved patient care.
- Utilize current evidence from the literature as a basis for clinical decision-making.
- Integrate professional, legal and ethical standards of care acknowledging personal accountability for decision-making in nurse anesthesia practice.
Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs through June 2026, this program is a collaborative effort with the Associated Physicians of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians.
Contact information:
10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603
224-275-9130
http://coacrna.org
The Connell School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education through December 31, 2027.
- Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton
- Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Boston Medical Center
- Brigham Women’s Hospital
- Cambridge Hospital
- Dartmouth Hitchcock
- Elliot Hospital
- Holy Family Hospital
- Lahey Clinic
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Milford Regional Medical Center
- Mt. Auburn Hospital
- New England Baptist Hospital
- New London Hospital
- North Shore Hospital
- South Shore Hospital
- University of MA Memorial Medical Center
- The VA Boston Healthcare System
Benchmark Data
| Year of Graduation | Students Matriculated | Graduates | Attrition | NCE Pass Rate | NCE 1st Attempt | Employment at 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 | 17 | 5.5% | 100% | 94% | 100% |
| 2023 | 18 | 16 | 11% | 100% | 93.75% | 100% |
| 2022 | 18 | 18 | 0% | 100% | 88.9% | 100% |
| 2021 | 18 | 18 | 0% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 2020 | 16 | 16 | 0% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Nurse Anesthesia Five Year Benchmarks
93.67%
First Attempt NCE Pass Rate
2.2%
Attrition
98.58%
Employment
Our graduates have been hired as CRNAs at local and national institutions, including:
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Boston Medical Center
- Cape Cod Hospital
- Catholic Medical Center (Manchester, NH)
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, NH)
- Johns Hopkins Medicine-Sibley Memorial Hospital (Washington, DC)
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Mission Hospital (Asheville, NC)
- Mount Auburn Hospital
- Newton-Wellesley Hospital
- New England Baptist Hospital
- St. Joseph Mercy Hospital (Ypsilanti, MI)
- Tufts Medical Center
- UMass Memorial Medical Center
- U.S. Anesthesia Partners (Greenwood Village, CO)
- UVM Health Network-Porter Medical Center (Middlebury, VT)
Skills in Demand
$212,650
Median annual wage for nurse anesthetists
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Featured Faculty
Susan Emery, Ph.D., CRNA
“We actively engage CRNA students in the classroom and simulation laboratory to make sure they are prepared for any event they may encounter in the operating room.”
Financial Aid
The Connell School and Boston College offer multiple opportunities to fund a graduate education. CSON graduate students receive financial assistance through internal and external sources—including scholarships, fellowships, grants, teaching and research assistantships, and tuition remission.
Apply
PrintApplication & Deadlines
Résumé or CV
To be uploaded to your online Application Form.
Goal Statement
Please submit a goal statement which will be used as a source of information about your educational objectives and as a sample of your writing ability. The goal statement should be typewritten (double-spaced) and no more than four pages in length.
Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation:
- A reference from an immediate supervisor
- An academic reference
- An academic or professional reference
- Letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically. When you register your reference writers through the application system, they will immediately receive an email with the link to the electronic reference form. For this reason, we suggest that you contact your references prior to registering them through the online application.
- References will have the option to upload a supporting letter in Word or PDF format.
- If you would like your references to receive the electronic form before you have completed the online application, you may go directly to the “Recommendations” link on the application and register your references before filling out the rest of the form.
- You can log back into your application to check which letters have been received, as well as to send reminder emails to your references.
Transcripts
Offiicial transcripts are required for application.
If available, please have official digital transcripts sent to csongrad@bc.edu.
All hard copy transcripts may be sent to the following mailing address:
Boston College
Graduate Nursing Office
Maloney Hall - 2nd Floor
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
*If the last name on your transcript does not match the application name, please contact csongrad@bc.edu after submitting the application.
Standardized Tests
Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores* (current within five years of application deadline). Institutional code 3062
* Please allow 2-4 weeks for test scores to be received in order to meet application deadline
Supplemental Forms
Based on the answers you provide in your application, you may need one or more of the following forms to complete your application:
- Suspended or Revoked Nursing License Explanation Form (if you indicated a suspended or revoked license on your application)
- Learning Disability Documentation Form (if you indicated a learning disability on your application)
- Supplementary Information Form (if you wish to submit any supplementary information in addition to the standard application)
International Students
- Official transcript(s) evaluation (by the Commission on Graduate Foreign Nursing Schools or World Education Services) from all post-secondary institutions at which you have studied
- TOEFL - Evidence of English Proficiency (TOEFL). Official TOEFL scores are required for students whose native language is other than English. The following scores indicate minimum score requirements: 100 on the TOEFL iBT (internet-based test); 7.5 on the IELTS Band (academic); 600 or greater on the paper-based test; or 250 on the CBT test (computer-based test). Please request that your scores be sent to the William F. Connell Graduate School of Nursing by using our institutional code 3062 in the designated areas. Student copies or photocopies of TOEFL are not accepted.
- You can get application forms and information about testing dates for the TOEFL from many U.S. consolates, USIA centers, and TOEFL centers overseas by writing to: TOEFL Registration, CN 6152, Princeton, New Jersey 08541 USA, or www.toefl.org.
- The TOEFL score is not required if you meet both of the following criteria: You are a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean AND your native language is English.
RN License & Certifications
- A copy of your RN license
- Evidence of all required licensure and certification (RN, ACLS, CCRN, and PALS) *Note* ACLS and PALS should be from the American Heart Association
FAQ
- I am an RN with an associate’s degree in nursing and a Bachelor of Science degree in another field. Can I apply to your program?
The Boston College nurse anesthesia program requires a BSN or an MSN degree for admission - What is considered “critical care experience”?
Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories, or a US military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse is to have developed critical decision-making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routine basis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (such as pulmonary artery catheter, CVP, arterial); cardiac assist devices; mechanical ventilation; and vasoactive drips. Acceptable critical care experience includes ICU, SICU, CCU, MICU, PICU, or NICU. High acuity surgical ICU in a tertiary medical center is strongly preferred. - My application has been submitted prior to the deadline but I may not have completed the GRE exam or obtained all reference letters by that date. Will my application be considered?
All application information including official GRE scores must be received prior to the deadline for consideration. It is the applicant’s responsibility to be sure that their application is complete. - I will complete the one year of critical care experience during the first semester of the program. Is this acceptable?
The year minimum of one year of critical care experience is an admission requirement and so must be completed prior to the deadline. - I am an experienced ICU RN with an associate’s degree and will complete my BSN in December. Can I be considered for January admission?
Verification of BSN completion must arrive prior to the application deadline.
- How can I obtain an academic reference since I have been out of my undergraduate program for 10 years?
An academic reference is required and if you contact your school a reference will be written for you based on your academic record. - Do you do rolling admissions? When are interviews scheduled?
No, we do not have rolling admissions. Interviews will be schedule upon completion of applicant review. - Are all applicants granted an interview?
All qualified applicants are granted an interview. - What are the average GPA and GRE scores for your accepted applicants?
Accepted applicants tend to possess an average GPA of 3.6. The average percentile scores on the Graduate Record Exam tend to be at or above the 50th percent.
- Is a course in organic chemistry or physics required for admission to your program?
A specific course is not required. It is assumed that in your undergraduate program you completed a course in health sciences chemistry, which will serve as a foundation for program coursework. - Is it possible to work during the program?
The decision to work during the program is an individual one but is not recommended. As the program is only offered in a full-time format, the number of credit hours each semester varies but is as high as 15 credits per semester. Once the clinical component begins in the third semester, students are in class one full day and in the operating room four full days with care plans and coursework that must be completed in the evenings and on weekends. The workload of the program makes it very difficult to work. - Can I begin taking courses before being accepted into the program?
You can apply to take 2 courses as a “special student” without being matriculated into the graduate program. The successful completion of these courses does not, however, give you an advantage over other applicants to the program. - I have taken a course that I think is the same as one of your courses. Do I have to retake the course at BC?
It is possible to transfer up to 6 credits of graduate work earned elsewhere. Only courses in which a student has obtained a grade of “B” or better, and which have not been applied to another degree, will be accepted. Following acceptance into the program you would need to provide the graduate office with copies of course syllabi as well as other documentation so that the associate dean for graduate programs can compare your course to that at BC. All nurse anesthesia courses must be completed at BC. - I am currently working at a hospital that will allow me to go there for my clinical anesthesia experience. Is this allowed?
No. Clinical sites are determined by the program. - Will I obtain experience in regional anesthesia?
The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs requires a certain number of regional anesthesia experiences and therefore you will obtain this experience. - Does the program offer a stipend?
The program does not offer a stipend. - Is financial aid available?
Most financial aid is in the form of student loans. - What are the tuition costs?
Tuition for students in the nurse anesthesia program is the same as for other graduate nursing students. - I do not have a current Massachusetts nursing license; can I still apply?
A current Massachusetts nursing license is required upon beginning the program, though is not needed for consideration to the program.
Applicant Rights and Responsibilities
- The applicant has the right to be treated with respect and to expect that their application will be reviewed fairly and without bias
- The applicant has the right to receive accurate information regarding the program, the college, and the clinical sites
- The applicant has the right to speak with faculty and/or current students in the program if they so desire
- The applicant has the right to know the collective success of program graduates on the National Certification Examination
- The applicant has the right to receive a letter from the Dean regarding the admission decision
- The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application and all supporting materials have been received by the graduate office
- The applicant is responsible for accurate completion of the application
- The applicant is responsible for any necessary arrangements related to the interview process
- The applicant is responsible for notifying the graduate office if they wish to withdraw their application
- The applicant is responsible for assessing and exploring any required financial aid
Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
- The faculty have the right to be treated with respect by students and program administration
- The faculty have the right to know the objectives for each course for which they are responsible
- The faculty have the right to remove a student from the classroom or the clinical area if the integrity of the class or the safety of the patient may be compromised
- The faculty have the right to see course evaluations and have the opportunity to discuss the evaluations with program administration
- The faculty have the right and responsibility to provide feedback regarding the program, curriculum, and students and make suggestions for improvement
- The faculty have the responsibility to be available during office hours for student questions
- The faculty have the responsibility to demonstrate respect for the student and the learning process
- The faculty have the responsibility to be prepared for each lecture with a good understanding of their subject matter
- The faculty have the responsibility to evaluate the success of teaching strategies and the effectiveness of evaluation methods
Student Rights and Responsibilities
- The student has the right to be treated with respect and as a member of the anesthesia care team
- The student has the right to have the educational process viewed as an interactive exchange between student and teacher
- The student has the right to meet with faculty during mutually agreed upon office hours
- The student has the right to expect the faculty to be prepared for class
- The student has the right to fair and timely evaluation of his/her progress and receive constructive suggestions for improvement
- The student has the right and responsibility to provide feedback regarding the program, curriculum, and faculty and make suggestions for improvement
- The student has the responsibility to be present and prepared for class and clinical
- The student has the responsibility to know the objectives of the course or clinical experience and to make every effort to attain the objective
- The student has the responsibility to complete all projects and assignments on time
- The student has the responsibility to seek learning experiences and be available when these experiences can only be attained outside of scheduled hours
- The student has the responsibility to respect faculty and other members of the perioperative team
- The student has the responsibility to place patient safety ahead of all other considerations
Students are expected to maintain high standards of integrity in both the academic and clinical settings. CSON adheres to the Boston College policies surrounding academic integrity. This policy is outlined in the Boston College catalog. The catalog may be accessed online at Policies and Procedures - University Catalog - Boston College (bc.edu).
Expected ethical behavior in clinical situations is based on the American Nurses' Association Code of Ethics for Nurses (ANA, 2001, 2010, 2015). Students are expected to protect patients' confidentiality at all times, and to be honest in any documentation regarding the patient's condition and their own assessments and interventions. Students are expected to maintain high professional standards, including being physically, intellectually, emotionally, and academically prepared when caring for patients. Unprofessional conduct is considered serious and may result in dismissal from the school.