SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga University’s School of Nursing and Human Physiology this fall greeted the first class of new students in the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. The program – the only one of its kind in the West – is one of 45 accredited programs nationwide. The 10 students in the class will continue through the three-year, 103-semester-credit program with the clinical practicum beginning in spring semester 2016.
The DNAP continues Gonzaga’s tradition of preparing certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) who practice as Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners.
“The Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center/Gonzaga University Nurse Anesthesia Program is unique in that it focuses not only on teaching students the art and science of administering anesthesia, but it also has a focus on preparing students for leadership roles in health care,” said Scot Pettey, CRNA, DNAP, program director and chair of Gonzaga’s department of nurse anesthesia.
The DNAP continues the long partnership between Gonzaga and Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital, the primary clinical site for DNAP students.
The program replaces Gonzaga’s Master of Anesthesiology Education Program, established in 1977, which will graduate its last cohort in May 2016. The DNAP is open to registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees, two years of adult critical care experience and strong grade point averages. Applicants must possess CCRN certification offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and strong professional references.
The program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia.
“We’re excited to welcome our outstanding students and look forward to advancing their careers,” said Brenda Stevenson Marshall, dean of the Gonzaga School of Nursing and Human Physiology. “This program reinforces the partnership of Gonzaga with Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and our joint commitment to health care excellence. The uniqueness of the academic partnership brings a level of rigor and expertise rarely found in other academic institutions.”
For more information, visit gonzaga.edu/DNAP or contact Shannon Zaranski at (509) 313-3569.
Furthering the health sciences through applied research and compassionate caretaking. Please click here and select SNHP Excellence Fund as your Gonzaga Will priority to support the SNHP.