Application to open in August to begin studies in Autumn 2024
The Ohio State University College of Nursing announced today that it is adding a Nurse Anesthesia specialty track to its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, with the first cohort of students starting in Autumn Semester 2024.
The newest of 10 graduate-level specialty tracks offered by the college, the Nurse Anesthesia track within the BSN to DNP program will require 36 months of full-time study. Graduates of the program will be eligible to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), which are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who provide care in every setting where anesthesia is delivered.
“We are uniquely qualified to offer this new specialty,” said Randee Masciola, DNP, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, FAANP, director of the college’s DNP program, which is ranked #11 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. “Not only will students benefit immensely from the pairing of our well-established BSN to DNP program curriculum and our exceptional specialty anesthesia education, we also have excellent clinical relationships.”
During the program, Nurse Anesthesia students will gain experience in Ohio State’s Clinical Skills Education and Assessment Center (CSEAC), a state-of-the-art interdisciplinary simulation lab where they can put learning into practice. All evidence suggests these experiences build confidence, improve competence and save lives.
Unique to Ohio State’s nurse anesthesia education is a specific focus on expanding access to skilled anesthesia beyond metropolitan areas and into rural areas across Ohio.
“All nurse anesthesia specialty students will participate in a rural clinical rotation during the program,” said John Welch, DNP, APRN-CRNA, director of the nurse anesthesia specialty track. “We also hope to recruit students both from rural communities and those who will graduate and aspire to provide care locally to medically underserved areas.”
Demand and opportunity for nurse anesthetists are growing rapidly in the healthcare industry. U.S. News & World Report named nurse anesthetists among the top 10 best-paying jobs on its 2022 Best Paying Jobs List, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics includes nurse anesthetists among a grouping of nursing career tracks that is expected to grow by 40% in the next decade.
Details about the Nurse Anesthesia specialty track of the BSN to DNP program are available on the College of Nursing’s website. The college will host a virtual overview session of its BSN to DNP program on Thursday, June 29 from 3 - 4 p.m. EDT. Questions can be directed to nursing@osu.edu.
The Nurse Anesthesia specialty track joins the college’s portfolio of master’s- and doctoral-level clinical specializations, including:
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Applications opening for graduate-level study in August 2023
Applications for all the college’s master’s- and doctoral-level nursing programs will open in early August 2023, including:
Master’s:
- Traditional Master of Science in Nursing
- Graduate Entry Master of Science in Nursing
- Post-Master’s Study Option
Doctoral:
