Program Design and Accreditation
Please note: the UTC Nurse Anesthesia Concentration is transitioning to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree described below pending COA approval.
The DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, School of Nursing, will offer a 111-credit hour, 36-month curriculum culminating in awarding a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree with a concentration in Nurse Anesthesia to successful candidates. Eligible and competitive applicants will be selected for a personal interview in late summer following the application deadline. Candidates selected for admission begin the program in January (Spring semester).
The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) accredits the nurse anesthesia program. Students who successfully meet the program's clinical, didactic, and scholarly project requirements will officially complete the program in December, 36 months after they begin their studies. Graduates are qualified to take the National Certification Examination (NCE) administered by the National Board on Certification and Recertification (NBCRNA).
The DNP Nurse Anesthesia Concentration curriculum design supports the development of safe, competent nurse anesthetists with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide anesthesia and anesthesia-related services across the lifespan. Integration of evidence into clinical practice and care delivery, provision of individualized patient-centered and culturally competent care, leadership abilities, and advocacy for patients and the profession are emphasized. The COA doctoral competencies and AACN DNP Essentials are incorporated into the curriculum. The curriculum's anesthesia-specific components feature courses and content addressing pharmacology, physiology, pathophysiology, chemistry and physics concepts, general and advanced principles of anesthesia care, anesthesia technology, patient safety, and professional role development. Simulation experiences, workshop opportunities, and task training labs are threaded throughout the curriculum.
The clinical anesthesia practicum courses begin in the spring semester in the second year of the program of study and continue throughout duration of the program. Students begin to administer anesthesia under constant supervision of clinical CRNA and/or physician anesthesiologist preceptors.
Students will complete a scholarly DNP project applicable to nurse anesthesia practice. It will reflect synthesis and application of knowledge gained throughout the curriculum, and demonstrate the ability to translate research findings into practice.
Accreditation
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs
The Nurse Anesthesia Concentration is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA), 222 S. Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge, IL 60068, Phone: (847) 692-7050. The program's next review by the COA is scheduled for Spring 2022.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
The master’s degree in nursing at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.