Degree Type

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) — Nurse Anesthesia

The DNP Nurse Anesthesia program at Arkansas State University prepares registered nurses for advanced practice as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). This full-time, 26-month program emphasizes clinical mastery, evidence-based practice, and leadership development. Students are trained to provide safe, high-quality anesthesia care across all patient populations and surgical specialties through a combination of didactic learning, simulation, and clinical experiences in a variety of healthcare settings throughout the Mid-South region.

Program Length

• 26 months (full-time)

Credit Hours

• 114 credit hours

Starting Month

January

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted year-round. Completed applications must be submitted 12–16 months prior to the anticipated January start date.

Program Requirements

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from a National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited college or university.
• Licensure: Current, unrestricted RN license in a U.S. state or protectorate, with eligibility for licensure in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Mississippi.
• Experience: Minimum of two full years of critical care nursing experience within the past three years.
  • Acceptable critical care areas: ICU, CVICU, SICU, MICU, Neuro ICU, and CCU.
  • Not accepted: Operating Room (OR) or Obstetrics (OB).
  • Trauma and other experiences may be considered individually.
• Academic Performance:
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on all undergraduate coursework or 3.0 on the last 60 undergraduate credit hours.
  • GRE required within the last 5 years. Minimum combined score of 900; 1000 preferred. Analytical writing score required.
• Certifications:
  • Required for admission: CCRN (Adult, Neonatal, or Pediatric) or CSC (Cardiac Surgery Certification).
  • Required after acceptance: BLS, PALS, ACLS, and Basic Disaster Life Support.
• Prerequisite Coursework:
  • Graduate-level Descriptive and Inferential Statistics (3 semester hours) with a grade of “B” or better.
  • Graduate-level Nursing Theory and Nursing Research courses are strongly recommended.

Program Overview

Arkansas State University’s DNP Nurse Anesthesia program combines classroom instruction, laboratory simulation, and extensive clinical experience to prepare students for independent anesthesia practice. Coursework includes advanced physiology, pharmacology, chemistry, and anesthesia principles, along with leadership and quality improvement training aligned with DNP essentials. Clinical placements occur across diverse settings, including tertiary hospitals, regional medical centers, and rural healthcare facilities throughout Arkansas and neighboring states. The program also incorporates interprofessional education opportunities to enhance collaboration and patient safety outcomes. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination (NCE) administered by the NBCRNA.

Contact

Arkansas State University — College of Nursing and Health Professions
P.O. Box 910
State University, AR 72467

Phone: 870-972-3454
Email: kwren@astate.edu
Web: www.astate.edu