Degree Type

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurse Anesthesia program at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science prepares registered nurses for advanced practice as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). This full-time, 27-month program integrates classroom instruction, simulation-based education, and clinical experiences to develop expert practitioners who deliver safe, high-quality anesthesia care across diverse patient populations and healthcare settings.

Program Length

• 27 months (full-time)

Credit Hours

• 104 quarter hours

Starting Month

February

New student cohorts begin annually in February.

Application Deadline

June 30

Applications must be submitted by June 30 for consideration in the next February cohort. Interviews are typically held in late summer.

Program Requirements

• Educational Background:
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited college or university.
• Licensure:
  • Current, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in the U.S.
  • Licensure in both Wisconsin and Illinois must be maintained throughout the program.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of one year (preferably two) of full-time experience as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit (ICU). Acceptable ICU areas include surgical, medical, trauma, cardiovascular, or neuro intensive care units.
• Academic Performance:
  • Overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
  • Undergraduate nursing GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (if applicable).
• GRE Scores:
  • Official GRE results are required and must be taken within the past five years.
  • Competitive applicants typically have a combined GRE score above 1000 (old scale) or above 300 (new scale).
• Certifications:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

Program Overview

The DNP Nurse Anesthesia program at Rosalind Franklin University combines foundational nursing science with advanced anesthesia theory and hands-on clinical practice. Students are trained in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, and anesthesia principles through didactic and simulation-based coursework. The program emphasizes leadership development, critical thinking, and interprofessional collaboration to prepare graduates for complex anesthesia care delivery in hospitals, surgical centers, and specialty practices.

Clinical training begins in the second year, with rotations across multiple healthcare institutions in the Midwest. These include experience in general, regional, cardiovascular, pediatric, obstetric, and trauma anesthesia. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Certification Examination (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).

Additional Program Features

• Simulation-Based Learning: Students train using state-of-the-art anesthesia simulators and high-fidelity clinical scenarios that replicate real-world situations.
• Leadership & Research: The DNP curriculum integrates evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and leadership training, culminating in a scholarly DNP project.
• Clinical Partnerships: Clinical experiences are offered in diverse hospital systems, allowing students to gain exposure to a wide range of surgical procedures and patient populations.

Contact

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
College of Health Professions — Nurse Anesthesia Program
3333 Green Bay Road
North Chicago, IL 60064

Phone: (847) 578-3400
Email: grad.admissions@rosalindfranklin.edu