Degree Type

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Nurse Anesthesia Specialization

The DNP program at SIUE prepares registered nurses to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), emphasizing advanced clinical practice, leadership, and evidence-based care.

Program Length

• Duration: 36 months, full-time.

Credit Hours

• Total Credit Hours: 80 semester hours.

Starting Month

May

The program typically begins in May each year.

Application Deadlines

Application Deadline: May 1 for enrollment in the following May cohort.

Program Requirements

• Educational Background:
  • Bachelor of Science or graduate degree in nursing from a CCNE or ACEN accredited program prior to program enrollment. Graduates from non-CCNE or ACEN accredited programs may be evaluated on an individual basis.
• Licensure:
  • Unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse in the United States or its territories. An unencumbered Illinois nursing license is required prior to enrollment.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of one year of recent full-time work experience, or its part-time equivalent (1,876 hours), as a registered nurse in a critical care setting prior to enrollment. Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories, or a U.S. military hospital.
• Academic Performance:
  • Minimum undergraduate nursing GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Certifications:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications.
• Prerequisite Coursework:
  • Successful completion of undergraduate courses in Physics (minimum 3 credit hours; no lab required) and Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Organic and Biochemistry for Health Professionals (minimum 3 credit hours; no lab required) with a grade of B or better prior to enrollment.
  • Additionally, successful completion of an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of C or better is required.

Additional Program Features

• Accreditation: The Nurse Anesthesia DNP specialization at SIUE is accredited through May 2030 by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).
• Clinical Experience: The program offers extensive clinical experiences that meet or exceed the standards of the COA, preparing students for diverse anesthesia practice settings.

Contact

SIUE School of Nursing

Address: Campus Box 1066, Edwardsville, IL 62026

Phone: (618) 650-3956

Email: nursing@siue.edu