Degree Type

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – Nurse Anesthesiology Specialization

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Nurse Anesthesiology at the University of North Florida (UNF) prepares registered nurses to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) through advanced education in clinical anesthesia, leadership, and systems-based practice. The program focuses on developing expert clinicians who provide safe, evidence-based anesthesia care across diverse patient populations and healthcare environments.

Program Length

• Duration: 36 months (9 continuous semesters), full-time

The rigorous, full-time curriculum combines academic coursework, clinical simulation, and supervised anesthesia practice. Students progress from foundational science courses to complex anesthesia management and doctoral-level scholarly work.

Credit Hours

• Total Credit Hours: 111 semester hours

Starting Month

January

Cohorts begin each January, following an orientation and introductory coursework in anesthesia science and leadership fundamentals.

Application Deadline

Deadline: February 1

Applications are due by February 1 for admission into the following January cohort. Interviews are conducted in spring, and admission offers are typically made by early summer.

Program Requirements

• Educational Background:
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from a regionally accredited institution.
• Licensure:
  • Current, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license in the United States.
  • Florida RN licensure required prior to matriculation.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of two years of full-time experience as a registered nurse in an adult intensive care unit (ICU). Competitive applicants typically have 2–5 years of experience in high-acuity ICUs such as surgical, medical, cardiac, or trauma units.
• Academic Performance:
  • Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Strong academic performance in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and pharmacology is expected.
• Certifications:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – required prior to graduation
  • Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification is strongly recommended.
• Prerequisite Coursework:
  • Undergraduate courses in Research, Statistics, and Health Assessment completed with a grade of “B” or higher.
  • Recent coursework in chemistry, anatomy, and physiology is recommended to strengthen preparation for anesthesia sciences.

Program Overview

The UNF DNP Nurse Anesthesiology program provides a comprehensive blend of didactic instruction, simulation-based learning, and extensive clinical training. Students begin with advanced core science courses in physiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology before progressing into anesthesia-specific coursework such as Principles of Anesthesia, Equipment & Technology, and Regional & Obstetric Anesthesia.

Clinical training begins in the second year, where students rotate through a variety of clinical sites across Florida and the Southeast. These rotations expose students to general surgery, cardiac, trauma, pediatric, obstetric, and outpatient anesthesia practice. Students also complete a scholarly DNP project addressing quality improvement or clinical innovation within anesthesia practice.

Additional Program Features

• Accreditation: Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• Simulation-Based Education: Training at UNF’s state-of-the-art simulation center allows students to refine airway management, crisis response, and anesthesia techniques in a realistic environment before clinical immersion.
• Leadership & Research Focus: The DNP curriculum incorporates leadership, health policy, and systems management, preparing graduates to advance anesthesia practice and improve patient outcomes.

Contact

University of North Florida School of Nursing
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224

Phone: (904) 620-2628
Email: napadmissions@unf.edu