BSN to DNP Nurse Anesthesia

The BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program is a practice doctoral curriculum that prepares baccalaureate nurses to manage the anesthesia needs of patients across the lifespan. The primary outcome of the nurse anesthesia concentration is the development of the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise in all types of anesthesia and phases of anesthesia care. The BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia program is designed to equip future nurse anesthetists with the knowledge and skills to implement evidence- based practice, and safety and quality improvement in nurse anesthesia practice. Additional experiences in systems leadership, care management and translational science are included in the doctoral course of study.

About the BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program

• The curriculum of 112 semester hours (36 months, nine continuous semesters of full-time study) meets or exceeds the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs requirements for both the academic and clinical experience. It is a “front-loaded” curriculum that allows students to achieve competency in basic sciences with integration of knowledge into clinical anesthesia practice during the clinical phase of the program.
• Coursework in the BSN-DNP nurse anesthesia curriculum occurs on the Houston campus utilizing a format to enhance interaction with classmates and faculty.
• During the final 16 months of the program, students rotate to clinical sites inside the Texas Medical Center, sites within the vicinity of the Texas Medical Center and suburban healthcare institutions. These clinical sites provide students with an exceptional clinical experience.
• Students experience more than 40 hours of simulation-based, faculty-facilitated instruction in the School’s high-fidelity simulation operating room laboratory before and during the clinical phase of the program. The program also provides simulated experiences with ultrasound-guided techniques for vascular access and neural conduction blockade as well as advanced airway management modality training.
• The culminating scholarly work of the BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program is the DNP Project. The DNP Project is a scholarly work designed to provide students with a faculty-guided opportunity to translate knowledge into a clinical anesthesia practice inquiry. Investigating and designing an inquiry to improve anesthesia-related safety, quality, outcomes, practice, delivery or policy aligns with the Institute of Medicine’s six aims: healthcare safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, timeliness, efficiency and equity. The goal of the DNP Project experience is to provide a foundation for future scholarly and quality improvement endeavors.
• Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Certification Examination (NCE) for Nurse Anesthetists offered by the National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).

Accreditation of the BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program

The BSN-DNP program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, 10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906 Rosemont, IL 60018: (224-275-9130) through spring 2032. The curriculum of the BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program is designed to provide the student with knowledge, skills and abilities relating to the provision of professional nurse anesthesia care while incorporating the COA doctoral standards and competencies and the AACN DNP Essentials.

Upon completion of the BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia program of study, the student will be able to:

• Collaborate within interprofessional teams to optimize the delivery of care, patient outcomes and health care quality.
• Formulate and implement safe, efficient and evidence-based anesthetic plans of care for diverse patient populations across the lifespan while adjusting for comorbid conditions and surgical procedures.
• Evaluate and translate evidence into clinical practice improvement initiatives that potentially impact clinical processes, care costs, safety or quality.
• Evaluate physiologic responses to anesthesia and surgery while implementing evidence-based interventions to maintain homeostasis.
• Demonstrate mastery of biophysical sciences, anesthetic principles of practice and clinical technical skills that will promote safe, efficient functioning in the nurse anesthetist role.

Transfer of Credit

A student may submit graduate course credits earned at other universities for application toward the BSN to DNP Nurse Anesthesia Degree. The following restrictions apply:

• The course must clearly relate to the student’s approved program of study.
• Nine semester hours may be transferred from accredited institutions outside The University of Texas System.
• An unlimited number of hours may be transferred from institutions within The University of Texas System, but the student must complete a minimum of 89 hours in residency at the CSON. Students may not transfer credit hours for clinical courses, preceptorship courses, or synthesis courses. Previous nurse anesthesia coursework from another program or university is non-transferable.
• Substitution for a required course in the CSON BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia program must be approved by the nurse anesthesia program director. The course must have been taken within the five-year time limit to complete BSN to DNP program degree requirements.
• The transcript must show a grade of “A” or “B” in the course.
• The course may not be transferred if it was used to apply to another completed degree.
• All courses to be transferred must be at the graduate level.

Courses Taken in Other University of Texas System Institutions

All students who have been admitted to the BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Program and who plan to take courses applicable to a nursing degree in a University of Texas component other than UTHealth must obtain approval in advance from the program director prior to taking such courses. A transcript must be sent to the Office of the Registrar immediately upon the completion of the course(s).

(Full-Time) Class of 2028/Start – Summer 2025

Note: The degree plan is subject to change at any time.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Summer		Hours
NURS 6401	Advanced Anatomy, Physiology & Biochemistry for Nurse Anesthesia	6
NURS 7307	Advanced Health Assessment & Differential Diagnosis	3
NURS 6414	DNP Inquiry in Nurse Anesthesia I	1
	Hours	10
Fall
NURS 6402	Advanced Pharmacology & Chemistry for Nurse Anesthesia	4
NURS 6404	Adv. Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthesia	6
NURS 6418W	Foundations of Scholarly Nurse Anesthesia Practice	3
	Hours	13
Spring
NURS 6403	Adv. Pharmacology & Pharmacogenetics for Nurse Anesthesia	4
NURS 6406	Leadership, Organizations, Finance, & Practice Management in Nurse Anesthesia	4
NURS 6407	Essentials of Nurse Anesthesia Practice	3
NURS 6407B	Essent Nurse Anesthesia Lab	1
NURS 6420	Translational Approaches in Clinical Practice	3
	Hours	15
Second Year
Summer
NURS 6405	Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice	6
NURS 6405B	Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Lab	2
NURS 6806W	Research for Evidence-Based Practice for Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 6430	Clinical Scholarship Portfolio in Nurse Anesthesia	1
	Hours	12
Fall
NURS 6408	Advanced Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice	6
NURS 6408B	Advanced Principles of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Lab	1
NURS 7537	Nursing Informatics: Translation into Advanced Practice	2
NURS 6430	Clinical Scholarship Portfolio in Nurse Anesthesia	1
	Hours	10
Spring
NURS 6409	Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practicum I	10
NURS 6410	Seminars in Nurse Anesthesia I	2
NURS 6430	Clinical Scholarship Portfolio in Nurse Anesthesia	1
NURS 6802	Health Policy, Politics, and Ethics	3
	Hours	16
Third Year
Summer
NURS 6411	Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Practicum II	10
NURS 6411B	Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Lab	1
NURS 6430	Clinical Scholarship Portfolio in Nurse Anesthesia	1
	Hours	12
Fall
NURS 6412	Nurse Anesthesia Practicum III	10
NURS 6413	Seminars in Nurse Anesthesia II	2
	Hours	12
Spring
NURS 6415	Nurse Anesthesia Practicum IV	10
NURS 6416	Seminars in Nurse Anesthesia III	2
	Hours	12
	Total Hours	112

Academic Requirements for BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia Progression

To be eligible for graduation with a DNP degree, a student must:

1. Have a minimum cumulative 3.0 grade point average.
2. Complete the required courses and credit hours as listed on the student’s degree plan.
3. Earn a grade of “B” or greater in all required courses.
4. Submit all approved components of the Clinical Scholarship Portfolio and DNP Project for Nurse Anesthesia.
5. File an “Application for Degree” prior to the deadline established each term.
6. Be enrolled during the term of graduation.
7. Complete the “Notice of BSN-DNP NA Transfer Courses” form for any credit to be transferred from another institution, provide official transcripts to the Cizik School of Nursing for that course work.
8. Pay required graduation fee of $150.
9. Clear through all designated services on the clearance forms provided by Student Services and the nurse anesthesia program.
10. Complete the BSN-DNP NA curriculum within 5 years from admission or have been granted an extension.
11. Complete a minimum of 112 credit hours with at least 89 credit hours completed in residence at Cizik School of Nursing or outreach campuses. Those 89 semester credit hours in residence must include all nurse anesthesia specific courses.
12. Successfully complete the prescribed nurse anesthesia comprehensive examination.
13. Successfully attain all required case, population, technique and clinical hour requirements for eligibility for the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) National Certifying Examination.