D.N.P. Nurse Anesthesia Program

Two students in green scrubs working on a Manekin in the OHSU simulation lab.

The OHSU Nurse Anesthesia program prepares registered nurses to become advanced practitioners in the field of anesthesia, where they administer general and regional anesthesia to surgical and obstetric patients. Students earn a Doctor of Nursing degree upon completion of the 36-month program. Most courses are offered face-to-face on campus. Core courses may be provided in an online or hybrid format.

The Nurse Anesthesia program educates registered nurses with critical care experience in the advanced practice specialty of anesthesia. The program provides nurse anesthesia students with a solid foundation in scientific knowledge, clinical skills, and professional accountability. Students develop the knowledge and skills to deliver safe anesthesia care using sound clinical judgment to diverse patients across the lifespan.

Goals of the Nurse Anesthesia program:

Simulation experience

The Nurse Anesthesia simulation program is dedicated to providing students with hands-on experiences in a controlled simulated clinical environment. Highly structured clinical opportunities will allow the integration of simulated acquired skills into real-time patient care experiences.

Clinical sites

Students rotate to various clinical sites. Get more information on clinical sites for the Nurse Anesthesia Program.

Nurse Anesthesia curriculum

Our three-year program coursework is listed by year and semester below. To view specific course descriptions, read the OHSU School of Nursing Catalog.

Year one

Summer

Fall

Winter

Spring

Year two

Summer

Fall

Winter

Spring

Year three

Summer

Fall

Winter

Spring

Accreditation

The Oregon Health & Science University Nurse Anesthesia Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs to October 2028.

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)

10275 W. Higgins Rd., Suite 906
Rosemont, IL 60018-5603

Recent faculty publications

Our faculty are dedicated to research, innovation, and higher education for advancing anesthesia practice and education. Their passion for anesthesia research and teaching methodology has been published in various peer-reviewed journals and anesthesia textbooks and has been presented at national conferences. Below is a sample of the work that our faculty have been involved in for the last five years.

Faculty publications

Explore a sampling of published work that our faculty have been involved in for the last five years as they expand on their passion for anesthesia and teaching methodology:

Outcome data for the graduating class of 2024

Outcome data 2008 – 2024

D.N.P. outcomes

Upon completion of the D.N.P. degree, graduates will be able to:

The 36-month program of study is rigorous and highly clinically focused. In the first year, students receive a firm foundation in basic anesthesia science and weekly laboratory sessions in our state-of-the-art clinical simulation center. The second year incorporates clinical rotations designed to expose the student to various anesthesia experiences. Students will also complete a scholarly project during this time. The third year is designed to be a clinical immersion with experiences that include a broad range of practice settings and specialty practice.

Specialty outcomes

Upon completion of the OHSU Nurse Anesthesia Program, the graduate will also be able to:

Student learning outcomes for this program

D.N.P. student learning outcomes (applies to all post-master’s D.N.P. and all APRN specialties)

  1. Demonstrate readiness to enter clinical practice via specialty competencies with the appropriate scientific knowledge, and considerations for its application to practice.
  2. Apply ethical principles and professional conduct standards to clinical care, research, and education.
  3. Evaluate emerging healthcare system policies policy that influences the delivery of cost-effective patient care.
  4. Generate entry-level practice scholarly completion of a clinical practice improvement project based on the principles of improvement science.
  5. Model interprofessional communication and collaboration to improve individual population health outcomes.
  6. Identify and address gaps in professional knowledge through ongoing reflection to support the principle of life-long learning.

Nurse Anesthesia program student learning outcomes

  1. Exhibit and appraise safe, vigilant care to patients across the lifespan, emphasizing continual quality improvement throughout the perianesthetic period.
  2. Provide patient-centered, culturally sensitive perianesthetic care based upon the performance of a systematic assessment of the patient’s condition and formulation of a comprehensive anesthesia plan.
  3. Demonstrate critical thinking throughout the perianesthetic period, emphasizing the anticipation of and response to varying clinical conditions.
  4. Facilitate collaborative relationships with patients, families, healthcare partners, and the community to promote effective communication of information and enhance patient safety.
  5. Conduct a systematic evaluation of evidence from current scientific literature as a basis for informed nurse anesthesia practice.
  6. Display a commitment to professionalism by exemplifying personal integrity, adherence to ethical standards, humility, accountability and compassion in all professional activities.

Course Catalog

For all program specifics, Student Learning Outcomes and detailed school information, check out the School of Nursing Catalog/Student Handbook.