Quick Links Faculty Student Handbooks: Class of 2010 Class of 2011

Admissions Information

Admission criteria
In order to be qualified for admission, the applicant must:

• graduate from an accredited baccalaureate or higher generic nursing program or hold a bachelor of science degree in a basic or appropriate health science.
• have academic preparation and licensure as a registered nurse (RN).
• have a minimum of one year full time experience as an RN in a critical care setting (e.g., ICU, CCU, SICU, MICU, etc.) when you apply to the program
• have a minimum 3.0 GPA
• submit satisfactory scores on the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). To be competitive, an applicant should have a score of ~1000 (~500 on verbal and math). The essay is not needed.
• complete prerequisite courses in general chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and statistics. Organic chemistry or biochemistry is recommended, but not required.

Provisional acceptance is considered with prerequisite courses or bachelor degree completion pending at the time of interview.

FAQs
Click here.

Application Deadline
November 30

Interview dates
Mid-January

Acceptances offered
Early February

How to Apply
Applications must include the following:

• Completed university application
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended (A minimum 3.0 GPA is required)
• Using MUSC reference forms, three professional references from the following:
• Your most recent employer
• a health care professional, preferably a licensed physician or CRNA
• an individual who can attest to your academic suitability to pursue graduate education
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) results
• Resume or Anesthesia for Nurses form listing work experience and additional college/universities with at least one year of full time ICU experience
• Essay
• Copy of nursing license
• International students need a copy of TOEFL if they have not studied in the U.S.

Note: All above information must be received before an admission decision can be made. It is the applicant's responsibility to review the status of his/her application by viewing: http://www.musc.edu/es/application/progress.html

Overview
The mission statement of the Anesthesia for Nurses program is:

• Nurse anesthesia is a service, health related profession with the primary function to contribute, in its unique way, to the health needs of society. The delivery of anesthesia care today is not only based upon competence in the academic setting and the acquisition of professional skills, but also upon the ability of the practitioner to integrate related information to solve unique problems found in the clinical area and healthcare in general.
• The Anesthesia for Nurses Program at MUSC is committed to uphold the standards set forth by the professions' credentialing councils, University, College of Health Professions and to produce skilled nurse anesthetists who are qualified to write the National Certification Examination administered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists.
• The Anesthesia for Nurses curriculum is dedicated to producing competent Certified Nurse Anesthetists who meet the anesthesia health care needs of society, and who, in addition, are knowledgeable in health administration, education, and research and who are capable of producing scholarly works to advance the profession of nurse anesthesia. Through education, application of knowlege, and the assumption of leadership roles, graduates will provide cost-effective, quality patient care that is essential to America's health care system.

The Profession
Nurse anesthesia is one of the original advanced practice nursing specialties. A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is an RN who provides anesthesia care for patients undergoing surgical procedures, invasive diagnostic studies, and chronic pain management. Nurse anesthetists enjoy a high level of professional autonomy with an accompanying degree of remuneration.

Career Options

• hospitals
• medical centers
• outpatient surgery centers
• pain clinics

Clinical Education

The clinical curriculum offers opportunities for diverse experiences in the anesthetic management of elective and emergency surgical procedures. Students are required to administer anesthesia to a minimum of 600 patients with experience including inhalation, intravenous and regional anesthetic agents. These agents will be administered by all of the recognized techniques to a wide variety of patients. Clinical rotations include the following:

Skills Needed
The following skills are needed:

• must be a registered nurse
• nursing experience in the critical care setting
• ability to provide leadership and function as part of a health care team
• effective communication skills

Resources
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

Credentials
National Certification Examination administered by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthetists

Non-Discrimination
This program will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, nationality, origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation or sex/gender in its admissions and other educational activities or programs. Because of the nature and intensity of the work, all students will be assessed on an inidividual basis in relation to their ability to meet the didactic and clinical requirements of the curriculum.

To successfully progress through the nurse anesthesia program, applicants must be able to perform the essential functions or tasks of an anesthetist using the following abilities:

Sensory:

• Discriminate variations in human responses to disease using visual, auditory, tactile and other sensory clues.
• Discriminate changes in monitoring devices and alarms using visual and auditory senses.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in English through oral and written methods in order to interact with other health care providers and patients of all ages.

Motor:

• Coordinate gross and fine motor movements and the senses of touch and vision required of the anesthetist to safely provide all aspects of general, regional and Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) and the endurance to handle multiple patient needs.
• Examples of such care include, but are not limited to, such tasks as: insertion of intravascular and intra-arterial access lines, administration of regional anesthetics, performance of airway management, and the ability to respond to in-house emergencies in a timely manner.
• Demonstrate sufficient physical strength to perform airway management and move and position patients and equipment.
• Sufficient stamina to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time.
• Safely maneuver the operating room and other anesthetizing locations.
• Respond appropriately to alarms and changes in patient conditions that require physical interventions.

Cognitive:

• Use reason, analysis, calculations, problem solving, critical thinking, self-evaluation and other learning skills to acquire knowledge, comprehend and synthesize complex concepts.
• Interpret information derived from auditory, written and other visual data to determine appropriate anesthetic management plans.
• Apply theoretical knowledge to practice to provide safe anesthetic care.

Behavioral:

• Demonstrate personal and professional ethical behavior and self-control as well as tactfulness, sensitivity, compassion, honesty, integrity, empathy and respect.
• Work flexibly and effectively in stressful and rapidly changing situations.
• Cooperate with other members of the health care team to provide a therapeutic environment and safe patient care.