Nurse Anesthesia MSN Concentration (CRNA)
Patsy H. Haslam School of Health Sciences

Regional Accreditation — The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. Affordable Tuition — Full-time financial aid availability and reasonable costs. Faculty — Academic credentials and real-world experience.

Why become a CRNA?
If you're a licensed registered professional nurse looking for a new challenge, the MSU Nurse Anesthesia MSN concentration offers you the best of on-campus learning with high-tech delivery of lectures and faculty interaction.

For more information regarding CRNAs please see Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) at a Glance from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists website.

The concentration is offered within a full-time master’s level program that can be completed in 30 months.

Cost to Attend Financial Aid Request Information

Learn More About Nurse Anesthesia at MSU?
Nurse anesthesia is available as a concentration within MSU’s Master of Science in Nursing program or as a certificate program for students who already have an M.S.N.

Following completion of the program of study and graduation, graduates are eligible to take the National Certification Examination offered by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists.

The successful completion of this examination is required by state boards of nursing before graduates can be licensed/titled to practice as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. The program requires full-time enrollment.

• Capstone project and thesis option.
• Combination of on-site/distance learning.
• A variety of clinical experiences and settings.
• Patient simulator experience and skills labs before entering clinical rotations.

• Graduation from an NLN/AC or CCNE accredited bachelor’s program in nursing
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better
• CCRN Preferred
• 6 semester hours of undergraduate human A&P and 2 hours lab (equivalent to BIOL 211, 211L, 212, and 212L at MSU)
• 3 semester hours of undergraduate biochemistry (equivalent to BIOL 432 at MSU)
• 3 semester hours of undergraduate microbiology (equivalent to BIOL 219 at MSU)
• 3 semester hours of undergraduate inorganic or organic chemistry (equivalent to CHEM 301 at MSU)
• 3 semester hours of undergraduate physics (equivalent to PHYS 211 at MSU)
• Current unencumbered West Virginia license to practice as a professional registered nurse
• At least one year of full-time experience as a Registered Professional Nurse in an acceptable clinical practice. Examples include intensive care units, medical intensive care units, neonatal intensive care units, pediatric intensive care units, surgical intensive care units, cardiac intensive care units, and selected post anesthesia care units. Nursing experience must show development as an independent decision maker and demonstrate psychomotor skills. An ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques based on knowledge of physiologic and pharmacological principles is also required.
• Twelve (12) clock hours of CRNA observational experience.
• 12 hours of volunteer experience with any charitable organization
• Three letters of reference/recommendation
• Completion of and current recognition in Health Care Provider BCLS, ACLS, and PALS.
• Essay (no more than 500 words) addressing the questions Why do I want to be a CRNA? and Why am I a good candidate for this program?
• All CRNA students must be insurable by the University’s liability insurance carrier prior to completion of the admission process. A registered nurse with a MSN from a NLN-accredited program is eligible for regular admission to the CRNA portion of the MSN program and a certificate of completion.

THE INTERVIEW
Applicants who have a complete application file and meet the University and program’s  minimum requirements will be considered for admission. Potential candidates may be invited for an interview by the admissions committee.

BASIC NURSE ANESTHESIA PREPARATION

GCRNA 503 Issues, Theory, and Ethics 3
GCRNA 501 Health Assessment 2
GCRNA 501L Health Assessment Practicum 1
Total Credit Hours 6

Research Courses
GCRNA 511 Research Process 3
GCRNA 512 Nursing Research 3
GCRNA 608 Research Project 4
Total Credit Hours 10

DIDACTIC ANESTHESIA COURSES

GCRNA 515 Introduction to Anesthesia 2
GCRNA 518 Chemistry & Physics for NA 3
GCRNA 520 Advanced Physiology I* 3
GCRNA 522 Adv Physiology II (Pathophys) 3
GCRNA 524 Adv  Physiology III 4
GCRNA 530 Adv Physiology IV 4
GCRNA 532 Adv Physiology V 3
GCRNA 540 Adv Pharmacology I 3
GCRNA 542 Adv Pharmacology II 3
GCRNA 546 Adv Pharmacology III 3
GCRNA 603 Principles of Anesthesia I 6
GCRNA 605 Principles of Anesthesia II 6
Anesthesia Clinical Core
OR Observation (over 4 semesters)

GCRNA 680-683 Clinical Correlation Conferences
(over 4 semesters) 8
GCRNA 690-693 Clinical Practicum
(over 4 semesters) 12
Total Credit Hours 79

POST-MASTER’S CERTIFICATE PREPARATION

Issues, Theory, and Ethics 3
Health Assessment (Proof by official transcript) Test Out
Health Assessment Practicum (Proof by official transcript) Test Out
GCRNA 515 Introduction to Anesthesia 2
GCRNA 518 Chemistry & Physics for NA 3
GCRNA 520 Advanced Physiology I* 3
GCRNA 522 Adv Physiology II (Pathophys) 3
GCRNA 524 Adv  Physiology III 4
GCRNA 530 Advanced Pathophysiology I 4
GCRNA 532 Advanced Pathophysiology II 3
GCRNA 540 Adv. Pharmacology I 3
GCRNA 542 Advanced Pharmacology II 3
GCRNA 546 Advanced Pharmacology III 3
GCRNA 602 Principles of Anesthesia I 6
GCRNA 604 Principles of Anesthesia II 6

GCRNA 680-683 Clinical Correlation Conferences (over 4 semesters) 8
GCRNA 690-693 Clinical Practicum (over 4 semesters) 12
Total Credit Hours 66

The post-master’s certificate is awarded to students who complete the program after having already earned an M.S.N. from an NLN/AC– or CCNE–accredited program. The certificate program includes all of the didactic and clinical anesthesia core courses (total credit hours = 66 hours in 8 semesters).

All students are required to provide proof of completion of an advanced physical assessment course at the master’s level and either test out or retake the advanced physical assessment course. A health assessment practicum is also required and must include at least 40 clinical hours in primary care with advanced practice nursing.

Transfer credit for courses is reviewed on an individual basis in accordance with published policies and guidelines established by the University. No transfer credit or challenge credit is granted for the didactic or clinical anesthesia core courses.

How Much Will This Cost?

• GCNNA graduate courses $500 per credit hour (79 credits)
• GCRNA 690-693 $4000 per course clinical fee
• Computer (additional software REQUIRED) + Book estimate $6000
• Additional costs
• AANA student membership $125
• Malpractice insurance $180/year
• Clinical and Simulation/Lab Equipment $200
  (scrubs $40, earpiece $50, etc)
• SEE Exam $250
• $100 graduate application fee
• NCE fee $725
• Transportation and Housing costs vary widely.