Doctor of Nursing Practice: Nurse Anesthesia Track (BSN to DNP)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Nurse Anesthesia Track (BSN to DNP) is designed for post-BSN students seeking doctoral preparation for advanced practice as a Nurse Anesthetist. The curriculum provides students with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary to care for diverse patient populations across the lifespan. Graduates of the program are prepared to assume clinical leadership roles in health-related organizations to improve systems of care, patient outcomes, and quality of care. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam (NCE) offered by the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).

Successful completion of the nurse anesthesia program requires a substantial time commitment averaging 55-64 hours per week (includes class time, clinical, and study time) during the 36-month program. The curriculum is designed for 36-months of full-time study. Historically, given the rigorous nature of the program, students find it difficult to subsidize their educational expenses through part-time employment.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the BSN-DNP track requires approval by the Graduate Nursing Admission, Progression, and Graduation Committee. Admission of applicants is based upon the following criteria:

1.        A completed application at www.nursingcas.org. We do not require a supplemental application to Bellarmine University.

2.       You must submit all official transcripts directly to Nursing CAS before they will verify your application and submit it to Bellarmine University. All final, official transcripts submitted to Nursing CAS are considered official and you do not need to supply those to Bellarmine University. However, any transcripts which include “In Progress” coursework or degree requirements at the time you submit the Nursing CAS application are not considered official. If admitted, these final, official transcripts must be submitted directly from the college or university to Bellarmine University by July 1. Note: It is the student’s responsibility to request all official transcripts and test scores.

3.       If any transcript(s) or undergraduate degree(s) is from an international institution, you must provide an official copy of a third-party course-by-course credential evaluation to Nursing CAS. The following organizations offer this service and information regarding processes and fees is available at www.wes.org or www.ece.org. The Office of Graduate Admission reserves the right to request a certified copy of the original transcript(s).

4.       BSN from a CCNE or ACEN accredited nursing program.

5.       A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for undergraduate coursework and a 3.5 for any graduate coursework.

6.       Three professional references. The strongest recommendations are from managers, directors, professors, or others in a supervisory capacity. Recommendations from friends, other students, or lateral co-workers are not appropriate. Please use the electronic reference form in Nursing CAS. You should include your recommender’s email address so that Nursing CAS can provide the recommender with the electronic form.

7.       Goal statement: The goal statement is your opportunity to tell us (as specifically as you can at this time) about your career plans after you finish your anesthesia program. Your goal statement should also include your understanding of the role of the nurse anesthetist and your career in this role (including where you would like to work). This statement provides us with a sample of your writing ability and helps faculty determine your fit with Bellarmine’s program.

8.       Resume describing relevant work, professional, and volunteer experiences.

9.       Unencumbered Registered Nursing license (Proof of license in Kentucky and/or compact states required prior to matriculation).

10.    *A minimum of one year of recent (within 2 years) full-time employment, or its part-time equivalent, as a registered nurse in a critical care setting. (See Employment Verification Form in Nursing CAS or on the Bellarmine Nurse Anesthesia website.)

11.     Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification REQUIRED at the time of application. You must provide a copy of your official exam score report AND proof of certification.

12.    Current Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) & Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification required for application.

13.    Proof of shadowing experience (on Shadow Verification form within NursingCAS or on the Bellarmine Nurse Anesthesia website) with either a CRNA or an anesthesiologist.

14.      An interview with graduate faculty members. Please note: Because enrollment is limited in the DNP-NA track, meeting the minimum requirements may not assure admission to that track.

15.    Language proficiency is required to ensure that international students within the department of nursing can communicate with diverse populations. The department of nursing accepts one of the following as evidence of required language proficiency for students for whom English is a second language or who have a degree from an international institution:

·         TOEFL-iBT (internet-based test) and receive a total score of 5 or higher AND a score of 5 or higher on the speaking test OR

·         IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and receive a total band score of 7 or higher AND a speaking band score of 8 or higher OR

·         Successful completion of Language training at an approved center. Bellarmine University recognizes the following standards and centers: English Language Services level 112 (http://www.els.edu/en), Interlink Level 5 (http://interlink.edu/), Intensive English Program at Indiana University Level 6 (http://iep.indiana.edu/). Other centers may be approved at the discretion of the Admissions, Progression and Graduation Committee of the Department of Nursing.

International students who are exempt from language proficiency requirements are the following:

·         Students who are citizens of or have completed a degree from a TOEFL exempt country.

·         Students who have a secondary or high school diploma earned in TOEFL exempt countries.

·         International students who have completed at least one year of full-time university study or its equivalent (i.e., a minimum of 24 earned credit hours or its equivalent and earned a

2.0 GPA) in a TOEFL exempt country.

·         Only official score reports will be accepted.

*Critical care is defined by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) as: “Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories or a US military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routine basis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (e.g., pulmonary artery, central venous pressure, and arterial catheters), cardiac assist devices, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive infusions. Examples of critical care units may include but are not limited to surgical intensive care, cardiothoracic intensive care, coronary intensive care, medical intensive care, pediatric intensive care….” (Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs, Practice Doctorate, 2016).