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Ignite Your Career! Become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

 
The Nurse Anesthesia Program (NAP) is a specialization of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) offered by the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) in the School of Nursing at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) in Highland Heights, Kentucky.

The NAP offers two tracks:
 
BSN-DNP Track which is a 36-month, 106-semester-hour curriculum culminating in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse anesthesia specialization with a population focus of the family/individual across a lifespan.

Post-Master's CRNA Track which offers advanced standing in the DNP Program for master's prepared CRNAs.  With advanced standing, the master's prepared CRNA will complete 37-semester-credits.  The required course work can be completed in six (6) semesters and completely online with no campus attendance required.  Upon completion of the program the graduates are awarded a DNP degree.
 
Graduates are eligible for the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) National Certification Exam (NCE) and to assume the role of an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). 
Judy Tenhundfeld

Judy Tenhundfeld, DNAP, APRN-CRNA, MSN
Nurse Anesthesia Program Director

Jennifer McLeod

Jennifer McLeod, DNAP, APRN-CRNA, MSNA
Assistant Program Director/Nurse Anesthesia Simulation Coordinator
 

Courtney Hamilton

Courtney Hamilton, DNP, MSN, RN
Didactic Faculty/DNP Project Manager
 

Brian Kasson

Brian Kasson, DNP, APRN-CRNA
Didactic and Simulation Faculty/NAP Admissions Coordinator
 

Debra Barber

Debra Barber, DNP, APRN-CRNA
Didactic Faculty
 

Charles D Myers

Charles D Myers III, DNP, APRN-CRNA
Didactic Faculty
 

Billy Sanders

Billy Sanders, DNP, APRN-CRNA, MSN
Didactic Faculty
 

Amanda Wisecup

Amanda Wisecup, DNP, APRN-CRNA
Didactic & Simulation Faculty
 



 

The NKU Nurse Anesthesia Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), 10275 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 906, Rosemont, IL 60018-5603; Phone: 224-275-9130. The program's next review by the COA is scheduled for Fall, 2032.

Website:  http://www.coacrna.org

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

 

The Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Northern Kentucky University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Website: CCNE Accreditation (aacnnursing.org)


 

The college reserves the right to change the program of study as needed to fulfill state approval, regional and national accreditation, other certification organizations, and/or college requirements.

NKU has one of the only nurse anesthesia programs in the country whose Simulation Center is accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

Simulation Center accreditation

 

Northern Kentucky University is named one of the world's top-tier learning environments for practicing real-life health care situations.  NKU's Center for Simulation Education earned teaching and education accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and the Council for Accreditation of Healthcare Simulation Programs. NKU is the Commonwealth's only university to receive full accreditation, a feat accomplished by 183 other simulation centers internationally.

Link to the full article regarding this accreditation.


 

Applications for Summer 2024


The application window for Summer 2024 cohort closed on August 31, 2023. 

Applications are currently being reviewed. Due to the quantity of applicants, this will take a bit longer than usual. 

Notifications will be sent out on September 27, 2023. 

For all admissions questions, please reach out to our admissions team at dnpcrna@nku.edu.

 


 

Click here to request more information about graduate programs at NKU

   

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