Admission Requirements

Minimum GPA requirements:

Minimum overall GPA ≥ 3.0 OR ≥ 3.2 last 60 credit hours

Minimum science GPA ≥ 3.0 strongly recommended

Prerequisite Courses:

Statistics course: Must contain content on both parametric and nonparametric statistics which are components of most basic statistics courses. Please note that a nursing research class does not meet this requirement.

RN Licensure:

Unrestricted license as a professional registered nurse. Upon admission to the program, students must possess either a compact nursing license OR a Kansas registered nurse license (and if selected for an Oklahoma City primary site, must possess either a compact nursing license OR Oklahoma registered nurse license).

Certifications:

BLS

ACLS

PALS

CCRN preferred

Critical Care Experience:

Minimum of 1 year (2 years preferred) full-time employment in an ICU is required. This must be within the 2 years of the start of the program. Acceptable ICUs include: cardiac ICU, medical ICU, neuro ICU, trauma ICU, etc. The Admissions and Progression Committee has found that successful applicants most often have adult ICU experience; however, PICU experience is acceptable to meet the critical care requirement. NICU, PACU, ER, OR, POCU do NOT meet the requirements for admission to the Newman University Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program. A minimum of 1 year must be from a hospital within the 50 states, US territories, or at a US military hospital.

Bachelor’s Degree:

Earned bachelor’s degree from a fully-accredited college or university. BSN (from a CCNE or ACEN School of Nursing) is preferred but not required.

Professional References:

Three professional references are required. One must be from a current supervisor.

Personal Statement:

A personal essay should be submitted in which the applicant demonstrates graduate-level writing ability. The personal essay should reflect the applicant’s professional development as a registered nurse in critical care and how this will translate to success in an advanced practice role as a nurse anesthetist. The personal statement should be 2 pages or less.

Current Resume/CV:

Background check/drug screen:

If accepted to the program, all students must pass a background check and drug screen prior to the start of the nurse anesthesia program. This will be at the cost of the student, and information will be given after acceptance is granted.

Shadow experience:

Shadow experience of an anesthesia provider actively administering anesthesia is preferred. There is no minimum requirement of shadowing hours.

Personal interview:

A professional interview is required for acceptance to the Newman University Nurse Anesthesia Program. Invitations for professional interviews will be sent to selected applicants by mid-September. Interviews with the Admissions and Progression Committee will be conducted in October and/or November. The interview will provide the applicant the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge in the areas of pharmacology, physiology, pathophysiology, and critical thinking as it relates to their unique critical care experience and patient population.