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MSU College of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program
2013 COA Self Study
Table of Contents
Standard I: Governance……………………………………….. 1
Standard II: Resources………………………………………….16
Standard III: Program of Study………………………………….30
Standard IV: Program Effectiveness……………………………59
Standard V: Accountability……………………………………..71
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STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION OF
NURSE ANESTHESIA EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS
COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION
OF NURSE ANESTHESIA EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS
To be considered for Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational
Programs (COA) accreditation, a nurse anesthesia program must demonstrate
that it develops and implements the necessary mechanisms to comply with five
educational standards.
Standard I: Governance
INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE RESULTS IN THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF
THE NURSE ANESTHESIA PROGRAM, PROMOTES EDUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE
AND SUPPORTS NEEDED CHANGE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS
MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY. THE INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITATES
ATTAINMENT OF PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND INVOLVES ITS
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.
A1.
The mission and/or philosophy of the conducting institution's
governing body promotes educational excellence and supports the
nurse anesthesia program within a graduate framework.
Michigan State University (MSU) and its College of Nursing (CON) promote
educational excellence across programs and provide the support necessary to develop
and implement a high quality nurse anesthesia program in an environment that
encourages teaching, scholarship, service, and practice. In 2002, the Michigan State
University College of Nursing (MSU-CON) was approached by the then-CEO of
Ingham Regional Medical Centers, (now McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital) who
requested that the College consider development of a nurse anesthesia program.
The College responded with a feasibility study conducted by Dr. John Garde. His
recommendation supported the need and capacity for a nurse anesthesia program at
the University. With support of then-provost, now President Lou Anna K. Simon, the
college began development of a business plan to support a university-model nurse
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
anesthesia program with a strong network with health system partners. In 2006, a
partnership agreement was completed between Michigan State University and Ingham
Regional Medical Center, Sparrow Health System, St. John Hospital and Medical
Center (Detroit), and St. John – Macomb Hospital to support the development and
implementation of the nurse anesthesia program during the first five years.
The MSU-CON nurse anesthesia program admitted its first students in January 2008.
These students subsequently became the first graduating class in 2010. Eligible for
ranking for the first time this year, the MSU-CON nurse anesthesia program was
ranked 32 of 100 by U.S. News and World Report.
The mission, goals, and expected outcomes of the Michigan State University College
of Nursing and its nurse anesthesia program are congruent with those of Michigan
State University, its parent institution. Established in 1855 as the first land-grant
institution for higher education in America, MSU has a strong history of providing
educational opportunities, granting access to higher education, and conducting
research that addresses the real-life problems of society. The MSU mission commits
the university to providing world-class educational opportunities to an inclusive group of
students; conducting high-level and high-quality research; and advancing the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities.
The College of Nursing’s mission and goals (strategic priorities) are congruent with
these elements. In 2005, a new initiative called Boldness by Design was introduced by
MSU President, Dr. Lou Anna K. Simon. This initiative sets goals for innovation and
strategic positioning for the university that build on the land-grant tradition. Boldness by
Design has five major components, with accountability indicators for performance
expectation. The focus areas are: a) enhance the student experience, b) increase
research opportunities, c) enrich community, economic and family life, d) expand
international reach, and e) strengthen stewardship. Appendix Table A1-a demonstrates
the congruence among elements of the MSU mission, components of Boldness by
Design, and the strategic priorities of the MSU-CON.
The CON is well positioned to participate in the bold vision for the university and to
contribute to the future of nursing and health care. The CON is organized according to
its mission as displayed in the CON organizational chart (see Appendix Chart A1-b).
The faculty adopted the following vision, mission and goal statements, which are
accessible on the CON Web site:
CON Vision Statement: The Michigan State University College of Nursing is a leader
in creating positive change in health care outcomes locally, nationally, and globally
through excellence in nursing education, research, and practice.
CON Mission Statement: The mission of the Michigan State University College of
Nursing is to enhance the health of the community by providing excellence in nursing
education, nursing research, and nursing practice. We will advance the profession of
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
nursing and serve as an advocate for optimal health care for all people. The mission
will be accomplished through the following priorities:
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Education: Provide a balanced array of educational programs to prepare
nurse leaders for practice, research, and education.
Research: Increase research activity in focused areas of excellence and
expand team science.
Practice: Lead nursing practice partnerships that translate nursing
science into practice to improve health outcomes.
CON Strategic Priorities
1. Education: Provide a balanced array of educational programs to prepare nurse
leaders for practice, research, and education.
2. Research: Increase research productivity in focused areas of excellence to move
the college into the top 20 of National Institute of Health (NIH) funded programs of
nursing, expand team science, and advance the state of nursing science.
3. Practice: Lead nursing practice partnerships that translate nursing science into
practice to improve health outcomes.
4. Inclusion: Increase diversity among students, faculty, and staff; and expand global
experiences that demonstrate inclusion and appreciation for diversity.
5. External Relations and Development: Increase the national, state, and local
visibility and knowledge about the College of Nursing in order to improve engagement
of alumni, friends, and donors and increase philanthropy.
6. Space: Increase visible and integrated space for the College of Nursing through the
Bott Building for Nursing Education and Research and expansion of space in Life
Sciences A-wing in order to consolidate faculty and staff in one location with expanded
space for research, students, and classrooms.
As national and state economic challenges became increasingly serious after the
economic crisis of 2008, university leadership began a careful process of planning for
challenging times. President Simon initiated a focused planning process entitled
Shaping the Future, which assumed that there was internal capacity to lead a transition
to the future that maintained core values, created a responsible fiscal environment, and
invested in the future. Provost Kim Wilcox led the deans in a process of examining the
academic future of the colleges and the university. Deans had extensive discussions
about repositioning colleges and programs. Each dean was charged with developing a
plan for budget reductions and reinvestments over a three-year period.
The outcome was an actual campus-wide budget reduction of 10% of general fund
dollars. Specific principles for budget cutting were provided and a Web site was
established to assure full transparency and good communication. As a result of the
budget reductions, several colleges cut degree programs, majors, faculty positions
and— in a few cases —departments. The CON participated in this process by holding
a leadership retreat and proposing several areas of budget reduction. The result was to
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
reduce some course offerings to pre-nursing students, to reduce some director and
fixed-term positions, and to reduce allocations of supplies and expenses. During this
time, the college was able to retain essential funding for educational and research
programs. It is important to note that MSU was able to conduct a thoughtful and
strategic budget cutting process that was consistent with the overall university mission
and goals.
The mission, goals, and expected outcomes of the MSU-CON are congruent with the
professional nursing standards and guidelines for the preparation of nursing
professionals.
Professional Nursing Standards and Guidelines
Michigan nursing practice and education are regulated by the Michigan Public Health
Code PA368 (1978 and as amended). The Michigan Board of Nursing (MBON)
approves all pre-licensure programs in the state of Michigan when they are initiated.
The MBON does not regulate RN-to-BSN or graduate nursing education. Advancedpractice nurses including nurse anesthesia graduates apply to the MBON for licensure
once they have achieved national certification. Copies of the last three years of MSUCON annual reports to the MBON are available for review in the Resource Room.
The specific professional standards and guidelines used in the CON nurse anesthesia
program are:

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Michigan Public Health Code PA368 (1978 and as amended)
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (1996) The essentials of Master’s
education for advanced practice nursing (AACN, 1996) Washington DC. Author
American Nurses Association (2011). Guide to the code of ethics for nurses:
Interpretation and application. Washington, DC: Author
American Nurses Association (2010). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice.
(2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Author
American Nurses Association (2010). Nursing’s social policy statement: The
essence of the profession (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author
APRN Consensus Work Group & the National Council of State Boards of Nursing
APRN Advisory Committee (2008). Consensus Model for APRN Regulation:
Licensure, Accreditation, Certification & Education. Washington, DC. Author
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (2012). Scope and Standards for
Nurse Anesthesia Practice. Park Ridge, IL. Author
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (2006). Code of ethics for Certified
Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Park Ridge, IL. Author
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (2006). Post Anesthesia Care
Standards for the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesia. Park Ridge, IL. Author
These professional standards and guidelines are included in relevant course syllabi
and instructional materials. The expected student outcomes for all programs are written
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
and accessible to current and prospective students on the College of Nursing Web site,
student handbooks, and course syllabi.
A2.
The organizational relationships of the institution, academic unit,
and program are clear, support the objectives of the program, and
facilitate needed change.
Michigan State University and the College of Nursing provide an organizational
structure that supports achieving the objectives of the nurse anesthesia program and
providing the required resources for its growth. Known internationally as a major U.S.
public research university with global reach, Michigan State University has been
committed to advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching,
research, and outreach for over 150 years. It offers more than 200 programs of study,
many of which are nationally ranked and attract scholars worldwide who are interested
in combining education with practical problem solving. MSU is a member of the
American Association of Universities (AAU); ranked 28th among the nation’s public
universities; and ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. The MSU CON
graduate programs rank in the top 8% of nursing graduate programs nationally.
MSU is a constitutionally mandated public educational institution. (Documents
supporting the legal structure of the university are available for review on-site in the
Resource Room.) The Chief Officer of Michigan State University is President Lou Anna
K. Simon, who reports to a publicly elected Board of Trustees. . Dr. Kim Wilcox serves
as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Mary H. Mundt PhD, RN serves as
the Dean for the College of Nursing and reports directly to Provost Wilcox. .
The CON organizational chart (see Appendix A1-b) is found in the CON Faculty
Handbook located on the college Web site. The college is organized administratively
according to its mission and strategic goals. The college is not departmentalized; all
faculty report to the dean. Three associate deans oversee programs of the college,
including: a) the associate dean for research and PhD program, b) the associate dean
for academic and clinical affairs, and c) the associate dean for support services. The
governance structure partners with the administrative organization and provides
opportunity for shared governance.
Administratively, the nurse anesthesia program is located in the Academic Affairs unit
and reports to the dean through Teresa Wehrwein PhD, RN, NEA-BC, and Associate
Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs, which is consistent with all clinical academic
programs. The program director— Henry Talley V PhD, CRNA —and Gayle Lourens
MS, CRNA , Assistant Program Director are active participants in university and
college governance activities and maintain regular contact with the affiliate clinical site
coordinators to provide the necessary support to the faculty, preceptors, and students.
CON faculty members are committed to quality education and meeting the community
needs for highly competent anesthesia providers.
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
The mission, goals, and expected student outcomes of the MSU-CON are reviewed
periodically and revised to reflect the current professional nursing standards and
guidelines, as well as the needs and expectations of the community of interest. The
CON evaluation plan was revised in 2010 with final approval at the faculty retreat in
August 2011 (see Appendix Table A1-d). The mission and goals of the college are
reviewed by the College Advisory Council (CAC) and the administrative team every
three years. The most recent review process began with a leadership retreat in
January 2011 and resulted in minor revisions and reaffirmation of the mission and
strategic priorities at the April 15, 2011 faculty meeting and approval of the vision
statement at the September 16, 2011 faculty meeting.
A central component of the CON program review is the course review process. Course
reviews are organized on a three-year cycle for the graduate program. This process
includes an assessment of course objectives and expected student outcomes in
relation to feedback from faculty and students and consistency with professional
nursing standards. The courses in the nurse anesthesia curriculum were last reviewed
by the Graduate Program Committee (GPC) in 2011. Student outcomes are assessed
regularly by course and program faculty according to the designated course and
program objectives. Student outcomes for all master’s programs are reviewed by the
GPC. Course review documents and summaries are available for review in the
Resource Room.
A3.
The governance structures in which the program functions facilitate
appropriate involvement and communication among and between
faculty, students, administrators, the public, and its communities of
interest.
Michigan State University adheres to a strong tradition of faculty and student
participation in academic governance. The University Bylaws for Academic
Governance, describe the role of faculty and students in this process. The university
bylaws provide for student participation in academic governance.
The Michigan State University College of Nursing Bylaws were last revised in 20072008 in conjunction with a college reorganization and strategic planning process and
adopted by the faculty on January 14, 2009. A regular review of the bylaws is being
conducted by the College Advisory Council (CAC) during the 2012-13 academic year.
This document contains the foundation for CON governance and can be found in the
CON Faculty Handbook published on the CON Web site. The bylaws provide a
description of the purpose and function of all committees and membership
requirements. All committees have advisory functions and are responsible for policy
and program development and approval. Faculty members with appointments of 50%
or more are eligible to participate in governance. Elections are held annually by the
CAC. In order to promote full accountability and participation in the work of
governance, the faculty established a common calendar with standard meeting times
for all committees. This calendar has helped assure attendance and assist faculty in
planning.
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
Communities of Interest.
The CON engages a diverse community of interest to obtain input for program
improvement. This community of interest includes students, faculty, alumni, clinical
partners, and employers. Students and faculty provide input through the formal CON
governance process and other meetings within the college. The director and/or
assistant director are in constant communication with hosting clinical agencies and
conduct on-site meetings with applicable administration and anesthesia providers in
those agencies at least quarterly.
Students.
Students have opportunities to participate with faculty in program improvement.
For example, the nurse anesthesia students elect class officers whose role includes
providing a route for communication between classes and faculty. Students evaluate
courses and instructors using the formal university-wide Student Instructional Review
System (SIRS). In addition, faculty in many courses conduct formative surveys using
tools posted on the ANGEL learning management system. Students, faculty, and
clinical partners are surveyed at the end of each clinical course to obtain feedback for
improvement efforts.
Faculty.
The CAC has utilized the faculty forum process to seek feedback from the faculty
as a whole on major curricular changes or program issues. The second Friday of each
month from 12:00-1:00 p.m. is reserved time for faculty forums where any of the
governance committees may present a topic for broad faculty discussion and to advise
the committees on decision making. The faculty forum method has been utilized for
such topics as distance education evaluation methods, MSN core course revisions,
doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program proposals, and topics related to faculty
performance review. This successful method allows for informal faculty feedback and
review of draft documents at an early point in the development process.
Clinical partners and employers.
Selected clinical partners and nursing colleagues are invited to participate in the
CON Community Partner Advisory Group (CPAG). The group is convened by the
associate dean for academic and clinical affairs twice a year and the goals of the group
are:
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
Provide feedback on student clinical placements and nursing workforce.
Obtain input about emerging clinical practice issues in the community.
Obtain input about emerging issues in clinical practice.
Explore additional partnership opportunities.
Participants in the CPAG represent hospital partners, community-based clinical
partners, the Michigan Center for Nursing (MCN), and selected community colleges are
listed in Appendix Table A3-a.The nurse anesthesia program director and assistant
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director are in close communication with all clinical sites and receive community input
on a regular basis through a minimum of weekly phone conversations and annual site
visits.
Alumni.
The CON has an alumni board that is staffed and supported through the Office of
Development and Alumni Relations. This board meets twice a year and has regional
champions to represent the CON in different areas of the country. The dean meets with
the alumni board and communicates regular updates about the CON programs and
seeks input for future planning. The alumni board last met in October 2012 and
minutes of the meeting are available for in the Resource Room.
The CON conducts annual alumni surveys of graduates to obtain feedback for program
improvement. All MSN graduates are also requested to complete an online end-ofprogram survey administered by Educational Benchmarking, Inc. (EBI). These surveys
provide feedback from similar Carnegie classification and selected benchmark
institutions. Response rate for the MSN class of 2012 was 58% and responses were
highly positive. The MSU-CON MSN program comparatively exceeded peer group,
Carnegie class, and all institutions on 16 of 17 factors reported. Copies of the annual
EBI master’s program reports are available in the COA Resource Room for review.
Annual alumni surveys were sent to graduates at one year post-graduation. Response
rates to alumni surveys have been low in spite of multiple attempts to raise the rates.
Currently online surveys are distributed via e-mail addresses collected in collaboration
with the alumni office. Results are reported to the GPC and faculty to inform program
quality improvement efforts.
Board of visitors.
The CON established a board of visitors (BOV) comprised of alumni, past deans,
and community members in 1997 to advise and support the dean and the college in
planning for the future and achieving the CON vision and mission. The BOV was
instrumental in advocating for the new building project and assisting in fundraising. A
current membership list of the CON Board of Visitors is posted on the CON Web site.
*
A4.
The governing body appoints a CRNA as program administrator with
leadership responsibilities and authority for the administration of the
program. The CRNA administrator must be qualified by experience
and have an earned graduate degree from an institution of higher
education accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
**
Henry C. Talley V, PhD, MSN, MS, CRNA, APN (LTC) serves as the director of the
nurse anesthesia program. Dr. Talley has leadership responsibilities and authority for
program administration and provides administrative and curricular leadership for the
implementation, evaluation, and accreditation for the nurse anesthesia masters
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concentration (see Appendix A4-a for director position description). Dr. Talley
graduated from the Harlem Hospital Center Schools of Nursing (1979) and Anesthesia
(1981). He earned American Association of Nurse Anesthetist certification as a
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (C.R.N.A.) in 1981. He was awarded the
Bachelor of Arts degree from Ottawa University of Kansas City in 1994 with a
concentration in Health Services Administration. He also has earned the Master of
Science (M.S.N.) degree and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in nursing from The
University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in 2001 and 2003, respectively.
Dr. Talley retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) in the United States Army
Reserve Nurse Corps in 2010. He currently serves as treasurer and member of the
Board of Directors of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Dr. Talley was
promoted to the rank of associate professor in May, 2011. Dr. Talley has multiple
publications and has presented at numerous local, regional, and national conferences.
His external funding includes project director for a HRSA Advanced Education Nursing
Grant (2010-13; $733,317.00), and project director for the MSU-CON Nurse
Anesthesia Traineeship program (2009-12; $49,612.00) At the college level, Dr. Talley
serves ex officio on the Graduate Program Committee and is a member of the Doctor
of Nursing Practice (DNP) taskforce. He is an active member of the MSU Black
Faculty, Staff and Administrators Association and immediate past president of the
Alpha Psi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International. A complete listing of Dr. Talley’s
professional accomplishments is found in his curriculum vita.
*
A5.
The governing body appoints a CRNA, qualified by graduate degree,
education, and experiences to assist the CRNA program
administrator and, if required, assume leadership responsibilities.
This individual must have an earned graduate degree from an
institution of higher education accredited by a nationally recognized
accrediting agency.
Gayle Lourens MS CRNA was appointed assistant director of the MSU-CON nurse
anesthesia program in August 2007. (See Appendix A5-a for assistant director position
description.) As demonstrated by her curriculum vita, Ms. Lourens has the education
and experience to assist Dr. Talley in the administration of the nurse anesthesia
program and served as interim director during Dr. Talley’s military deployment in 2008.
Ms Lourens earned her BSN at Grand Valley State University; earned her MS at the
University of Michigan, Flint Hurley anesthesia program; and is currently a doctor of
nursing practice (DNP) candidate at the University of Iowa. Ms Lourens is scheduled to
complete her DNP program in spring semester 2013.
Ms. Lourens served as District 5 Director for the Michigan Association of Nurse
Anesthetists and as a new program director mentor for the American Association of
Nurse Anesthetists. She received the Guiding Light award for outstanding mentorship
from the Michigan Student Nurse Anesthetists association in 2010. Currently Ms.
Lourens serves as an elected member of the MSU-CON GPC and is a member of the
DNP taskforce.
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A6.
Michigan State University College of Nursing
The program appoints a CRNA, master’s degree preferred, or
anesthesiologist coordinator for each clinical site with defined
responsibilities for students. ***
There is a master’s prepared CRNA appointed as clinical coordinator for each clinical
site with defined responsibilities for students. Role descriptions of the nurse anesthesia
clinical coordinator and CV for each clinical coordinator are available in the COA
Resource Room for review. Input from the clinical site coordinators is crucial to the
success of the nurse anesthesia education. Clinical coordinators have delineated
responsibilities as part of the affiliation agreements with each agency that sponsors
students. A sample nurse anesthesia addendum to clinical contracts is available for
review in the COA Resource Room. These responsibilities include student
assignments, faculty development, and functioning as a liaison between didactic and
clinical faculty. Communication between the nurse anesthesia faculty and the clinical
coordinators occurs through regularly scheduled meetings, electronic mail, site visits,
and telephone calls. Clinical coordinators participate in the interview process for MSUCON nurse anesthesia applicants.
A7.
The conducting organization completes a legally binding written
agreement that outlines the expectations and responsibilities of all
parties when an academic or clinical affiliation is established or two
or more entities with unshared governance enter into a joint
arrangement to conduct a program.
During the first five years of the development and implementation of the MSU-CON
nurse anesthesia program, agreements were in place between MSU-CON and Ingham
Regional Medical Center (now McLaren Greater Lansing), Sparrow Health System,
and St. John Hospital and Medical Center and St. John Macomb (now St. JohnProvidence Health System) to provide financial support for the nurse anesthesia
program. In this agreement the parties developed a five-year plan starting with the
hiring of the program director and initial accreditation. The financial support continued
through the graduation and certification of the first class and the above-mentioned
agencies collaborated to provide the financial, educational, and clinical resources
required for a high-quality nurse anesthesia program. The financial agreement expired
in 2011; however, each of these facilities continues to provide clinical experiences for
the MSU-CON nurse anesthesia program.
A8.
The academic institution identifies an appropriate liaison at the
academic site when it enters into an affiliation with a nurse
anesthesia program.
The Michigan State University College of Nursing has sole authority for the nurse
anesthesia program; therefore, this criterion does not apply.
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A9.
Michigan State University College of Nursing
A program of nurse anesthesia has current written policies and
procedures that facilitate its efficient and effective operation.
Formal, written policies and procedures that facilitate the efficient and effective
operation of the nurse anesthesia program are established and are congruent to the
current written policies and procedures of Michigan State University and the College of
Nursing. The primary sources for student policies are the university’s Spartan Life
student handbook and resource guide, the MSU-CON Master of Science in Nursing
Student Handbook and the CON MSN Nurse Anesthesia Supplemental Handbook.
Students are advised of the academic policies specific to nursing during the nursing
orientation program prior to beginning the program of study. Key policies are reviewed
verbally and students are advised to access the university and college policies
electronically to assure that they will be viewing the most current information. Both the
Office of the Registrar and the CON make changes to the online versions of the
documents when policies are updated and implemented. Additionally, the CON
thoroughly reviews and revises each program handbook on an annual basis prior to the
start of the fall semester.
The policies of the college and the nurse anesthesia program are consistent with the
university policies in the areas of student recruitment, admission, retention, and
graduation. CON faculty members are represented on all university committees that
develop policies for regulating student recruitment, admission, retention, and
progression. University policies are accessible to applicants, students, and faculty in
the University Curriculum and Catalog. This document contains the academic policies
of the university as well as the specific admission and degree requirements for each of
the programs in the College of Nursing.
In some cases, due to the high demand for the nursing major, professional
expectations, and regulatory requirements, additional policies and processes are
required for CON students. For example, nurse anesthesia students are required to
have ICU experience for admission and to maintain ACLS and PALS certification while
a student. To assure that students entering all nursing majors are capable of
performing the required clinical activities of the nursing profession, the College of
Nursing has established technical standards. These standards outline specific abilities
and skills that an individual must possess to achieve and demonstrate clinical
competencies. The standards were approved by faculty and reviewed by the University
Office of General Counsel and are consistent with technical standards in the other
MSU health colleges. They are available in the student handbooks on the CON Web
site and are sent to all potential students at the time of an admission offer. Students
are required to provide written documentation that they have read and meet the
technical standards prior to enrollment into the program.
Another example of policies for the health colleges that exceed those of the university
is policies related to specific compliance with regulatory requirements. All nursing
students, including nurse anesthesia, are required to have criminal background checks
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and drug screens which are required by most clinical agencies for student placement.
Students are informed of this requirement at the time of application and admission to
the program is conditional on the completion of this process.
The College of Nursing faculty— through the GPC —reviews, monitors, and
implements the policies and processes for admission, retention, and progression of
graduate students. In collaboration with the associate dean for support services and
the Office of Student Support Services (OSSS) advising staff, committee members are
provided with the applicant data in a format to support them in the review process. At
the master’s level, the GPC has delegated the responsibility for review and interview of
candidates to faculty in their respective clinical specialty concentrations, including
nurse anesthesia. The committee as a whole then reviews these data and
recommends candidates for admission to the dean. The associate dean for academic
and clinical affairs implements the progression policies approved by the faculty and
reports actions to the committees.
Formal complaints are defined for students, faculty, community partners, and other
external groups. Students are also advised of the informal processes to share
concerns or questions during their academic program.
Student complaints
For students, a formal complaint is defined as a written request for a formal
hearing using the student grievance process. The Graduate Student Rights and
Responsibilities at Michigan State University (GSRR) establishes the rights and
responsibilities of MSU students and prescribes procedures for resolving allegations of
violations through formal grievance hearings. In accordance with the GSRR, the
College of Nursing has established the college hearing board procedures for
adjudicating graduate student academic grievances. Processes for requesting,
appointing members to, conducting, and appealing the decision of the hearing board
are found in the Master of Science in Nursing Student Handbook for master's
students.
The College of Nursing hearing board processes were developed by the CON to be
consistent with the university policy and processes. At the time of any revision, the
CON submits its policy to the university ombudsman for review to assure compliance
with university processes. The CON policy and processes are reviewed and approved
annually by GPC. Members of the hearing board are appointed at that time.
Faculty complaints
Faculty grievances are defined as a written complaint filed by a faculty or
academic staff member against an administrator of the university alleging a violation of
university, college, department, school, or unit policy or established practice. The
Faculty Grievance Policy is accessible to faculty in the online MSU Faculty Handbook.
The procedures and appeals processes are described in this policy.
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Community Partner and Other Community Complaints
External complaints from clinical partners, patients, and other members of the
community are defined as written (including e-mail) complaints or concerns related to
the CON personnel, students, or programs that are received by or referred to the Office
of Academic Instructional Support Services (AISS), the Office of Student Support
Services (OSSS), the Office of Academic and Clinical Affairs, or the Office of the Dean.
The process for handling complaints or concerns includes a referral to the appropriate
administrator for follow-up and action. For example, a concern related to professional
behavior of a student or faculty member in a clinical setting would be referred to the
director of the nurse anesthesia program. The director would then communicate
directly with the concerned party and obtain details about the situation. Depending on
the nature of the concern, the director and the associate dean would meet with all
involved CON parties to conduct an investigation. Actions, including a meeting or
having other direct communication with the external party, would be determined based
on the investigation's findings and subsequently implemented. Documentation of the
external complaint and the resolution of the situation would be stored in a confidential
file in the academic affairs office.
A10. The institution’s and/or program’s committee structure is
appropriate to meet program objectives, and includes public,
student, and faculty participation.
The MSU academic governance system includes committees to assure faculty and
students have input in the governance process. Governance bodies include the Faculty
Steering Committee, Faculty Senate and University Council. The MSU academic
governance system includes committees to assure faculty input into the governance
process. The following standing committees of the university’s Academic Council
provide venues for faculty as active participants in decision making: (1) University
Committee on Academic Governance, (2) University Committee on Undergraduate
Education, (3) University Committee on Curriculum, (4) University Committee on
Faculty Affairs, (5) University Committee on Faculty Tenure, (6) University Committee
on graduate Studies, and (7) University Committee on Student Affairs.
Student members are included in the committee with the exceptions of the Committee
on Faculty Affairs and the Committee on Faculty Tenure. A list of CON faculty currently
elected/appointed to university governance committees is available for review in the
COA Resource Room.
At the college level, there are five major governance committees that are aligned with
the teaching, research, service, and practice missions of the college. A list of current
CON committee members is available for review in the COA Resource Room.

College Advisory Council (CAC): Advises the dean on policy and all matters of
faculty life, including annual reviews and personnel actions.
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


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Michigan State University College of Nursing
Undergraduate Program Committee (UPC): Oversees the undergraduate
program and is responsible for admissions, scholarships, student awards, and
academic policies (includes student members).
Graduate Program Committee (GPC): Oversees the graduate programs of the
college and is responsible for admissions, scholarships, student awards, and
academic policies(included student members).
Research Committee (RC): Oversees research matters and recommends
policies for the conduct of research by both faculty and students (includes
student members).
Practice Committee (PC): Oversees practice activities of the faculty and policy
related to nursing practice (included student members).
The Student Advisory Council (SAC) is formally established in the CON bylaws and
offers a role for students from all programs within the college to participate in
governance and serve as advisors to the dean. The bylaws state that a faculty member
on the CAC will serve as an advisor to the SAC and serve as a liaison between the
SAC and the CAC. All students have the opportunity to participate, including those
students enrolled in distance education programs. A nurse anesthesia student serves
as a member of SAC. Telephone conferencing arrangements are made for students
unable to attend the on-campus meetings. Students conduct annual elections and
provide names of students to serve on the UPC and the GPC. The SAC has a formal
role in the University Grievance Policy. The SAC is responsible to identify students to
serve on hearing boards in the event of a formal grievance. A list of students serving
on governance committees is available for review in the COA Resource Room
*
A11. An accredited program is required to act in accordance with the
Council’s policies and procedures for accreditation.
The Michigan State University College of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program acts in
accordance with all Council on Accreditation policies and procedures for accreditation
to assure a level of performance, integrity and quality which entitles the Nurse
Anesthesia Program to the confidence of the educational community and the public
they serve. The nurse anesthesia faculty understands that accreditation is a dynamic,
evolving process and regularly participates in assembly of school faculty meetings and
reviews the standards for accreditation (as revised in January 2012) to assure
compliance.
*
Failure to comply fully with one or more of these criteria is considered to be of
critical concern in decisions regarding nurse anesthesia program accreditation.
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
Standard II: Resources
THE CONDUCTING INSTITUTION DEMONSTRATES THAT RESOURCES ARE
SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE ONGOING COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT OF THE NURSE
ANESTHESIA PROGRAM.
CRITERIA
*
B1.
Resources are adequate to promote effective teaching and student
learning and to achieve the program’s stated outcomes within the
context of the institutional mission.
Michigan State University (MSU) demonstrates on-going commitment and support for
the College of Nursing (CON) and its programs. MSU provides resources to enable the
CON to achieve its mission, goals, and expected aggregate student and faculty
outcomes. The CON nurse anesthesia (NA) program is supported with fiscal, didactic,
and clinical resources and is guided by policies that promote effective teaching and
student learning and achievement of program outcomes.
Fiscal resources
Included in the general fund base budget allocation is the share of tuition
revenue the CON receives from academic programs implemented with a premium
tuition rate structure (revenue-based initiative) and the share of tuition revenue received
from courses delivered in a virtual format (virtual credit instruction). The MSN NA
program was implemented based on a business plan that returns a share of tuition
revenue to the CON. In addition to a general fund budget request, colleges are fortunate
to have the opportunity to request funds for instructional technology from the university's
long-standing teaching and learning environment (TLE) resources. The CON requests
TLE funds each year for new technology initiatives, classroom technology, faculty
computers, simulation equipment for the Granger Simulation Lab, and simulation
equipment for the Learning and Assessment Center. Input from CON faculty is formally
solicited and considered prior to submission of this annual request. The CON also has
the opportunity to request funding from the Offices of the Provost and the Vice
President for Research and Graduate Studies to support start-up commitments for new
tenure-system faculty.
Appendix Tables B-1a presents the CON general fund budget allocation and B-1b
presents the budget distribution for 2012- 2013 and the prior four years. The mission of
the CON is well supported with the majority of general funds distributed to fund faculty
and staff salaries. Due to growth in enrollment and/or increases in tuition prices, both
revenue based initiative (RBI) and virtual credit instruction revenues have remained
stable or increased.
In addition to the general fund allocation, the CON generates revenue via its
professional partnership initiatives (continuing education) and faculty practice. The CON
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has also been successful in securing general and restricted gifts through CONsupported development and alumni fundraising campaigns. For example, the CON
secured private donations totaling $8.6 million to support construction of the Bott
Building for Nursing Education and Research, which opened in October 2012. The CON
Office of Development and Alumni Relations is supported by a director, an assistant
director and an administrative assistant.
Academic resources
Faculty for the NA program are well qualified and adequate in number to deliver
instruction in accordance with MSU-approved curriculum and national NA education
standards, to stimulate and support student learning, and to conduct valid student
assessments. There are adequate learning spaces with state-of-the-art instructional
technologies that facilitate discovery, interaction, reflection, procedural skill
demonstration, practice, and collaborative learning. For example, there is a dedicated
classroom for NA students in the Life Science Building that has laptop computers at
each student station; a technology cart with audio-visual, projection, and
teleconferencing functions for use by instructors; and anatomical models and charts.
There is a fully equipped surgical suite in close proximity to that classroom with highfidelity mannequins, surgical equipment ,and supplies. NA students have regular access
to these materials for demonstration and practice.
In addition to CON level support for students, Michigan State University provides a
number of academic support services for students including:

The Graduate School: Provides a number of resources to support faculty and
graduate students, including graduate fellowship funding for students,
workshops, and mandatory training in topics such as research and scholarly
integrity.

Learning Resources Center (LRC): Supports students through study skills and
test taking seminars/workshops and provides workshops for faculty in areas
related to pedagogical concerns.

MSU Counseling Center: Provides direct counseling services by licensed
professional counselors to students at little-to-no cost. The MSU Counseling
Center also provides a number of resources and training to faculty and staff to
assist in recognizing and referring distressed students.
College of Nursing NA Student Orientation: This full-day orientation is held in
the College of Nursing the week prior to students beginning the MSN NA
coursework. The agenda includes orientation to didactics and clinical and a
review of the student handbooks for policies.

Michigan Nurse Anesthesia Student Orientation: Michigan NA program
directors collaborate to design and implement a state-wide new student
orientation to promote professional socialization, encourage participation in
professional organizations, and deliver an initial professional development
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curriculum. The MSU-CON hosted the 2010 Michigan NA Student Orientation
and is scheduled to host another in 2014.

Writing Center: Provides writing workshop support and assistance to distance
education and on-campus students and faculty. Services include one-on-one
consulting, creative writing consulting, digital media consulting, workshops,
writing groups, and multimedia productions.

Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD): Assist students,
employees, and visitors with resources that create an environment of opportunity
for persons with disabilities.

English Language Center (ELC): Provides instruction to international students
who need to improve English language skills.

Office for International Students & Scholars (OISS): Provides comprehensive
information and support related to issues commonly encountered by international
students, scholars, and their families. OISS is the designated office on campus to
provide special assistance, advising, and programming for MSU’s international
community.
CON Office of Student Support Services (OSSS)
The CON OSSS provides admission, orientation, academic advising, and
graduation support to NA students. This office is responsible for academic actions,
scholarships and awards, student records and reporting, and the coordination of student
recruitment and retention activities. The OSSS staff is comprised of an administrative
director, four academic specialists who serve as professional advisors, and 1.5 FTE
clerical support. One of the professional advisors is dedicated to the support of the
master of science in nursing (MSN) program, including the NA students and faculty.
Feedback from graduating nursing students about advising services is collected
regularly through the EBI end-of-program survey. Responses to this survey indicate that
MSN students are slightly to moderately satisfied with quality of academic advising.
Feedback regarding pre-admission services was gathered via survey at the 2012 CON
new student orientation event. The majority of students agreed or strongly agreed that
their overall experience with the admission process was positive and that OSSS staff
were knowledgeable and supportive. A copy of survey reports will be available in the
Resource Room for review.
Clinical resources
The NA program has agreements with seven Michigan health care facilities that
collaborate with CON faculty in providing the necessary cases (as outlined by the COA)
and qualified preceptors for NA students. These affiliate clinical partners provide clinical
learning experiences for the NA students admitted annually. The CON clinical
placement coordinator maintains affiliation agreements and preceptor files. A list of the
clinical partner agencies can be found in section B 4c. Prior to engaging in hospital
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clinical rotations, students participate in extensive simulated anesthesia administration
experiences in well-equipped simulation laboratories located on campus. Detailed
information about these labs can be found in section B4 b.
B2.
There is a budget that provides evidence of adequate funding
for NA education.
The CON general fund budget is reviewed each year via the university academic budget
process. The review begins with fall planning, a process through which the CON
develops and/or reaffirms its strategic priorities and reviews these priorities for
consistency with the university's Boldness by Design strategic plan. MSU President
Louanna K. Simon is currently engaging the university campus in developing the next
strategic plan, which is entitled Bolder by Design. The CON review is conducted by the
dean and the College Advisory Council (CAC) and submitted to the provost for
discussion at the annual fall planning meeting. The university academic budget process
continues each spring when colleges have the opportunity to request funding to support
strategic priorities.
Included in the CON general fund budget allocation is the share of tuition revenue
received from the MSN NA concentration. Appendix Table B-2a presents a summary of
the NA business plan for FY2012 through FY2015.
B3.
The CRNA program administrator provides input into the
budget process to ensure adequate resources are available for
the program.
The NA business plan revenue and expense projections are based on student
enrollment. The NA program director has input on determining enrollment goals and is
also responsible for requesting additional resources to meet program needs and for
providing this input to the associate dean for academic and clinical affairs and the dean
on an annual basis and as needs are identified. The dean of the CON is responsible for
the overall budget of the college and requests resources for the college through the
university budget process on an annual basis. The university budget process includes
the development of a college strategic planning letter in the Fall semester with the
request for funds in support of those plans submitted each spring semester. Both
documents are submitted directly to the university provost.
In addition to a general fund budget request, colleges have the opportunity to request
funds for instructional technology from the university's long-standing teaching and
learning environment (TLE) resource. The CON requests TLE funds each year for new
technology initiatives including classroom technology, faculty computers, and simulation
equipment for the MSN NA program. The NA program director provides input on the
technology needs of the NA program so that these are included in the overall college
request for TLE funding. Examples of technology purchases for the NA program made
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
possible by TLE funds, grant funding, or vendor donations include: anesthesia
equipment for use in the creation of an authentic operating room environment for
students to learn, practice and master anesthesia procedures, Polycom video
conferencing units, and 50-inch, flat-screen, wall-mounted monitors for distance
education.
*
B4.
The conducting institution(s) demonstrates ongoing commitment to
and support of both the clinical and academic components of the
NA program by providing adequate:
a.
Financial resources to comply with accreditation standards.
A summary of the financial year (FY) 2012 through the FY 2015 business plan for the
MSN NA concentration is presented in Appendix Table B2-a and includes the tuition
revenue projection and salary and other expenses required to operate the program.
b.
Physical resources including facilities, equipment, and
supplies.
Technology classroom.
The NA program utilizes a dedicated classroom in the Life Sciences Building that
can accommodate 16 students. This learning space includes:
 16 student stations with wired laptops
 Polycom Teleconferencing equipment
 Dual VHS/DVD player
 Two 51 inch flat screen plasma monitors
 Microphone
 Wireless internet access
 I-clicker station
 Pertinent anatomical models and charts
Granger Simulation Lab.
The CON Granger Simulation Lab encompasses 5,000 square feet of physical
space in the Life Sciences Building and is available exclusively to CON students and
faculty. NA students and faculty routinely utilize a fully equipped simulated surgical suite
for procedural demonstration and practice. In addition digital video equipment is
installed in this room for the purpose of recording simulated events and debriefing
students on performance. The simulation lab is open daily from 7:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
with evening hours scheduled as needed.
Media Lab and Technician.
The CON Media Lab is located in the Life Sciences Building and provides 32
wired computer stations and a printer/copier. An inventory of instructional equipment
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(e.g., projectors, laptop computers, digital cameras/camcorders, laser pointers, etc.) is
available for faculty use and/or checkout. A media technician is available to support
students and faculty in use of available instructional technologies in the classroom,
simulation lab, and mobile devices.
The media lab also supports the development and use of virtual learning experiences
using the Web-based Second Life Virtual World platform. MSU-CON faculty and
instructional designer have created a virtual community (Spartan Health Island) and a
virtual acute care and training hospital (Spartan Health Center) in Second Life for use in
undergraduate as well as graduate courses. NA students engage with each other and
faculty in Spartan Health Center for instruction and discussion.
Learning and Assessment Center (LAC).
Located in East Fee Hall, the LAC is a collaborative learning and assessment
center developed and funded by the Colleges of Nursing, Human Medicine, Osteopathic
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The center encompasses 8,600 square feet of space
and includes 14 clinical examination rooms, 4 hospital rooms, 2 high-fidelity simulation
rooms, a technology classroom, and a simulation laboratory. This facility is utilized by
NA students for advanced airway workshops and inter-professional training through
simulated patient scenarios with student and faculty participation from the MSU-CON
NA and undergraduate programs and the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. Digital
video technology is installed in all simulation areas of the LAC with computer access. A
Web-based program allows students and faculty to view experiences, enter and review
data, generate statistical analysis, and manage scheduling.
A full inventory list of the technology and standard equipment available in CON
classrooms, the Granger Simulation Lab and the LAC is available in the Academic
Instructional Support Services (AISS) resource guide in the COA Resource Room.
c.
Learning resources including clinical sites, library,
technological access and support.
Clinical Sites
Currently, the affiliate hospital partners participating with the NA program have
nearly 85,098 potential patients which will encompass all types of anesthesia-related
clinical case conditions. Examples are difficult anesthesia positions, advanced airway
management, and cardio-thoracic, neurological, and regional anesthesia opportunities.
These sites include:

Allegiance Hospital, Jackson , MI

Providence Hospital , Detroit, MI

Providence Park Hospital, Novi, MI
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Michigan State University College of Nursing

McLaren Greater Lansing Regional Medical Center, Lansing, MI

Sparrow Health System, Lansing, MI

St John Hospital and Medical Center , Detroit, MI

St John Hospital, Macomb, Warren, MI
Library Resources
Michigan State University has several libraries on campus, including the main
library. Within the main library, there are a number of special libraries and collections for
particular subjects. The library collection includes over 4,500,000 volumes; 33,000
magazine and journal subscriptions; 200,000 maps; 40,000 sound recordings; and
access to hundreds of electronic resources.
Faculty, staff, and students access electronic resources through the library e-resources
page. Through InterLibrary Services, materials not available in the MSU libraries can be
borrowed or obtained from other libraries. In addition to print and electronic collections
and resources, the main library provides a copy center that is available to faculty, staff,
and students. The copy center provides a number of specialized printing and other
services, including poster presentation printing. MSU libraries employ subject specialists
including a subject librarian who is the liaison to the CON. Services provided by the
CON subject librarian include:

Library Instruction for Courses/ANGEL: Presenting generic or assignmentspecific instruction to classes and/or uploading library information and materials
into ANGEL course pages or groups.

Literature Searching: Completing literature (database) searches for CON
faculty.

Requesting/Delivering Materials: Scanning and delivering electronically articles
or book chapters available in print at the MSU Libraries and requested by faculty
and graduate students through the MSU Article Retrieval Service (MARS);
obtaining articles or books not owned by the MSU Libraries via InterLibrary Loan;
and delivering books from the library collection directly to faculty offices.

Library Purchase Recommendations: Accepting recommendations from
nursing faculty for the purchase of nursing books and serials.

Copyright Advice/Permissions: Answering questions about copyright law or
obtaining copyright permission; assisting with stable links to articles for nursing
courses.

EndNote Help: Training for EndNote and EndNote Web via scheduled courses
and/or one-on-one consultation.
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
Research Guides: Sharing and developing research guides to assist faculty
(EndNote, Diversity Resources, Keeping Up with the Literature, etc.).
Main Library Hours (Fall/Spring):
Sunday, Open 10:00 a.m.
Monday-Thursday, Open 24 hours
Friday, Closes at 11:00 p.m.
Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Distance and Interactive Education
Beginning in the fall of 1992, the College of Nursing was the first college at MSU
to use interactive television for distance learning. Since then, the CON has continued to
develop and implement distance learning technologies in online and hybrid courses. In
the 2006 NCA visit, MSU requested and received full accreditation for all distance
programming. The MSN core course requirements are delivered as fully online courses
to all MSN students.
The MSN core curriculum was reviewed in academic year 2008-09 by the Graduate
Program Committee (GPC). It was determined that revision of the core curriculum was
required to eliminate redundancies, to more closely align the content with the Essentials
of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing, and to more fully prepare
students for admission to doctoral study. A task force was developed which proposed
the current structure of core content. This was approved by the Graduate Program
Committee, the faculty, and the University Curriculum Committee during the 2009-10
academic year and was implemented in fall 2010. The NANA curriculum incorporates
four of these MSN core courses:




NUR 802: Theory, Foundations, and Role for the APN
NUR 804: Statistics for the Healthcare Professional
NUR 806: Research for the APN
NUR 814: Health Care Policy and Politics.
The NANA curriculum also includes two pharmacology courses (NUR 887 and NUR
888) delivered via an integrated services digital network (ISDN) from Pasadena,
California using 128kbs transmission. These courses are received weekly in classroom
LSA 107 which utilizes a Polycom system for teleconferencing.
Academic Instructional Support Services (AISS)
AISS is a unit within the College of Nursing established to support on-site, off-site
and distance teaching and learning venues. It is staffed by a director, instructional
designer, instructional media technician, clinical placement coordinator, simulation lab
coordinator, and administrative assistant. AISS responsibilities include assisting faculty
with distance education, clinical placements, simulation laboratory experiences, and
classroom instructional media. These resources are fully available to the NA program.
(Appendix A1-a: College of Nursing Organizational Chart).
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
Information Systems
The College of Nursing is supported by the Health Information Technology
(HIT) unit. This unit supports the academic, research, and clinical information
network and server needs for the Colleges of Human Medicine, Nursing, and
Osteopathic Medicine. Systems available for faculty include support service for
personal computing, off-site access to e-mail and files, and support for
educational technology. A staff member of the HIT unit is located in the Life
Sciences building and is available to the CON faculty and students for network
and technology support when needed. In addition, MSU libraries, computing, and
technology provide infrastructure, classroom technology, and administrative
systems (i.e. finance, human resources, and student information) and support to
MSU faculty, staff, and students.
d.
Numbers of qualified faculty for clinical, classroom instruction and
scholarly activities.
Dr. Henry Talley, the NA Program Director, and Gayle Lourens, the Assistant Program
Director are full-time faculty and provide the principal leadership for courses in the MSN
NA program. The anesthesia students complete four MSN core courses online. The
CON faculty members responsible for the core courses are academically and
experientially prepared to provide graduate level instruction in the specified course
content areas. Table B4-1 lists the MSN core courses and faculty assigned teach them
in the 2011-2012 academic year. Faculty CVs are available on the MSU-CON Web site.
Table B4-1
MSN Core Courses
NUR 802 - Theoretical Foundations &
Role Development for APRN
NUR 804 - Statistics for the Healthcare
Professional
NUR 806 - Research for APN
NUR 814 - Healthcare Policy
CON Faculty
Amy Hoffman, PhD, RN – Assistant Professor
Debra Shutte, PhD, RN - Associate Professor
Mildred Horodynski, PhD, RN, NP-C, FAAN - Professor
Manfred Stommel, PhD – Associate Professor
Rebecca Lehto, PhD, RN ONC – Assistant Professor
Kelly Brittain, PhD, RN- Assistant Professor
Teresa Wehrwien, PhD, RN, NEA - Associate Dean and
Associate Professor
Jeanette Klemsczak, MSN, RN- Assistant Professor
Kathy Poindexter, PhD, RN - Assistant Professor
Appendix Table B4 –b lists full and part –time CON faculty that provide didactic
instruction for courses in the NA program.
Additional faculty that contribute to didactic courses include.

John Nagelhout, PhD, CRNA provides the pharmacology courses required in the
curriculum. NA Pharmacology Courses Descriptions).
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Michigan State University College of Nursing

James Potchen, MD, Chairperson of the Radiology Department, holds an
adequate number of seats in the spring semester section ANTR 551 (Medical
Gross Anatomy) course for NA students. ANTR 551 Medical Gross Anatomy
Syllabus)

Nick Crouft, CRNA – Regional and ultrasound-guided anesthesia

Rachael Matten, CRNA – Co-teaches Advance Principles III
In addition to paid faculty, the college invites selected individuals to apply for adjunct
faculty appointment. The adjunct appointment policy and procedure is available for
review in the COA Resource Room.
As identified in the hospital partnership contract, each of the seven primary partners
assigns a qualified on-site CRNA to the clinical coordinator role. Clinical coordinators
work closely with the program director and assistant director to provide students with a
variety of didactic and clinical activities that are directed toward the application of critical
thinking skills and the active exchange of ideas as students progress through the
program. Table B4-2 lists the current clinical partner agencies and assigned clinical
coordinators. Resumés for each of the affiliate partner clinical coordinators are kept on
file in the NA program offices.
TABLE B4-2
Clinical Partner Agency
Providence Hospital (Southfield)
Clinical Coordinators
Kelly Trethewey, MS, CRNA
16001 W. 9 Mile Rd.
Southfield, MI 48075


Providence Park Hospital (Novi)
47601 Grand River Ave
Novi, MI 48374
Lisa Koteskey,
Sparrow Hospital
1215 East Michigan Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48909-7980
Patty Goorin, MSN, CRNA
Julius Sawyer, MSN, CRNA (backup
coordinator)
Allegience Hospital
205 Northeast Avenue
Jackson, MI 49201-1753
Keith Miller, MS, CRNA
St John’s Hospital and Medical Center
22101 Moross Road
Ruth Watts, MS, CRNA
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
Clinical Partner Agency
Detroit, Michigan 48236
Clinical Coordinators
St John’s Hospital Macomb
11800 East 12 Mile Road
Warren, Michigan 48093
Margaret Liles, MS, CRNA
McLaren Greater Lansing
401 West Greenlawn Avenue,
Lansing, MI 48910
Jodie Emerson, MS, CRNA
Robert Hopkins, MSN, CRNA (backup
coordinator)
Students participate in monthly student/faculty group meetings and meet with faculty on
an individual basis when requested. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss
announcements that impact the NA program, discuss program issues regarding student
research projects and other scholarly activities, and to discuss the overall educational
environment.
e.
Support personnel.
Administrative and Support Personnel
Henry Talley V, PhD, RN, CRNA was appointed as first director of the MSU-CON
NA program in January 2007. Dr. Talley is charged with providing leadership for the
development and implementation of the nurse anesthesia program. Prior to this
appointment at the MSU-CON, Dr. Talley served as Assistant Professor in the NA Program
at the University of Tennessee from 2005-2007 and as Operations Director of
Anesthesiology Service at the VA Medical Center in Memphis, TN from 2004 -2007. He
graduated from the Harlem Hospital Center Schools of Nursing and Anesthesia in 1979
and 1981, respectively. He earned American Association of Nurse Anesthetist
certification as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (C.R.N.A.) in 1981. He received
a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in 2001 and the Doctor of Philosophy
(Ph.D.) in Nursing in 2003 from The University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center.
He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) in the United States Army Reserve
Nurse Corps in 2010 and currently serves as treasurer and member of the Board of
Directors of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Dr. Talley’s curriculum
vitae can be found on the MSU-CON Web site.
Gayle Lourens, MA, RN, CRNA was appointed as the first assistant director of the
MSU-CON NA program in August 2007. Ms Lourens is a graduate of Grand Valley
State University’s BSN program and received an M.S. degree in Nurse Anesthesia from
the University of Michigan, Flint-Hurely. She has a clinical nursing background in
emergency care and has been an actively practicing CRNA since 2004. She is currently
a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) candidate at the University of Iowa with planned
graduation in May 2013.. Ms Lourens’ curriculum vita can be found on the MSU CON
site
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
CON administration is comprised of the dean; associate dean for research and PhD
program; associate dean for academic and clinical affairs; associate dean for support
services; director of the PhD program ;director of graduate clinical programs (recruiting);
director of the undergraduate program; director of professional partnerships; director of
academic instructional support services; and director of student support services.
Appendix XX demonstrates the organizational structure of the CON.
Mary H. Mundt, PhD, RN was appointed Dean of the College of Nursing in September
2006. Prior to this appointment, she served as a eean of nursing at the University of
Louisville for nine years. Academic programs are under the leadership of the Associate
Dean for Academic & Clinical Affairs, Teresa Wehrwein, PhD, RN, CNAA, BC. Prior to
her appointment as associate dean, Dr. Wehrwein served as Assistant Dean for Clinical
Partnerships and Faculty Practice at MSU-CON. In this role, she was responsible for
development of health system partnerships in order to support programs across the
mission and leadership of the faculty practice at MSU. She was instrumental in
facilitating the affiliation agreements with clinical agencies that host our NA clinical
practica, and chaired the search committee for NA program director and assistant
director. Prior to her appointment in the MSU-CON, Dr. Wehrwein served as the
Administrative Director for Nursing Development for the Henry Ford Health System.
f.
Student services (see Glossary: student services).
The Office of Student Support Services provides advising services to all prospective
and enrolled students in the College of Nursing. The office is staffed by a director, four
full-time professional academic advisors, and clerical support staff who assist
prospective students with the admission application process and advise enrolled
students. One of the four advisors is dedicated to the MSN program providing support
and information to NA students and faculty.
Financial Support for Students
The MSU Office of Financial Aid provides financial assistance and advisory
services to MSU students, including information about scholarships, grants, loans, and
work study. In addition, the CON has been effective in securing internal and external
funding for student scholarships and fellowships. Funding sources that have supported
NA students in the past three years include:
 HRSA Grants: Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship Program awards funding for NA
student support.

Dean of the Graduate School Reallocations: The CON receives an annual
funding allocation for graduate student fellowships (including fellowships for CON
MSN and PhD students) from the dean of the graduate school. The CON has
also received additional funding at year-end as unspent funds were reallocated
by the dean of the graduate school. A portion of this additional funding has been
awarded to NA students to partially cover the expense of attending summer
semester courses.
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Additional Student Support
MSU provides health services for students through the University Physicians Office
located on campus. These services include physical exams, urgent care,
immunizations, and flu shots. The university provides liability insurance coverage for all
CON faculty and students engaged in clinical activities associated with course
requirements.
B5.
The conducting institution provides sufficient time and resources
to permit faculty to fulfill their teaching, scholarly activities,
service, administrative and clinical responsibilities.
Faculty Work Assignments
CON faculty are sufficient in number to accomplish the mission, goals, and
expected student and faculty outcomes. The College of Nursing Work Assignment
Principles and Guidelines document outlines the calculation of faculty time required for
didactic and clinical instruction each academic semester per the class schedule. Work
assignments are made annually by the associate dean for academic and clinical affairs
and the associate dean for research and PhD program in collaboration with program
leadership. The results of the NA part-time faculty preference survey and the needs of
the college are taken into consideration when making these work assignments.
Work assignments are revised as new grants are funded or other revenues are received
to provide salary support. Faculty members in the CON are expected to achieve
outcomes consistent with their type of appointment, rank, and work assignment
according to the College of Nursing Indicators for Evaluation and Promotion. Table B5-1
displays the standard faculty assignment approach which is documented in the CON
Work Assignment Principles and Guidelines found in the faculty handbook on the CON
Web site.
Table B5-1: Faculty Rank and Effort Assignment
Faculty Rank
Teaching Research/ Service
Practice
Scholarship
(negotiated)
Tenure-system: tenured
60%
20%
20%
Tenure-system: non-tenured
50%
30%
20%
Fixed-term
90%
10%
Health Programs
40-70%
10%
20-50%
The NA program director and the assistant program director have sufficient time and
resources provided to fulfill their teaching, scholarly activities, service, administrative
and clinical responsibilities. NA preceptor-to-student ratios comply with the standards
set forth by the COA.
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The NA program faculty at Michigan State University College of Nursing is assigned
adequate office space for completing administrative tasks, preparing didactic
presentations, counseling students and faculty, and storing program and student
records.
Faculty Resources
Michigan State University College of Nursing provides a number of resources to
support faculty teaching, research, and scholarship. These resources are fully available
to all faculty members, including those in the nurse anesthesia program. Every faculty
member in the College of Nursing has a personal computer (IBM PC type and/or
Macintosh) in his/her office with a 100 Mbs fiber optic Ethernet connection to the
university's network. Faculty members have access from the CON Media Laboratory to
Medline— The National Library of Medicine's bibliographic computerized database —
as well as other electronic database resource systems through the MSU library
services. The CON is staffed with an instructional designer and media technician to
support faculty with effective use of on-site and distance educational technology.
The Faculty and Organizational Development (FOD) unit at MSU reports to the Office of
the Provost at. This unit provides development opportunities for faculty and staff in
teaching and learning, research, outreach, and leadership development. Faculty is
offered opportunities through the college and/or the university to attend workshops and
request special funds to attend national meetings. Scholarly endeavors are promoted
with time and effort supplemented through a flexible scheduling system. The Michigan
State University CON encourages all faculty members to present podium and poster
presentations at local, state, national, and international meetings
whenever possible.
Examples of Teaching Commons, summer scholarly project….
*
Failure to fully comply with one or more of these criteria is considered to
be of critical concern in decisions regarding NA program accreditation.
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Standard III: Program of Study
THE PROGRAM CURRICULUM IS RELEVANT, CURRENT, COMPREHENSIVE, AND
MEETS COMMONLY ACCEPTED NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR SIMILAR
DEGREES. THE TEACHING-LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PROMOTES THE
ACHIEVEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES DRIVEN BY THE MISSION OF
THE INSTITUTION AND FOSTERS STUDENT LEARNING, PROFESSIONAL
SOCIALIZATION, AND FACULTY GROWTH. THE CURRICULUM PREPARES
GRADUATES FOR THE FULL SCOPE OF NURSE ANESTHESIA PRACTICE.
CRITERIA
C1.
The program’s curriculum is driven by the mission and resources of
the institution, builds upon prior nursing education and professional
experiences, and is designed so that students benefit from the
program.
The program’s curriculum is built upon prior nursing education and professional
experiences, is congruent with the mission of the institution, and is designed so that
students benefit from the program.
The NA program subscribes to the missions, goals, and core values of the university,
the Graduate School, and the College of Nursing. These missions guide the
development and implementation of the program’s curriculum and reflect the philosophy
of the faculty, which are consistent with the College of Nursing Graduate Curriculum
Outcomes. The program’s curriculum includes a core curriculum that provides a solid
foundation for advanced practice nursing and anesthesia-specific courses. The core
curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for the full scope of nurse anesthesia
practice. Graduates of the MSN track are eligible to take the National Certification
Examination (NCE) offered by the National Board on Certification and Recertification of
Nurse Anesthetists’ (NBCRNA) Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists (CCNA)
(Attachment XXX).
Students seeking admission into the NA program are required to meet the admission
criteria of both the CON-MSN NA program and the Graduate School. Admission criteria
were developed to ensure that students would have the educational and experiential
backgrounds necessary to succeed in the program. Admissions criteria include:

Completion of university and program application materials.

Submission of all undergraduate and graduate-level transcripts.
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
A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 point scale.
Students not meeting the GPA requirement may be admitted conditionally
with faculty recommendation.

Baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited college or university.

Current licensure as a registered professional nurse in the United States,
its territories, or protectorates.

At least one year, preferably two, of experience as an RN in an intensive
care setting. This experience should include personally caring for patients
with invasive monitoring lines, vasoactive/sedative/analgesic infusions,
EKG interpretation, and caring for mechanically ventilated patients.

Competitive GRE scores.

Acceptable TOEFL scores for applicants whose primary language is not
English.

A personal statement indicating goals for graduate education in nurse
anesthesia.

Interview with faculty members.

Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a CRNA with
whom the applicant has spent time in the operating room observing
surgery and anesthesia.

A current resumé.
The combined resources of the university, the college, and its clinical affiliates are
sufficient to support high-quality nurse anesthesia education. The average cumulative
BSN GPA for RNs admitted to the program for the past three years (2011, 2012, 2013
cohorts) is 3.74, 3.63, and 3.67, respectively. The average amount of critical nursing
experience for this same group is 3.36, 2.33, and 2.49 years, respectively (See
Appendix Table CI-a & C1-b).
*
C2.
The faculty designs a curriculum that awards a master’s or
higher-level degree to graduate students who successfully
complete graduation requirements.
The College of Nursing curricular leads to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSU) and
qualifies all students who successfully complete graduation requirements in the NA
program to sit for the NBCRNA certification examination. The CON recently received 10
years of continuing accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
through 2022. The MSN core coursework and concentration-specific courses all build
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on previous learning of the BSN-prepared nurse. Consistent with the CON mission, the
MSN graduates are prepared as experts in nursing practice and nurse leaders who
incorporate research evidence into their practice. The MSN program of study for all
concentrations is informed by eight MSN program objectives that clearly state expected
student outcomes for achievement of a Master of Science in Nursing degree. The endof-program objectives are that MSN students:

Synthesize theories from nursing and related disciplines that are applicable to a
specialty area of advanced nursing practice.

Contribute to the profession of nursing through the evaluation and application of
relevant research evidence to inform and shape clinical practice.

Utilize evidence-based data to examine health issues and evaluate program
outcomes and processes relevant to nursing practice.

Demonstrate role competencies and clinical expertise to deliver evidence-based
care within a specialty area of advanced-practice nursing.

Deliver advanced nursing care within an area of specialization derived from
scientific principles and the best available evidence to promote optimum health
outcomes across diverse populations.

Demonstrate leadership within health care systems through the use of
interdisciplinary collaboration, information technology, research dissemination,
and political advocacy to improve population health and system outcomes.

Assume a leadership role to advocate for care based on ethical principles that
values diversity in populations and advocates for health care access across care
delivery systems.

Analyze organization and system outcomes in relation to resource utilization and
management to achieve quality outcomes.
In addition, each concentration has further defined student outcomes that support the
chosen clinical specialization and are consistent with achievement of overall MSN
program objectives. The end-of-program objectives for the NA program are that
students:

Evaluate phenomenon related to the practice of anesthesia by professional
nurses to facilitate strategies that impact and advance anesthesia-related health
outcomes.

Demonstrate leadership and care competencies that combine cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor skills to facilitate anesthesia practice as advance
practice nurses.
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
Apply the major critical thinking and analytic skills to effectively practice nurse
anesthesia in a cost-effective and accountable manner.

Evaluate and utilize anesthesia-related research that enhances and advances
the specialty and disseminates outcomes to improve patient care.

Integrate interdisciplinary, evidence-based problem-solving and education
strategies in the delivery of care to diverse populations.

Analyze skills utilized in the evaluation of the quality of anesthesia care provided
throughout the community.

Integrate practice and education to expand the profession and practice of
anesthesia nursing.
There has been significant enhancement to the MSN program over the past five years.
Core coursework for all MSN students was reviewed and revised. Improvements
included a graduate statistics course to better prepare the MSN graduates to integrate
evidence into their practice.
C3.
The program sets forth the curriculum in a logical manner with
sequential presentation of classroom and clinical experiences.
The MSN core and specialty curricula are built on the foundation of BSN-level nursing
knowledge. Students entering the master’s program are required to be registered
nurses who have successfully completed a BSN program including an undergraduate
statistics course. Specifically, the MSN curriculum is built on entry-level analytical skills
and core knowledge related to liberal education (e.g., human diversity, social issues,
arts and humanities); theoretical foundations of nursing practice; and science (i.e.,
biological, physical, and social sciences). The MSN program curriculum is designed to
facilitate the advancement of BSN competencies, preparing graduates to function as
nursing practice experts, professional leaders, and applied nurse scientists.
The MSN NA program is designed to prepare students with academic knowledge,
technical and clinical skills, and professional attitudes in nursing practice to safely
administer anesthesia and assume leadership roles as an advanced practice registered
nurses. MSN NA curriculum is based on a BSN foundation and prepares graduates to
excel in rapidly changing, diverse, and technologically advanced practice settings.
Didactic content specific to the scientific basis for NA practice begins in the first
semester of the program. Didactic and clinical coursework to implement the nurse
anesthesia role begins in semester two with simulated and real patient care
experiences. In the remaining semesters, students develop their clinical expertise by
creating anesthesia management plans and providing anesthesia to patients across the
life span and from various surgical specialties.
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NA clinical experiences increase from one day per week to four days per week in the
final semester, with opportunities for off-shift and on-call experiences as required by the
Council on Accreditation (COA). Each MSU-CON student significantly exceeds the
minimum number and distribution of cases (550) required to sit for certification upon
graduation. NA students complete their faculty-supervised, clinical experiences under
the guidance of preceptors at designated clinical partners selected by CON faculty and
approved by COA. (See Appendix C14-a for Program of Study Matrix).
Feedback, in the form of daily written student competency and evaluation reviews,
determine rate of clinical assignment advancement and case complexity. Students
requiring greater supervision continue to have a one-to-one supervision ratio. Students
enter specialty rotations during the last two clinical practica with emphasis on their skill
level in order to determine specialty placement. Examples of specialty rotations include
trauma, OB, transplant, and major cardio-thoracic. Faculty evaluations and clinical
competency reviews determine if these rotations will be assigned to those students with
advanced skill levels early in the rotation. The faculty closely monitors student
achievement utilizing the Typhon Group Nurse Anesthesia Student Tracking System
(NAST). NAST functions as a complete electronic student tracking system with specific
areas for:






Clinical Experience Logging and Tracking
External Document Management
Clinical Experience Reporting
Custom Evaluations & Surveys (EASI)
Student Biographic Database
Clinical Site Database
The use of this tracking system gives the program directors, faculty members, and
students instant online access to enter data and view reports of students' progress
toward certification requirements. Custom searches also provide program
administrators with further case details based on filters and subsets. The NA program
also takes advantage of the Evaluation and Survey Instrument (EASI) included as part
of the NAST program. EASI is Typhon Group's online module for creating, collecting,
and analyzing surveys or evaluations. EASI allows any clinical site or educational
program the freedom to design their own evaluations from their Web browser. Each
survey can have up to 400 questions (20 main questions with 20 sub-questions) and
each question has a multitude of options. Responses can either be anonymous or
tracked to a particular person. Results can be viewed in real-time with live summary
graphs and charts.
Evaluation of the EASI along with the daily clinical evaluation instrument and student
feedback provides readily available evidence of the effectiveness of the curricular plan
and evidence for improvements. As a result of on-going evaluation of the feedback
information and changes in the complexity of requirements as students’ progress in the
program a revised evaluation instrument for the last two semesters of the program were
changed (Appendix C3- a Clinical evaluation of student – clinical practicum 3 &4 ).
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C4.
Michigan State University College of Nursing
The nurse anesthesia program must be a minimum of 24 months in
length or its part-time equivalent.
The Masters of Science in Nursing NA program is a 28 month, full-time program
designed to educate registered nurses in academic knowledge, technical and clinical
skills, and professional roles in nursing practice so that they can assume leadership
roles as accomplished advanced practitioners in nurse anesthesia who meet the
eligibility requirements for certification as certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA)
and licensure as advanced practice registered nurses (APRN). Content is delivered via
face-to-face instruction, interactive television, and the internet. Students will complete
the MSN core courses related to role, theory, community health policy, statistics, and
research—surpassing the minimal academic curriculum requirements of the COA.
(Program of study accessible online; graduate transcript highlights the start and ending
semesters - Appendix C4-a- and Appendix C4-b).
C5.
The educational environment fosters student learning and promotes
professional socialization.
Student learning and professional socialization are promoted in many ways at MSU. NA
students have access to several outstanding physical and audiovisual resources that
are described in Standard II:B4.
Students are encouraged to express their opinions and raise questions in didactic and
clinical courses. Small group work and discussion boards particularly encourage
exchange of ideas. NA students also participate in planned weekly clinical conferences.
During this time they are given the opportunity to exchange and support ideas and to
defend their positions. The entire NA program faculty maintains an open-door policy for
students.
To foster further student learning and promote additional professional socialization, NA
students are enrolled in the MSN core courses with the students in the other MSN
concentrations. Furthermore, shared learning opportunities occurs between the Kaiser
Permanente Nurse Anesthesia Program in California during NUR 887: Pharmacology
for Anesthesia Practice I and NUR 888: Pharmacology for Anesthesia Practice II. Interprofessional didactic learning also occurs between medical students in ANTR 551:
Medical Gross Anatomy, which is offered by the Department of Radiology (a joint
department between the colleges of human and osteopathic medicine). The CON and
NA program faculty foster an environment of mutual respect. Students evaluate this
notion in each course. Faculty responds to evaluation data to ensure that all students
feel respected and valued.
Professional socialization is promoted in several ways throughout the program.
Students participate in professional organization meetings at the local, state, and
national levels. MSU NA students attend the annual Michigan Association of Nurse
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Anesthetists (MANA) conference in October. They may participate as student
representatives on state association committees, including the public relations,
program, or education committees. Finally, students have attended the AANA Assembly
of School Faculty meetings, the AANA Mid-Year Assembly, and the AANA National
Meetings. Graduates of our program have published articles in the Journal of
Anesthesia and Clinical Research. Copies of published article are available for review in
the COA Resource Room.
C6.
The educational environment provides opportunities for faculty
development.
The MSU-CON provides resources to support faculty in their work. Faculty in the CON
is provided opportunities for on-going development in pedagogy and university and
college support for teaching, research, scholarship, and service is available. These
resources are fully available to nurse anesthesia program faculty.
MSU faculty development programs provide development opportunities across the
missions of teaching and learning, research, outreach, and leadership
development. Faculty are offered opportunities for attendance at workshops and
meetings and funds to attend national meetings. These national meetings include
anesthesia-related meetings such as the Assembly of School Faculties in February and
the Annual Meeting in August, when available. Workshop and meeting days and travel
associated with this and other professional activities, such as accreditation visits, are
part of the faculty role and do not require the use of vacation days. The Michigan State
University College of Nursing encourages all faculty, including NA program faculty, to
present at local, state, national and international continuing education meetings
whenever possible. This year, the program director, Dr. Henry Talley, has submitted an
abstract of his research for presentation during the 18th Annual Greater Lansing
(Michigan) Nursing Research Day, sponsored by Michigan State College of Nursing and
Alpha Psi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. He was also selected to present three posters
(authored by the program director, assistant program director, and recently graduated
students) at the AANA Annual Convention in San Francisco. The assistant director,
Gayle Lourens, is currently a DNP candidate at the University of Iowa and has
presented inter-professional simulation sessions throughout the state. Both directors
have presented and participated in the CON teaching commons, diversity workshops,
undergraduate student research projects, and several other college and university
programs.
Peer review of faculty occurs annually in a process led by the College Advisory
Committee (CAC) and provides faculty with useful feedback that identifies strengths
and areas for improvement in their performance including teaching and scholarship.
Expectations for faculty performance are described in the College of Nursing Indicators
for Evaluation and Promotion.
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The CON has an online preceptor orientation for clinicians that precept CON students.
The clinical preceptor orientation for the NA program is augmented to include issues
pertinent to NA program faculty. Likewise, clinical and didactic faculty are encouraged to
actively participate in the AANA Assembly of School faculty meetings, AANA Annual
Meeting, and other local and state meetings.
C7.
The program designs a curriculum that enables graduates to attain
certification in the specialty.
Graduates meet all the eligibility requirements to take the National Certification
Examination (NCE) and attain certification as certified registered nurse anesthetists
(CRNA). The core curriculum provides a foundation for advanced-practice nursing,
which incorporates the AACN’s Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice
Nursing. The focus of the NA curriculum is provision of care for patients across the life
span and throughout the perioperative experience. The program’s specific academic
courses focus on anesthesia practice and follow the COA Accreditation Standards.
The curriculum follows the established COA standards to demonstrate that graduates
have acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies in patient safety, peri-anesthetic
management, critical thinking, communication, and the other competencies needed to
fulfill their professional responsibility. Expected aggregate student outcomes include a
favorable graduation rate, with commensurate success in passing specialty certification
exams, and employment in relevant advanced nursing practice roles. Aggregate
outcomes are addressed more specifically in Standard IV.
Consistent with the CON mission, the MSN graduates are prepared as experts in
nursing practice and nurse leaders who incorporate research evidence into their
practice. The MSN program of study for the NA program is informed by the eight MSN
program objectives that are stated in C-2 of this self-study. The end--program objectives
for the NA program are:

Evaluate phenomenon related to the practice of anesthesia by professional
nurses to facilitate strategies that impact and advance anesthesia-related health
outcomes.

Demonstrate leadership and care competencies that combine cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor skills to facilitate anesthesia practice as advance
practice nurses.

Apply major critical thinking and analytic skills to effectively practice nurse
anesthesia in a cost-effective and accountable manner.

Evaluate and utilize anesthesia-related research that enhances and advances
the specialty and disseminates outcomes to improve patient care.
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
Integrate interdisciplinary, evidence-based problem-solving and education
strategies in the delivery of care to diverse populations.

Analyze skills utilized in the evaluation of the quality of anesthesia care provided
throughout the community.

Integrate practice and education to expand the profession and practice of
anesthesia nursing.
Students are given the opportunity to participate in external anesthesia review courses.
Senior students take the NBCRNA Self Evaluation Examination (SEE) in the last spring
semester of their program of study. The SEE exam does not have a “passing score” and
a “passing score” is not set for the CON NA students. However, students’ scores on the
SEE exam are compared to the national average scores from the previous year as
reported by the NBCRNA. NA faculty then provide individual counseling with students
by interpreting their results in specific content areas to guide their preparation for
studying for the National Certification Examination (NCE) that is administered by the
NBCRNA. Supplemental reviews of curriculum content are given throughout the last
semester. SEE and CCNA examination scores are closely monitored and used as part
of the evaluation process to monitor quality in the educational program and to
recommend improvements when indicated. Copies of SEE scores are available in the
COA Resource Room.
C8.
The program designs, when appropriate, an experimental/innovative
curriculum that enables graduates to attain certification in the
specialty.
The NA program has not designed an experimental/innovative curriculum.
C9.
The content of the curriculum is appropriate to the degree or
certificate earned.
The Masters of Science in Nursing NA program is an 78 -credit, rigorous, full-time
program. (If students elect to, they can also complete an 82-credit program). The design
of the program’s 78-credit hour curriculum follows The Essentials of Master’s Education
for Advanced Practice Nursing (AACN, 1996) and the 2004 Standards for Accreditation
of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (Revised January 2012) for master’s degree
programs. In accordance with these guidelines, the curriculum promotes linking of
theory, research, and practice and incorporates separate graduate-level courses in
health/physical assessment, physiology/pathophysiology, and pharmacology. The
curriculum content fulfills the required contact hours in coursework specific to nurse
anesthesia following the blueprint designed by the COA standards. It also satisfies the
clinical experience requirements set forth by the National Board of Certification and
Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists, allowing our graduates to take the National
Certification Examination.
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C10. The curriculum meets commonly accepted national standards for
similar degrees.
The College of Nursing has received 10 years of continuing accreditation from the
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, which continues through 2022 ( see
Appendix C10-a, CCNE Accreditation Letter). Graduates of the NA program are
awarded a Master’s of Science in Nursing degree. The master’s level curriculum design
is guided by the AACN’s Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice
Nursing and the COA’s Standards for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational
Programs Revised October 2009, Effective January 2010. The standards of these two
accrediting bodies are foundational for other NA programs with similar degrees.
C11. Distance education programs and courses satisfy accreditation
standards and achieve the same outcomes as traditional educational
offerings.
The teaching–learning practices and environments utilized in the MSN programs have
been developed and implemented to support successful achievement of the expected
individual student learning outcomes identified in course and program objectives.
Instructional technology is utilized and supported to optimize outcomes in classrooms,
simulation laboratories, clinical settings, and distance education. Teaching-learning
opportunities in the CON promote student engagement and mastery of course and
program objectives through a variety of practices and environments that support
theoretical and clinical learning.
The ANGEL learning management system (LMS) has been used at MSU for online
classes and has been adopted by faculty in face-to-face courses to provide technologyenriched learning experiences. Currently, MSU is beginning a transition to the Desire to
Learning system with an implementation timeline through 2015. The MSU-CON has two
virtual learning environments available for MSN faculty and students in Second Life, the
Web-based, virtual world platform. A CON-produced virtual community named Spartan
Health Island and acute care facility named Spartan Health Center provide faculty with
opportunities to develop simulations in community, ambulatory care, and hospital
settings. These venues are used to provide students with simulation experiences that
include community home visits, primary care clinic health assessments, and operating
room functions.
The CON has a long history of offering distance education, beginning with statewide
satellite locations for NP education in 1985. Currently, MSU-CON online courses are
delivered through ANGEL for distance asynchronous education. The university supports
ANGEL and provides 24/7 technical assistance to all MSU faculty and students.
Individual student technology requirements— including software, hardware, and
bandwidth —are posted both in the student handbooks and the College of Nursing Web
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
site. During student orientation, first-time distance learning students are introduced to
basic functions such as the use of e-mail, online discussion forums, online drop boxes,
and voice-over PowerPoint presentations. Students can complete a self-study tutorial at
any time during the program to remediate or renew knowledge regarding technical
aspects of ANGEL. In response to an identified need for developing academic computer
skills for online learning, an optional continuing education course was developed and
offered to incoming MSN and RN to BSN students in 2011. This course provides
another opportunity for students to gain competence with the technology required for
online learning. Thirty-two participants (five of which were newly admitted NA students)
enrolled in the first session and evaluations of the offering were positive. The sessions
will continue to be offered for new students.
The college has adopted a process for evaluating the technology components of online
courses. This process provides collaborative assessment of the structure and user
interface of online courses, which augments overall course review data. The evaluation
tool and examples of course reviews, will be available in the COA Resource Room.
C12. The educational environment promotes academic quality as
evidenced through a variety of indicators.
A wide variety of performance evaluation methods are used in courses. These include
written examinations, oral case study analysis, journal writing, written papers, group
projects, and take-home exams. Application of knowledge and skills to practice is
evaluated in clinical settings in the practicum courses. Clinical performance criteria are
also available to students at the beginning of each course together with the evaluation
instrument that will be used to determine the final grade.
The midterm progress report is kept on file by the Office of Student Support Services
and a copy is placed in the student’s file. Students with low performance are counseled
to identify improvement strategies to assure success. Students demonstrating
exceptional performance may be given additional opportunities for learning, as mutually
agreed upon by the instructor and the student. As part of the summative evaluation at
the end of the semester, all students receive a face-to-face counseling session with the
directors indicating their level of achievement of course objectives and outcomes.
Students in practicum courses receive a written evaluation of their performance. In
addition, faculty advisors complete an annual progress report for each master’s student.
As noted previously, the CON has full 10-year accreditation from the CCNE through
2022. Following the 2006 review of MSU by the Higher Learning Commission of the
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, a full 10-year accreditation including
the distance programs was awarded. This further validates the quality of the academic
environment for the university and College of Nursing. The clinical agencies have
JCAHO accreditation that confirms the quality of the clinical environment for the
affiliated clinical sites. Clinical partner agencies’ hospital Accreditation Documents are
available in the COA Resource Room.
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
C13. The program enrolls only baccalaureate prepared students who meet
admission criteria. Admission requirements include:
a.
Registration as a professional nurse in the United States, its
territories or protectorates.
b.
At least one year of experience as a RN in an acute care
setting (see
Glossary).
As described in Standard C1, registered nurses seeking admission into the NA program
are required to meet the admission criteria of both the College of Nursing MSN NA
program and the Graduate School. Students enrolled in the Master of Science in
Nursing programs must complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or
university. Graduate students applying to the NA program are required to have a
bachelor in nursing degree and at least one year of full-time clinical experience or
equivalent as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit within the last five years.
To be considered for admission to the Master of Science in Nursing program, an
applicant must have:

Submitted a university application for admission and a curriculum vita.

Completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Those applicants applying to the NA program must have a bachelor in nursing
degree from an accredited college or university.

Current unrestricted licensure to practice nursing as a registered nurse in his
or her state or country. Unrestricted licensure as a registered nurse in
Michigan is required prior to beginning the program.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for total credits
completed during the second-half of the four year baccalaureate nursing
program.

Applicants to the NA program must have completed the Graduate Record
Examination verbal, quantitative, and analytic sections within the last five
years.

One year of clinical practice as a registered nurse prior to the clinical
sequence of courses for the Nurse Practitioner concentration. No clinical
practice experience is required prior to acceptance for the Nurse Educator or
Clinical Nurse Leader concentration. One year of full-time clinical experience
or equivalent as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit within last five
years is required for the NA program.
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Michigan State University College of Nursing

Successfully completed an approved statistics course within the last five
years or a waiver examination. Those applicants applying to the NA program
must have completed a three (3) credit undergraduate or graduate statistics
course with a grade of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better within the last five years.

Submitted a written essay of 150-200 words typed and double-spaced that
addresses the applicant’s career goals and motivations for graduate study in
their selected area of specialty nursing practice: nurse practitioner, nurse
educator, clinical nurse leader, or nurse anesthetist.

Submit three letters of recommendations. For those applicants applying to the
NA program, the reference letters must be from a source that has direct
knowledge of the applicant’s work and education experience specifying the
applicant’s ability to do graduate work.

Completed an admission interview with the master's program College of
Nursing faculty.

If the applicant’s native language is not English, the applicant must complete
the Test of English as a Foreign Language with a total score of 580 (paper
version) or 21 (computer version). Equivalent scores on the English
Language Center Test may be submitted.

If the applicant’s native language is not English, the applicant must complete
the Educational Testing Service Test of Spoken English (TSE) with a score of
50 or above.
C14. The basic nurse anesthesia academic curriculum and prerequisite
courses focus on coursework in anesthesia practice: pharmacology
of anesthetic agents and adjuvant drugs including concepts in
chemistry and biochemistry (105 hours); anatomy, physiology, and
pathophysiology (135 hours); professional aspects of nurse
anesthesia practice (45 hours); basic and advanced principles of
anesthesia practice including physics, equipment, technology and
pain management (105 hours); research (30 hours); and clinical
correlation conferences (45 hours).
The basic anesthesia courses include advanced health assessment, advanced anatomy
physiology and pathology, and advanced pharmacology as content courses for
advanced practice in nurse anesthesia. These materials have been approved by the
College of Nursing faculty and the University Committee on Curriculum (UCC). In
keeping with the content identified in the Michigan State University College of Nursing
Graduate Program Objectives, this master’s program also includes coursework on the
role of the master’s prepared nurse; issues in community based care, research and
evaluation; health care policy in perspective; ethics; professional role development;
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concepts and theories of nursing; and human diversity/inclusion and other social issues.
Appendix Table C14-a demonstrates the curriculum coursework and hours distribution
that NA students must complete.
C15. The didactic curriculum includes three (3) separate comprehensive
graduate level courses in advanced physiology/pathophysiology,
advanced health assessment, and advanced pharmacology.***
The program has the three (3) separate -evel courses that align with the APRN
Consensus Model and Licensure, Accreditation, Certification & Education (LACE)
recommendations. The courses in our curriculum that meet and exceed this
requirement are: (1) NUR 880: Health Assessment for Nurse Anesthesia, (2) NUR 877:
Anesthesia Physiology and Pathophysiology and NUR 878: Advanced Physiology and
Pathophysiology, and(3) NUR 887: Pharmacology for Anesthesia Practice I and NUR
888: Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia Practice II. (Appendix C15-a Course
Trajectory)
C16. The amount of advanced standing or transfer credits awarded by the
degree granting institution is clearly stated and publicized.
The policy on the amount of advanced standing or transfer credit awarded by Michigan
State University is clearly stated and publicized in the MSN Student Handbook. The
following is the statement regarding transfer credit: “Up to nine semester credits, taken
in post-master’s study, may be accepted in transfer from another regionally accredited
graduate program…Refer to the current MSU Academic Programs Book for additional
information. See the MSU Website.
C17. The clinical curriculum provides students with opportunities for
experiences in the perioperative process that are unrestricted, and
promote their development as competent safe nurse anesthetists.
NA students begin the 28-month clinical component of their education in the second
semester of the program of study. The COA Standard III:C.21 is the basis of the course
objectives in our clinical courses and has been used in developing the clinical
evaluation forms. Clinical objectives in the areas of room preparation, pre-anesthetic
assessment, anesthesia record, induction, maintenance, emergence, interpersonal
relationships/professional demeanor, and critical thinking/decision making abilities for
appropriate practice levels are identified and evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale
evaluation instrument. Formative and summative clinical evaluations are completed
each semester that students are enrolled in clinical courses. Clinical objectives increase
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in complexity and expectations for mastery increase as students progress through the
program.
Clinical experience is an essential component of the MSN program. Clinical experiences
are based on each student’s skills and needs and availability of clinical sites. Clinical
experiences involve active participation in interdisciplinary management of health care
services for patients and their community. The choice of clinical facilities for the NA
program is an on-going process designed to prepare the student for the full scope of
current practice in a variety of work settings, perform a variety of procedures and
techniques, and meet the objectives of the clinical courses. To date, sufficient numbers
of clinical facilities have been available for the other master's programs. Currently, the
affiliate partners provide quality clinical facilities and specialty practice for the NA
students. All types of anesthetic management techniques and experiences are available
to the NA students, including: interventional radiology procedures, cardiac
catheterization, same day surgery, cardio-thoracic, neurological, obstetrical, and
pediatrics in a non-restrictive environment.
*
C18. The nurse anesthesia clinical curriculum prepares the student for the
full scope of current practice in a variety of work settings and
requires a minimum of 550 clinical cases including a variety of
procedures, techniques, and specialty practice
The MSU NA students are required to perform at least 550 cases to meet requirements
for graduation and the certification examination. The average NA student completes
1,024 cases and engages in the administration of anesthesia for 1,831 hours. The
various anesthetic techniques, specialty practice procedures, and variety exceed the
minimum required by the COA (See Appendix C18a - Typhon aggregate case logs).
To ensure that the required clinical cases and the variety of procedures, techniques,
and specialty practice requirements are being met as outlined by the Council, students
submit a monthly case tracking form which is reviewed by the program director or
assistant program director. The policy for how students are to count clinical experiences
and the definition of anesthesia time is provided in our Guidelines for Clinical Case
Records located in the Nurse Anesthesia Supplemental Handbook .
*
C19. The program provides opportunities for students to obtain clinical
experiences outside the regular clinical schedule by a call experience or other
mechanism.
All students are required to obtain clinical experiences outside the regular clinical
schedule by participating in “on-call” experiences beginning in the second year of the
program based on their progression in achieving didactic knowledge and proficiency
with clinical skills. The faculty recognizes the value of off-shift experiences
(evenings/nights/weekends) that give the NA student opportunities to manage
emergent, non-elective, and obstetrical cases. These off-shift experiences may be used
in lieu of on-call times to obtain the necessary experience in all aspects of emergency
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anesthesia care to include the management of traumatic crisis necessitating emergent
or urgent anesthesia service. A student schedule policy is included in the Nurse
Anesthesia Supplemental Student Handbook which describes the specific scheduling
policies and procedures for these experiences. Call experiences are scheduled from
1500 to 0700 on weekdays and from 0700 to1900 or 1900 to 0700 on weekends.
Students are provided time off before and/or following their call experience.
C20. The program demonstrates that it has achieved its stated outcomes.
The teaching–learning practices and environments utilized have been developed and
implemented to support successful achievement of the expected individual student
learning outcomes identified in course and program objectives. Instructional technology
is utilized and supported to optimize outcomes in classrooms, simulation laboratories,
clinical settings, and distance education. Teaching-learning opportunities in the CON
promote student engagement and mastery of course and program objectives through a
variety of practices and environments that support theoretical and clinical learning.
The NA program measures achievement of its outcomes by assessing pass rates and
scores on the NCE and monitoring grade point averages, graduates' clinical case
experiences, graduation rates, attrition rates, graduates' employment rates , student
evaluations of courses and faculty, program exit evaluations, alumni satisfaction
surveys, and employer satisfaction surveys.
The NA program’s objectives parallel the College of Nursing’s Masters of Science in
Nursing program objectives. Each MSN concentration has separate end-of-program
objectives that address the nursing specialty expectations. Table C20-1 demonstrates
the relationship between the overall MSN objectives and the NA program objectives.
Table C20 -1 MSN-NA Program Objectives Comparison
Masters Program Objectives
Nurse Anesthesia Program Objectives
1. Evaluate the major theoretical frameworks
related to advanced nursing practice, nursing
leadership, and nursing education that are
anticipated to be pertinent to their prospective
advanced specialty roles in contemporary nursing
practice and community-based environments.
1. Evaluate issues related to the practice of
anesthesia by professional nurses to facilitate
strategies that impact and advance anesthesia
related health outcomes.
2. Analyze a wide range of leadership skills and
paradigms to facilitate practice as either an
advanced practice nurse, a nurse manager, or a
nurse educator.
2. Offer quality nurse anesthesia leadership and
care as competent practitioners to health care
consumers and employers.
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Masters Program Objectives
Nurse Anesthesia Program Objectives
3. Apply the major critical thinking and analytic
skills to effectively practice in nurse care delivery
or educational systems in a cost-effective and
accountable manner.
3. Provide leadership in the delivery of
evidence-based health care as a patient
advocate and member of the anesthesia care
team.
4. Evaluate and utilize nursing/non-nursing
leadership and/or clinical research findings to test
and improve client, student, and nurse provider
outcomes.
4. Advance and support anesthesia-related
research and projects that will enhance and
advance the specialty and disseminate
outcomes to improve patient care.
5. Utilize advanced analytic, problem-solving, and
communication skills designed to improve the
delivery and management of nursing/health care
and education.
5. Integrate interdisciplinary, evidence-based
problem-solving and education strategies in the
delivery of care to diverse populations.
6. Analyze leadership skills designed to influence
change in health care practice.
6. Provide leadership in the evaluation of the
quality of anesthesia care provided throughout
the community
7. Demonstrate continuing personal commitment
to their professional growth and lifelong learning
as a nurse leader.
7. Integrate practice and education to expand to
the role of the Anesthesia Nursing profession
and practice.
The mission of the university and its guiding principles were considered as this program
was envisioned and developed. The NA program demonstrates that it has achieved its
stated outcomes by monitoring the results of student learning. The table below provides
examples of outcome evaluation for each of the program objectives. Examples of
student work can be examined during the on-site visit.
Table C20-2
Nurse Anesthesia Program Objectives
1. Evaluate issues related to the practice of
anesthesia by professional nurses to facilitate
strategies that impact and advance anesthesia
related health outcomes.
2. Offer quality nurse anesthesia leadership and
care as competent practitioners to health care
consumers and employers.
Courses/ Learning Activities
NUR 802 - Theoretical Foundations and Role
Development for APN:

Papers related to theoretical framework

Papers describing APN role implemented
by a CRNA
Clinical Seminars I & II
Anesthesia Practicum II & III
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3. Provide leadership in the delivery of evidencebased health care as a patient advocate and
member of the anesthesia care team.
NUR 892, 893, 894
 Clinical practica assessments
 Self Evaluation Examination prior to
graduation
4. Advance and support anesthesia-related
research and projects that will enhance and
advance the specialty and disseminate outcomes
to improve patient care.
NUR 806 - Research for APN
 Scholarly project that is started in () and
the presentation in NUR 897 (Clinical
Seminar III)
NUR 893, NUR 894
 specialty clinical practica,
5. Integrate interdisciplinary, evidence-based
problem-solving and education strategies in the
delivery of care to diverse populations.
NUR 880 - Health Assessment for Nurse
Anesthesia.
 Clinical assessment skills for diverse
populations evaluated
6. Provide leadership in the evaluation of the
quality of anesthesia care provided throughout the
community
NUR 895, 896, and 897 the Clinical Seminars
 Case study assessments in.
7. Integrate practice and education to expand to the
role of the Anesthesia Nursing profession and
practice.
NUR 892, 893, 894.Clinical practica
 skill assessment in
*
C21. The program demonstrates that graduates have acquired knowledge,
skills and competencies in patient safety, perianesthetic
management, critical thinking, communication, and the professional
role.
Course-specific clinical evaluation tools are used. These tools measure progressive
competency in providing for patient safety, perianesthetic management, critical thinking,
communication, and implementation of the professional role. This allows for consistent
measurement of clinical performance to achieve course objectives in the NA program.
For courses that utilize a clinical preceptor, preceptors provide data using programstandardized forms to provide consistent feedback on the progress of students in
clinical experiences. This supports the faculty as they make the final evaluation of
student performance after consultation and communication with both the preceptor and
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the student. A mid-term and final evaluation form and face-to-face conference is
conducted for all students. Achievement of clinical outcomes is graded with a pass/fail
grading scale. Copies of these instruments are available for review in the COA
Resource Room.
Standard policies regarding student progression, as well as other academic policies, are
in the CON Student Handbook. Grading, retention, and progression policies are applied
in a consistent manner through all programs. Program progression policies are listed in
each program handbook and are available on the CON Web site. MSU also publishes
these policies in the Spartan Life Student Handbook and Resources Guide. It contains
specific guidelines governing and assuring student and faculty rights, responsibilities,
and expected conduct in the instructional process. The grievance procedures at both
the college and university levels can be found in the CON student handbooks.
The curriculum contains the necessary academic content and practical clinical
experience for graduates to acquire the skills and competencies necessary for their
professional roles as outlined in the COA terminal competencies. The clinical evaluation
form reflects the competency areas of patient safety, perianesthetic management,
critical thinking, communication, and the professional role. Demonstration that
graduates have acquired the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies are
accomplished using multi-model high- and low-fidelity simulation, testing, written
assignments, and clinical performance. This content is provided in the course listed in
Table C21-1.
Table C21-1
Course Title and Name
NUR 802 – Theoretical Foundations and Role Development for the Advanced
Practice Nurse
NUR 804 – Statistics for the Healthcare Professional
NUR 806 – Research for Advanced Practice Nurses
NUR 814 – Health Care Policy and Politics
NUR 880 – Health Assessment for Nurse Anesthesia
NUR 882 – Principles of Anesthesia I
NUR 883 – Principles of Anesthesia II
NUR 884 – Principles of Anesthesia III
NUR 874 – Clinical Practicum I
NUR 887 – Pharmacology for for Anesthesia Practice I
NUR 888- Phamacology for Anesthesia Practice II
NUR 886 – Anesthesia Practicum II
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a.
Patient safety is demonstrated by the ability of the graduate to:
1.
Be vigilant in the delivery of patient care.
Vigilance in the delivery of patient care is interwoven throughout the NA program’s
curriculum. The clinical evaluation assesses the ability of the student to be vigilant in
patient care. Beginning with NUR 880: Health Assessment for Anesthesia and
continuing with the clinical courses, this important concept is underscored. While
serving as mentors and role models, clinical instructors continue to highlight and
appraise students of their progress.
2.
Protect patients from iatrogenic complications.
As vigilance in the delivery of patient care is interwoven in the curriculum, protection
from iatrogenic complications is equally stressed. Didactic content concerning iatrogenic
complications and quality improvement processes start in NUR 882: Principles of
Anesthesia I. NUR 802: Theoretical Foundations and Role Development for the
Advanced Practice Nurse, NUR 880: Health Assessment for Nurse Anesthesia, NUR
887: Pharmacology for Anesthesia Practice I, and NUR 888: Pharmacology for
Anesthesia Practice II (all expand on this subject matter.
3.
Participate in the positioning of patients to prevent
injury.
Principles on the positioning of patients to prevent injury are presented throughout all of
the principles of anesthesia courses (i.e. NUR 882, NUR 883, and NUR 884). Prior to
clinical practice, students have the opportunity to practice positioning skills in the
Granger Simulation Lab. These principles are further reinforced during the clinical
rotations and clinical seminars by the clinical preceptors and didactic faculty.
4.
Conduct a comprehensive and appropriate equipment
check.
Anesthesia machines located in the Granger Simulation Lab enable the students to
have a comprehensive examination of the functioning of the apparatus. Additionally, the
Web-based anesthesia machine resource from the University of Detroit-Mercy NA
program is integrated into the curriculum as well as didactic lecture material during NUR
881: Perioperative Technology and Instrumentation. In this course, students are
required to demonstrate their ability to conduct a complete machine check according to
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards for anesthesia apparatus checkout.
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5.
Utilize standard precautions and appropriate infection
control measures.
Coursework on standard precautions and infection control measures are included in
NUR 882: Principles of Anesthesia I and NUR 883: Principles of Anesthesia II. Skills are
evaluated during the clinical practicum and rated on the clinical evaluation form
(Appendix C-9: Sample of Nurse Anesthesia Program Clinical Evaluation Form).
b.
Individualized perianesthetic management is demonstrated by
the ability of the graduate to:
1.
Provide care throughout the perianesthetic continuum.
NA students are introduced to the principles of perianesthetic care during NUR 880:
Health Assessment for Nurse Anesthetists and NUR 882: Principles of Anesthesia I.
High-fidelity simulation experiences enhance the ability to provide care across the life
span in a controlled environment and provide information on the treatment of
complications frequently and infrequently encountered during the perianesthetic
continuum. The clinical affiliates provide experiences from induction of anesthesia,
through perianesthetic care, and post operative care and follow-up. NA students receive
content-specific instruction in pre-anesthesia assessment and evaluation, perioperative
technology and instrumentation, and actual clinical experience in each grouping of
anesthetic management goals as set forth by the Council on Accreditation, based on
availability of cases at the affiliate clinical sites.
2.
Use a variety of current anesthesia techniques, agents,
adjunctive drugs, and equipment while providing
anesthesia.
Prior to graduation, students are exposed to a variety of anesthesia techniques, agents,
and equipment in simulated and clinical environments. Under the direction and
consultation of the CRNA, MD, and DO physician anesthesia preceptors, each NA
student administers anesthesia-related drugs, determines the sequence of the
anesthetic plan, performs all types of anesthetic techniques (general, regional, MAC)
using various agents, adjunctive drugs, insert and interpret invasive monitoring
modalities, and uses an assortment of anesthesia-related equipment. The students are
assigned to a variety of practice settings which use different models of anesthesia care
delivery with appropriate anesthesia providers.
3.
Administer general anesthesia to patients of all ages
and physical conditions for a variety of surgical and
medically related procedures.
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The peri-anesthetic management experiences available at the affiliate clinical sites
provide considerable opportunity for NA students to administer general anesthesia for a
variety of surgical- and medical-related procedures to patients of all ages and physical
conditions. Currently, there are over 57,000 procedures available to the students of this
program based of data received from the affiliate clinical sites. This data, in addition to
the coursework in NUR 885: Anesthesia Practicum I, NUR 886: Anesthesia Practicum
II, and NUR 884: Principles of Anesthesia III, provides a sound foundation for practice.
This is followed by more in-depth knowledge of intraoperative care for specialized
problems and conditions addressed during the clinical practica.
4.
Provide anesthesia services to all patients, including
trauma and emergency cases.
Students receive the first of several exposures to trauma and emergency care during
NUR 884: Principles of Anesthesia III. T
here are numerous opportunities available to NA students to provide anesthesia
services to traumatic and emergency care cases during rotations to Level 1 trauma
clinical affiliates. The off-shift and on-call duties capture this vital area through
scheduled case loads that are not part of the regular day service (emergent in nature).
5.
Administer and manage a variety of regional
anesthetics.
ANTR 551: Medical Gross Anatomy exposes the NA students to human regional gross
anatomy with clinical correlations using prosections, cross-sections, medical imaging,
and multimedia. Regional anesthesia and ultrasound-guided anesthesia expert Nickolus
Crouft, MS, CRNA— a nationally recognized nurse anesthetist —has provided guest
lectures and workshops to the students in addition to a number of other practical
experiences provided by the community partner clinical affiliates of the program.
6.
Function as a resource person for airway and ventilatory
management of patients.
Basic and advanced didactic knowledge and skills training provide the basis for expert
airway and ventilatory patient management. Students receive extensive exposure to
head and neck anatomy during ANTR 551: Medical Gross Anatomy lecture and lab.
NUR 877: Anesthesia Physiology and Pathophysiology, NUR 878: Advanced
Physiology and Pathophysiology, NUR 879: Chemistry and Physics of Anesthesia, and
NUR 885: Anesthesia Practicum I address the movement of gases, physiology of
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ventilation and respiration. This is coupled with low- and high-fidelity patient simulations
to provide ample preparation for the role of resource person for airway and ventilatory
management of patients. Assistant Director Gayle Lourens provides a hands-on
advanced airway management workshop each year for all students.
7.
Possess current advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)
recognition.
All NA students are required to present valid ACLS recognition at the time of
application and are required to maintain such certification through graduation.
8.
Possess current pediatric advanced life support (PALS)
recognition.
All NA students are required to present valid PALS recognition at the time of application
and are required to maintain such certification through graduation.
9.
Deliver culturally competent perianesthetic care
throughout the anesthesia experience.
The College of Nursing has had a long-standing commitment to the educational needs
of students from under-represented communities and ethnic backgrounds as well as
valuing the preparation of clinicians who are skilled in providing care to such
communities. The NA program is committed to continuing this practice. Content in the
core course NUR 814: Health Care Policy and Politics provides a theoretical foundation
for the development of this skill. Students provide care to diverse patient populations
during their rotations to all of the clinical affiliates. St. John Hospital and Medical Center
in Detroit provides access to diverse urban patient population and both St. John
Hospital and Medical Center and St. John-Macomb provide access to patients from
southeastern Michigan’s large Arab-American population.
The curriculum incorporates cultural competency during the perianesthetic experience
across the didactic and clinical experiences. The goal at MSU is to create a climate
where cultural competence thrives in our educational, research, service, and practice
missions. Opportunities to develop these skills are evidenced by opportunities like the
program director’s participation in seminars presented through the Office of Faculty and
Organizational Development entitled “Engaging Higher Education in Multicultural
Organization Development Systems Change.”
c.
Critical thinking is demonstrated by the graduate’s ability to:
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1.
Apply theory to practice in decision-making and
problem solving.
To engage the students as active participants in the learning process and to foster
application of knowledge and critical thinking, a number of creative, active learning
strategies have been developed by the faculty. Application of theoretical and practice
content to patient situations are addressed during NUR 885: Anesthesia Practicum I,
NUR 886: Anesthesia Practicum II, and during extensive simulation laboratory sessions.
To enhance decision-making and critical thinking and develop psychomotor skills, NA
students complete clinical management plans during clinical practice. The practicum
experiences are provided by appropriate clinical anesthesia faculty preceptors based on
the quality of learning experiences and mentoring provided. These experiences
enhance the student’s knowledge and respect for the practice of other health care
providers.
2.
Provide nurse anesthesia care based on sound
principles and research evidence.
The theory and clinical management components of the master’s programs at Michigan
State University are based on the Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced
Practice Nursing from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and, for the NA
program, the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
(COA). The curriculum includes NUR 804: Statistics for Healthcare Professionals and
NUR 806: Research for Advanced Practice Nurses, which provide students with the
knowledge necessary to determine the value of research in evaluating and improving
practice and/or patient care. These principles are intertwined throughout the curriculum
with a focus on clinically relevant research findings supporting evidence-based clinical
practice and anesthesia care.
3.
Perform a preanesthetic assessment and formulate an
anesthesia care plan for patients to whom they are
assigned to administer anesthesia.
NA students are introduced to the principles of preanesthetic assessment in NUR 880:
Health Assessment for Nurse Anesthesia and are required to write anesthesia
management plans. NUR 885: Anesthesia Practicum I gives students the opportunity to
assess and formulate anesthesia management plans for standardized patients before
starting the actual clinical rotations at the affiliate clinical sites. Evaluation of the
student’s performance in areas of assessment is part of the clinical evaluation (see
Appendix C-10: Sample of Nurse Anesthesia Program Clinical Evaluation Form).
Preoperative assessment and patient preparation is evaluated on a daily basis in the
operating room. Students review the patient’s past and present records to determine
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any history, genetic, or socio-cultural factors or psychological and physical conditions.
They review laboratory data, radiologic reports, EKG, and other indicated tests. They
interview the patient and perform a focused physical assessment. They are expected to
assign the correct anesthetic risk using the American Society of Anesthesiologist criteria
after they have evaluated the pertinent information. They are expected to record a clear,
concise, and legible pre-anesthetic note. Students formulate a comprehensive
anesthesia care plan suitable for the specific needs of the patient after discussion with
the clinical preceptor.
Ability to perform these skills is a component of the daily evaluation tool. Students are
expected to have written care plans every clinical day in their first semester. Thereafter,
verbal care plans are required. Clinical preceptors have the discretion to require a
written plan on any assigned case. Clinical preceptors serve as consultants to monitor
compliance with the required basic preanesthetic studies and additional studies or data
requirements necessary prior to the start of the case in which the student is assigned to
administer anesthesia.
4.
Identify and take appropriate action when confronted
with anesthetic equipment-related malfunctions.
The NA faculty members provide clinical training and hands-on experience in the use of
anesthesia equipment for students in a simulated surgical suite in the Granger
Simulation Lab. Students are expected to perform thorough machine checks prior to the
beginning of each day, determine if there is any problem, and solve it as necessary. The
skills needed for the student to differentially identify anesthetic equipment-related
malfunctions and take appropriate action is initially addressed in NUR 881:
Perioperative Technology and Instrumentation. Furthermore, assignments using the
University of Detroit-Mercy NA program Web site add additional instructional resources
to this critical learning phase.
5.
Interpret and utilize data obtained from noninvasive and
invasive monitoring modalities.
The use of noninvasive and invasive monitoring modalities is first presented during the
nurse anesthesia coursework in NUR 881: Perioperative Technology and
Instrumentation, NUR 882: Principles of Anesthesia I, NUR 883: Principles of
Anesthesia II,), NUR 885: Anesthesia Practicum I, and NUR 886: Anesthesia Practicum
II. Students come into the program with a degree of familiarity as critical care nurses
with at least one year of experience with these monitoring modalities and further
development and familiarity with the use of data and interpreting skills are enhanced
throughout the clinical site experiences. The ability to apply this knowledge is
determined in the clinical courses as part of the clinical objectives. Students are
evaluated on their ability to select and properly apply appropriate monitoring equipment
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and to interpret and correlate changes in physiologic parameters, identify problems, and
institute corrective measures.
6.
Calculate, initiate, and manage fluid and blood
component therapy.
Management of fluid and blood component therapy, including calculation and initiation,
is presented throughout the clinical curriculum. This concept is addressed during NUR
880: Health Assessment for Nurse Anesthetists and NUR 882: Principles of Anesthesia
I and continues with additional content-specific lectures and skills practice on the topics
of fluid calculation and management of fluid therapy. The clinical evaluation form
includes a section specifically addressing calculation of fluids. Students are evaluated
on these abilities. Additionally, NA faculty have developed a program using an online
learning content management system (LON-CAPA) specifically suited to assist students
in developing their skills in calculating the required doses of medication used in
anesthesia care.
7.
Recognize and appropriately respond to anesthetic
complications that occur during the perianesthetic
period.
The ability to recognize and appropriately respond to anesthetic complications that
occur during the perianesthetic period is paramount to the safe practice of nurse
anesthesia. Students are taught to recognize and respond correctly in a variety of ways.
During NUR 887: Pharmacology for Anesthesia Practice I, NUR 888: Pharmacology for
Anesthesia Practice II, NUR 883: Principles of Anesthesia II, and NUR 886: Anesthesia
Practicum II, students address coursework in the appropriate actions to correct potential
complications related to anesthesia practice. The simulation lab experiences further
enhance the students’ ability to manage crisis and reinforces the need for vigilance
throughout the perianesthetic course. Clinical site coordinators are responsible for
assisting students in reporting critical incidents. CON NA faculty review and follow up on
any case.
8.
Pass the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists’
(CCNA) certification examination in accordance with CCNA
policies and procedures.
The curriculum has been developed to provide the experiences necessary for graduates
to pass the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists’ certification examination. The
NA program faculty has sufficient access to and incorporates the latest technology
available for assisting students to achieve the outcome objectives of the program. This
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includes electronic technology, library resources, and a variety of teaching-learning
strategies. Faculty self-evaluation, student evaluation of faculty and the program, and
evaluation by College of Nursing Administration and the curriculum committee assist in
determining appropriateness of learning activities and the need for changes in
curriculum design to assure certification in accordance with CCNA policies and
procedures.
Graduates meet all the eligibility requirements to take the National Certification
Examination (NCE). The COA has established a preferred-time pass rate and
mandatory first-time pass rate for the NCE. The preferred first-time pass rate is 90% of
a composite of the previous five years’ national NBCRNA pass rate for first time takers
of the NCE. The mandatory pass rate is 80% of a composite of the previous five years’
national NBCRNA pass rate for first-time takers of the exam. While the passing rate for
the first two cohorts was exemplary, there was need for repeat testing for students in
the third cohort (only three cohorts have graduated). The program’s average results
after three graduating cohorts are 88.87% passing. The annual national average for the
same period was 89%. Candidates who were not successful on the first attempt were
successful on the second attempt.
d.
Communication skills are demonstrated by the graduate's
ability to:
1.
Effectively communicate with all individuals influencing
patient care.
Effective interdisciplinary communication skills are an essential part of the NA student’s
academic and clinical repertoire. NUR 802: Theoretical Foundations and Role
Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse and NUR 814: Health Care Policy and
Politics present communication development opportunities and require written
assignments to achieve course objectives. NA faculty present interdisciplinary
communication scenarios and assist students with developing effective communication
skills. Preanesthetic assessment and the end-of-program scholarly project provide
varied opportunities for the students to develop communication skills. Learning
objectives addressing effective communication are part of the clinical courses. Effective
communication about all aspects of care with patients, families, CRNA, and MD/DO
clinical preceptors, surgeons, nurses, and other ancillary personnel is an expectation
that is evaluated daily.
2.
Utilize appropriate verbal, nonverbal, and written
communication in the delivery of perianesthetic care.
Effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills development begins with
the first course the NA students complete( NUR 802: Theoretical Foundations and Role
Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse). In this course, assignments include
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formal papers and discussion board postings. Students are provided with the
opportunity to develop these skills further in other courses through written assignments,
documenting patient assessment, and presenting and discussing in three clinical
seminars.
e.
Professional responsibility is demonstrated by the graduate’s
ability to:
1.
Participate in activities that improve anesthesia care.
Weekly clinical case conferences and monthly morbidity and mortality conferences are
designed to enhance the clinical practicum experience and anesthesia care by way of
student presentations and group discussion of pertinent cases and events. Students are
expected to adhere to the affiliate hospitals’ Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
policies and participate in activities when appropriate. Other examples include student
participation in implementing and documenting pay-for-performance measures and
anesthesia quality measures adapted from the national Surgical Care Improvement
Project (SCIP) at the appropriate clinical sites. Examples of these include timing of
prophylactic antibiotics, prevention of catheter-related blood stream infections, and
perioperative temperature management. The scholarly project provides another
experience for the students to develop an activity that could improve anesthesia
practice.
2.
Function within appropriate legal requirements as a
registered professional nurse, accepting responsibility
and accountability for his or her practice.
Prior to admission into the Master of Science in Nursing at Michigan State University
College of Nursing, students must have and maintain current unrestricted licensure to
practice nursing as a registered nurse in his or her state or country. Unrestricted
licensure as a registered nurse in Michigan is required prior to beginning the program. A
database is maintained to track licensure status of students to maintain current license
standing.
Likewise, a policy forbidding employment, by title or function, as a nurse anesthetist
while enrolled in the program is included in the Nurse Anesthesia Supplement to the
Master’s Student Handbook and reviewed with students as part of orientation. Students
are required to sign a statement of understanding indicating that they have reviewed
and had any questions answered about legal requirements specific to participation in
the NA program.
3.
Interact on a professional level with integrity.
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Student daily evaluations include assessment and demonstration of professional
integrity. The importance of maintaining professional integrity is addressed throughout
the curriculum. If difficulties arise in these areas, the faculty of the NA program counsel
students and work with them to develop strategies to insure that students demonstrate
the required high standard of professional integrity and ethical practice.
4.
Teach others.
In addition to serving as a resource person, the emphasis on teaching, education, and
research is part of the overall mission of the CON and paramount to the continued
existence of this research-intensive, land=grant institution. Didactic content during NUR
802: Theoretical Foundations and Role Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse
and NUR 882: Principles of Anesthesia I all have content specific to the nurse
anesthetist as educator, clinician, and researcher. Opportunities to gain experience
occur during the presentation of case studies, staff conferences, and during the formal
presentation of the scholarly project.
5.
Participate in continuing education activities to acquire
new knowledge and improve his or her practice.
As the AANA treasurer and vice president candidate, the program director fully
understands the need to provide students with ample opportunities to acquire new
knowledge and improve their practice through continuing education activities. While
mandates from the AANA Council of Recertification dictate continuing education
throughout the professional career, students are encouraged to continue their education
and also encouraged to explore the requirements for doctoral education. Students are
also associate members of the AANA, which allows them access to the AANA Journal.
In the clinical seminar courses, students are educated about the continuing education
requirements mandated by the NBCRNA to be recertified. Students are required to
attend at least one local or state anesthesia meeting during the program and are
encouraged to attend at least one annual conference.
*
Failure to fully comply with one or more of these criteria is considered to be of
critical concern in decisions regarding NA program accreditation.
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Standard IV: Program Effectiveness
PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS IS EVIDENCED (1) IN THE QUALITYOF SSTUDENT,
ALUMNI, AND FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT THAT FURTHERS THE INSTITUTION’S
MISSION, PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES, (2) BY A COMMITMENT TO
CONTINUOUS SELF-ASSESSMENT, AND (3) BY HOW IT ENHANCES THE
EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.
CRITERIA
D1.
The institution and/or program utilize systematic evaluation
processes to assess achievement in the following areas:
a. The quality of the didactic, clinical and research curriculum.
The mission, goals, and expected student outcomes of the MSU-CON are reviewed
periodically and revised to reflect the current professional nursing standards and
guidelines, as well as the needs and expectations of the community of interest. The
CON evaluation plan was revised in 2010 with final approval at the faculty retreat in
August 2011 (see Appendix Table A1-d). The mission and goals of the college are
reviewed by the College Advisory Council (CAC) and the administrative team every
three years. The most recent review process began with a leadership retreat in January
2011 and resulted in minor revisions and reaffirmation of the mission and strategic
priorities at the April 15, 2011 faculty meeting and approval of the vision statement at
the September 16, 2011 faculty meeting.
Michigan State University has a published Code of Teaching Responsibility in the
university Faculty Handbook that requires instructors to state clearly to students in their
classes the instructional objectives of each course at the beginning of each semester. It
is expected that the class activities will be directed toward the fulfillment of the
objectives and that the bases upon which student performance is evaluated will be
consistent with the objectives. The code further states that instructors are responsible
for informing students in their classes of the methods to be used in determining final
course grades and any of the special requirements of attendance.
The University Committee on Curriculum (UCC) is the official university oversight body
that exercises “the faculty’s delegated authority to review and approve or reject all
changes in undergraduate courses and degree requirements proposed by academic
units, and [that has] delegated authority to approve or reject changes in graduate and
graduate-professional courses, curricula, and degree requirements, recommended by
the Graduate Council”. The review and approval process for all programs is a rigorous
process that requires both documents and discussion within the college and at the
university level before a program is approved.
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College of Nursing (CON) oversight of didactic and clinical curriculum:
A central component of the CON program review is the course review process.
Course reviews are organized on a three-year cycle for the graduate programs. This
process includes an assessment of course objectives and expected student outcomes
in relation to feedback from faculty and students and consistency with professional
standards. Student outcomes are assessed regularly by course and program faculty
according to the designated course and program objectives. Student outcomes for the
master’s program are reviewed by the Graduate Program Committee (GPC). The
College of Nursing monitors curriculum and instruction through a number of
mechanisms:

Course syllabi that are published on the CON Web site every semester, prior to
the start of classes. These syllabi contain course descriptions, content outlines,
course assignments and due dates, examination schedules, evaluation criteria,
and grading scales.

Course review of all new courses a) prior to the implementation through the
appropriate CON program committee, b) one semester post first-time instruction,
and c) every three years. The nurse anesthesia program courses are reviewed
through the Master's Program Committee. The last review of NA courses was
completed in 2011. Course review documents will be available in the Resource
Room.

Student evaluation of didactic instruction, content, course management, and
clinical instruction through the use of the Student Instructional Rating System
(SIRS) each semester for all courses Table D1-1 demonstrates the semester
percentage of MSN NA courses that meet or exceed the benchmark rating by
students of 3.5. Appendix Table D1-b demonstrates the semester percentage of
MSN NA faculty that meet or exceed the benchmark rating by students of 3.5.
Table D1-1: Percentage of MSN Nurse Anesthesia Course Ratings by
Semester That Meet or Exceed 3.5 points on a 5-point Scale
Semester
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
Summer 2010
Fall 2010
Spring 2011
Summer 2011
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Summer 2012
Percentage of Nurse Anesthesia
Courses rated > 3.5 points
100%
90%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
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Table D1-2 : Percentage of CON Nurse Anesthesia Faculty Ratings by
Semester That Meet or Exceed 3.5 points on a 5-point Scale
Semester
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
Summer 2010
Fall 2010
Spring 2011
Summer 2011
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
Summer 2012
Percentage of Nurse Anesthesia
Faculty rated > 3.5 points
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
All MSN graduates are invited to complete an online end-of-program survey
administered by Educational Benchmarking, Inc. (EBI). These surveys provide
feedback from similar Carnegie classification and selected benchmark
institutions. Table D1-1 demonstrates the annual aggregate program quality
ratings by MSN students over the past three years. Table D1-2 demonstrates a
comparison of the MSU-CON MSN program with other institutions.
Table D1-1 EBI longitudinal comparison
TableD1-2 EBI institutional comparison
Several program improvements have been implemented in response to analysis
of aggregate student outcome data. For example, aggregate data from EBI MSN
end-of-program survey reports (consistent with anecdotal student and faculty
feedback) informed decisions to create enhanced clinical and laboratory
opportunities as well as expanded clinical experiences. These enhanced
laboratory opportunities and expanded clinical experiences were designed and
adopted to improve the program and, ultimately, better prepare advancedpractice nurses. In response to an identified need to include more procedural
practice, CRNA faculty developed an emergency airway clinic scheduled for
students at least twice during their matriculation.
Additional inter-professional formative simulation events with critical care
patients, in conjunction with the College of Osteopathic Medicine, were
developed and scheduled as regular learning activities for courses NUR 880:
Health Assessment and NUR 892: Clinical Practicum II. Survey data subsequent
to these added opportunities have demonstrated an improvement in satisfaction
scores with regard to clinical instruction.
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b. A teaching and learning environment that promotes student
learning.
The College of Nursing philosophy, mission and vision statements speak to the
commitment to scholarship in teaching, research, service, and practice. The student
learner’s individual needs are considered and active participation in all courses is
encouraged. It is the goal of each College of Nursing educational program to develop
students with a passion for life-long learning. The graduate of the Master's of Science in
Nursing program is a “specialist with advanced skills in theory application, role
development, ethics, policy/organization, research, and health promotion/disease
prevention (CON philosophy)." The College of Nursing is committed to the development
of graduates who are knowledgeable, caring and innovative practitioners concerned
with improving health care and advancing the science in nursing through research and
practice (CON mission). Health care delivery is based on scientific knowledge and
evidence-based practice that improves the health status of individuals, families, and
communities both national and globally.
Masters’ end-of-program surveys indicate that the curriculum provides a teaching–
learning environment that supports student achievement. Aggregate EBI end-ofprogram scores demonstrate continuous program quality improvement and success
compared to peer institutions. (See Tables D1-1 & D1-2)
SEE scores demonstrates student learning specific to anesthesia competencies:
Table: D1-5
SEE Scores
c. Faculty contributions to teaching, practice, service, and scholarly
activities.
Expected faculty outcomes are directly related to, and congruent with, the MSU and
CON mission and goals in the areas of teaching, research, service, and practice.
Consistent with Boldness by Design, faculty members are expected to provide
instruction; conduct research; and enrich community, economic, and family life. The
MSU expectations for tenure are outlined in the Tenure and Promotion Guidelines found
in the MSU Faculty Handbook.
CON faculty outcome indicators for performance are found in a document developed by
the faculty in 2003 entitled, Michigan State University: College of Nursing Indicators to
be Used for Evaluation and Promotion, which is located in the Faculty Handbook on the
CON Web site under Faculty Evaluation. It is organized according to teaching, research,
service, and practice with specific indicators for each academic rank and examples of
evidence to be supplied for evaluation. This document provides a consistent source of
explanation for faculty expectations during the faculty recruitment process, faculty
orientation, and annual reviews and promotion reviews.
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Table D1-6 depicts a sample of faculty contributions to teaching, service, practice and
scholarship.
Faculty
Henry Talley,
CRNA, PhD
Gayle Lourens,
CRNA, MS
Teaching
Service
Practice
Scholarship
Examples of faculty contributions are available for review in the COA Resource Room.
d. The competence of graduates entering anesthesia practice.
The competence of each graduate entering the anesthesia practice is based on
systematic review of students throughout the academic program, at graduation, and
after graduation. This review process utilizes nurse anesthesia program objectives and
COA-guided standards relating to the practice of nurse anesthesia graduation criteria.
The nurse anesthesia program administrators and faculty ensure that graduates have
attained the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies in patient safety,
perianesthetic management, critical thinking, communication, and the professional role
of a nurse anesthetist.
Students are assessed daily by clinical faculty/preceptors when in clinical practice,
monthly by program faculty members, and at the end of every semester. A final
synthesis examination is conducted using simulator-based case scenarios and students
are required to take the Self Evaluation Examination (SEE). All students complete exit
evaluations of the program to determine if they are confident in their ability to begin
practice as new graduate nurse anesthetists (Appendix D1-e: Alumni Survey
Instrument). One-year and three-year employer’s evaluations are generated to evaluate
students post-graduation. Data from these instruments are collected, tracked, analyzed,
and maintained in a database to identify areas for change or improvement.
Employer surveys are available for review in the COA Resource Room.
e. Alumni achievement.
The CON NA Alumni have already demonstrated achievement in the first three
graduating classes. MSU NA gradates have presented at the AANA annual research
conference, have published in anesthesia-related research and clinical journals and are
functioning as clinical preceptors and didactic faculty. A list of these achievements are
available in the COA Resource Room.
f. Institutional/program resources.
Michigan State University and the College of Nursing participate in an annual strategic
planning process to assure that resources are adequate to meet program requirements
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as noted in Standard 2. Clinical sites are evaluated by students and faculty. Technology
resources are evaluated by faculty. Curricula are reviewed on a three-year cycle.
Reports of these evaluations are available for review in the COA Resource Room.
g. Student and faculty services
Student satisfaction with support services is assessed through the EBI end-ofprogram surveys. While the data indicates student perception of quality services,
opportunities for improvement have been identified by faculty and acted upon. An
example of an improvement implemented was the conversion of student personnel files
to an electronic format that allows faculty access to the complete student file from their
office. This facilitates student counseling and responding to credentialing requests.
D2.
The program has a written plan for continuous self-assessment that
promotes program effectiveness, purposeful change and needed
improvement.
The College of Nursing has a written plan for continuous self-assessment, which
promotes program improvement and increases the effectiveness of student’s
performance and faculty accomplishments. The currently published evaluation plans
found in the Michigan State University College of Nursing Self Study Report submitted
to the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in 2012(see Appendix
Table A1-d). The current College of Nursing Program Evaluation Plan includes
effectiveness of the nurse anesthesia program. The current CON Program Evaluation
Plan has four sections, based on the CCNE accreditation process:




Standard I: Program Quality: Mission and Governance
Standard II: Program Quality: Institutional Commitment and Resources
Standard III: Program Quality: Curriculum and Teaching-Learning Practices
Standard IV: Program Effectiveness: Student Performances and Faculty
Accomplishments
Curriculum and program effectiveness is considered a major responsibility of the faculty.
Program evaluation includes assessment measures of both internal and external
communities of interest consisting of systematic and cyclical input, throughput, and
output assessments. The CON has received another 10-year accreditation from the
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in 2012.
D3.
The program relies upon periodic evaluations from its communities
of interest to determine program effectiveness:
The CON engages a diverse community of interest to obtain input for program
improvement. This community of interest includes students, faculty, alumni, clinical
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partners, and employers. Students and faculty provide input through the formal CON
governance process and other meetings within the college.
In an effort to enhance the exchange of information between the CON and the external
communities of interest, as well as to formalize the communication process, the CON
Community Partner Advisory Group (CPAG), an advisory group of nursing professionals,
was established. The group meets twice annually. Participants in the CPAG represent
hospital partners, community-based clinical partners, the Michigan Center for Nursing
(MCN), and selected community colleges (CPAG membership list is found in Appendix
Table A1-a.) The associate dean for academic and clinical affairs also attends the meetings
as the facilitator.
The purpose of this group is to address issues that impact the nursing student clinical
experience, community practice concerns, and readiness of nursing school graduates for
the workplace. The goals, mission, and expected outcomes of the programs are addressed
and revised to meet the needs of the community of interest when appropriate. This group is
also intended to provide an on-going dialogue between the practice environment and
educators in nursing. Members of the CPAG are asked to evaluate the success of
students and graduates in the clinical areas of their facilities. Collaborative partnerships
are also explored as a group and between members. These annual meetings have
been well received.
The CON has an alumni board that is staffed and supported through the Office of
Development and Alumni Relations. This board meets twice a year and has regional
champions to represent the CON in different areas of the country. The dean meets with
the alumni board and communicates regular updates about the CON programs and
seeks input for future planning. The alumni board last met in fall 2012 and minutes of
the meeting are available for review in the COA Resource Room.
a. Student evaluations of the program, courses, classroom
instruction, clinical instruction, and clinical sites.
There are a number of mechanisms by which students have both voice and vote in the
College of Nursing and provide periodic evaluation and feedback of the program to the
faculty and administrators. These mechanisms are:
Program Evaluation
MSU College of Nursing participates in the American Association of Colleges of
Nursing EBI exit assessment process at the conclusion of these programs. Surveys
administered by EBI on an annual basis include the AACN/EBI Graduate Nursing
Education Exit Assessment. Aggregate reports from these surveys provide student
perceptions of program effectiveness. Comprehensive assessment reports from EBI are
made available to CON annually in August and include responses from graduates of the
previous fall, spring, and summer semesters. Reports for the MSN programs are
summarized by the director of AISS and provided to program directors for review and
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dissemination to course and concentration coordinators and program committees. (See
Tables D1-1 & D1-2).
Course and classroom instruction
SIRS is an online program which is made available every semester for students
to provide feedback about clinical faculty, classroom instruction, and course
management. Student ratings for each course and instructor are collected each
semester and reviewed by individual course faculty. Recently, an enhancement to the
reporting system has enabled composite reports of aggregate scores for courses and
faculty by semester. Aggregate reports can be reviewed by course faculty, program
committees, program directors, and administrators. This reporting function provides an
opportunity for identifying immediate issues and will be used to assess longitudinal
trends at the course and teaching performance level. (See Tables D2-1 &D2-2).
A copies of the SIRS survey tools are available in COA Resource Room.
Clinical Instruction and Sites
Students provide systematic feedback regarding clinical sites in a number of.
Students can provide feedback on the SIRS clinical faculty completion section and on
the CON Clinical Site Evaluation Form. These evaluations provide information about
agency resources and relationships, types of patients/clients, and site
recommendations. Student evaluation of clinical aite survey tools and reports are
available for review in the COA Resource Room.
b. Faculty evaluations of the program.
Faculty evaluation of the programs is a systematic process through a number of
faculty governance processes which include the program committees and College
Advisory Committee (CAC). The NA curriculum was reviewed in 2011. Results and
recommendations are available in the COA Resource Room. Examples of an
implemented recommendation are the expansion of clinical simulation activities and
enhancing regional anesthesia instruction.
c.
Employer evaluations of recent graduates.
Employer feedback is both systematic and anecdotal, giving agencies and
employers the opportunity to provide assessment and evaluation of College of
Nursing graduates. The CON has a very close working relationship with the local
and distant Michigan health care systems and monitors employer feedback of
graduate performance across the nation. Feedback from employers about CON
graduates is obtained through surveys which are distributed at biannual CON
Community Partner Advisory Group (CPAG) meetings. Survey results and employer
feedback from meeting minutes are compiled and summarized by the director of
Academic Instructional Support Services (AISS) and reported to the faculty and
administrators. Feedback from these evaluations is used to continually and
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systematically monitor and plan for curriculum improvements. (Appendix D3-b:
Employer Questionnaire).
d. Alumni evaluations of the program.
Alumni input and evaluation of the academic program in the college occurs both through
systematic review and networking. The CON alumni coordinator communicates with all
CON alumni through program development, communication networks, and networking
to support new graduates working across the United States. Alumni are also surveyed
both one year and three years post-graduation. (Appendix D3-c: Alumni Survey
Instrument).
e. Evaluations of the program by external agencies.
MSU and the College of Nursing are accredited by external accrediting bodies. MSU is
accredited by 10 year North central …. 2006. The CON received a 10-year
accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in 2012
and is currently seeking reaccreditation from the Council on the Accreditation of Nurse
Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). Copies of Accreditation self-study reports are
available in COA Resource Room.
The MSU-CON also collects and reviews aggregate data about program completion and
graduate achievements. As presented in the CON Evaluation Plan (see Appendix Table
A1-d), collection and review of aggregate data that demonstrate program graduation
rates and the achievement of our BSN and MSN graduates is also conducted. Sources
for aggregate graduation and achievement data include the following:
Graduation Rates:
Students in the NA concentration of the MSN program are enrolled as full-time
students with expected graduation time of two-and-a-half years (seven semesters).
Aggregate graduation rates for MSN students are calculated as the number of students
within a cohort who complete their program within three years of admission. The target
graduation rate for MSN graduates (inclusive of all three concentrations) is 75% within
five years. Graduation rates for each program are collected and compiled each
semester by the Office of Student Support Services (OSSS). Calculation of this rate is
formulated by the number of students completing the program at the projected cohort
graduation date divided by the number of students who entered the program at the start
date of that cohort. The graduation rate for the NA program since inception in 2008 has
exceeded the benchmark of 75%. Table D3-1 demonstrates the graduation rates for NA
program cohorts since spring 2010.
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Table D3-1:Nurse Anesthesia Graduation Rates
Date
Admitted
Number
enrolled
SS08
Projected
graduation
date
SS10
10
Number
graduated
w/ cohort
8
Percent
graduated
w/ cohort
80%
SS09
SS11
11
9
82%
SS10
SS12
11
9
82%
Specialty Board Certification Rates:
Graduates from the nurse anesthesia concentration take the certification exam
sponsored by the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse
Anesthetists (NBCRNA). Pass rates are reviewed by the director of the NA
concentration and the associate dean for academic and clinical affairs. The CON target
rate for MSN graduates passing specialty certification exams is 90% for first-time
examinees. Graduates meet all the eligibility requirements to take the National
Certification Examination (NCE). The COA has established a preferred-time pass rate
and mandatory first-time pass rate for the NCE. The preferred first-time pass rate is
90% of a composite of the previous 5 years’ national NBCRNA pass rate for first-time
takers of the NCE. The mandatory pass rate is 80% of a composite of the previous 5
years’ national NBCRNA pass rate for first-time takers of the exam.
While the MSU-CON first-time pass rate for the first two cohorts was exemplary (100%),
there was a need for repeat testing for students in the third cohort (only three cohorts
have been tested). The program’s average results after three graduating cohorts are
88.87% passing. The annual national average for the same period was 89% passing.
Candidates who were not successful on the first attempt were successful on the second
attempt.
Employment Rates:
Employment data about MSN graduates is gleaned from the EBI exit
assessments (end-of-program surveys), alumni surveys, and personal contacts with
graduates. One-hundred percent of MSU NA program graduates are employed in their
field within one year of graduation.
*
D4.
The program utilizes evaluation data from all sources to monitor and
improve program quality and effectiveness and student
achievement:
a.
Student evaluations, formative and summative, are conducted
by the faculty to counsel students and document student
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achievement in the classroom and clinical areas.
Didactic faculty and clinical preceptors complete formative and summative evaluation on
the performance of each student. Didactic performance is discussed with students
during counseling sessions with their advisor and/or the program director. All
evaluations document student achievement and include suggestions to improve
performance in the classroom or clinical area as indicated. Formative evaluations
include quizzes, examinations, in-class performance evaluations, clinical evaluations,
formal and information counseling sessions.
Didactic faculty provides a numeric grade for each student at the end of each course to
serve as a summative evaluation of performance in that course. Overall summative
evaluation includes the cumulative GPA for all program coursework. Instruments used
for formative and self evaluation are found in the MSN Nurse Anesthesia Supplemental
Handbook. Samples of evaluation instruments are available for review.
b.
Student achievement is documented through self-evaluation.
Students complete self-evaluations at the end of each semester. Self-evaluations are
intended to assist students to improve their performance by setting goals to which they
can aspire. Students review their self-evaluations with their advisor or one of the
program administrators. The self-evaluations are reviewed at mid-term and at the end of
the semester. The instruments used for student self-evaluation is found in Appendix D4a. Samples of completed evaluation instruments are available for review.
c.
Outcome measures, including graduation rates, grade point
averages, Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists’
(CCNA) Certification Examination pass rates and mean scores,
and employment rates and employer satisfaction are used to
assess the quality of the program and level of student
achievement.
Subset scores on the National Certification Examination (NCE) as well as the SelfEvaluation Examination (SEE) are used to identify areas of possible weakness in the
curriculum. NCE pass rates and program completion rates are reviewed and tracked by
the program. Additional outcome measures that are monitored include grade point
averages, employment rates, and employer satisfaction with graduates. Adjustments to
the curriculum are made to improve the program after considering outcomes.
d.
The program’s evaluation plan is used to continuously assess
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compliance with accreditation requirements and to initiate
corrective action should areas of noncompliance occur or
recur.
A programmatic evaluation has been developed for on-going review of the program’s
effectiveness, future goals for improvement, and methods for attaining these goals. The
plan includes actions to correct any area of noncompliance with accreditation
requirements. In addition, a policy on adherence to accreditation requirements is
included in the MSN Nurse Anesthesia Supplemental Handbook.
*
Failure to fully comply with one or more of these criteria is considered to be of
critical concern in decisions regarding nurse anesthesia program accreditation.
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Standard V: Accountability
THE PROGRAM DEMONSTRATES ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY TO ITS
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST INCLUDING THE PUBLIC, STUDENTS, FACULTY, THE
CONDUCTING INSTITUTION(S), AND EXTERNAL AGENCIES.
CRITERIA
*
E1.
The program evidences truth and accuracy in the following areas:
advertising, student recruitment, admissions, academic
calendars, program length, tuition and fees, travel requirements,
catalogs, grading, representation of accreditation, and faculty
accomplishments.
Advertising
All CON documents and publications are accurate and reflect the mission and goals of
the CON. The CON Web site was newly revised in 2012 and all aspects of the site have
undergone extensive review and revision. The Web site implementation and
communication with all parties is coordinated by the CON communications manager.
The Office of Student Support Services regularly reviews the academic program and
advising materials and changes are made in a timely fashion. The expectation for
review of documents and Web site materials is that each area review content every six
months and reaffirm the accuracy of the materials.
All changes to programs are posted to the CON Web site as soon as the change has
received the appropriate college and university approvals. When changes are made in
existing programs they are posted on the CON Web site and any affected students are
contacted directly by letter or e-mail. The CON follows university policies related to
academic calendar, recruitment and admission policies, transfer of credit policies, and
degree completion requirements. The tuition and fees for CON programs are published
on the university controller’s Web site and are accurate.
The CON Web site and MSU Academic Program Catalog developed by the Registrar’s
Office contains information about the NA program and is updated annually. These
publications include information about the admission process, program requirements,
clinical and didactic curriculum information, and the college history. NA students are
notified and have access to the most current policy or curriculum changes in the MSN
Student Handbook and the MSN NA Supplemental Handbook, which are available on
the CON Web site. The Web site information is updated annually. If changes occur
during the academic year, information is distributed to students by e-mail and classroom
announcements by the faculty or administration. The Spartan Life Student Handbook
and Resource Guide is also accessible on MSU’s Web site and includes rules,
regulations, rights, and responsibilities that have been established in the interest of
intellectual and personal development while protecting individual freedoms.
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Student Recruitment
Information sessions are offered to potential applicants each academic year on
campus and in collaboration with clinical partners. The NA program director and Student
Support Services are present to thoroughly advise potential applicants regarding clinical
and didactic aspects of the program, including travel requirements, time commitment,
and learning experiences at clinical sites. NA students enrolled in the program are
encouraged to participate in information sessions, providing additional insights for
program candidates. Clinical site information is identified in program brochures,
information packets, and the college Web site. Detailed information regarding grading
is found in individual syllabi. Additional information related to the university academic
calendar is located on the university Web site.
Admissions/Tuition and Fees
Policies and procedures related to admissions, academic calendars, program
length, and grading are contained within the University Academic Program Guide online
and the College of Nursing Web site. Tuition and fees are set annually by the Michigan
State University Board of Trustees and are communicated via the Controller's Office
Web site, registration materials, and direct written communication with the students. The
Accreditation for the NA program is identified on the CON Web site and all written
materials as prescribed by the Council on Accreditation of NA Educational Programs
.
Admission requirements for NA students, such as prior work experience related to
critical care, prior statistical course work, GRE, statistics, and ACLS/PALS are available
online. Applicants to the NA program are pre-screened by the academic advisor.
Applicants meeting eligibility and admission criteria are then submitted to the NA faculty
for on-site interviews and screening. With collaboration of the interview team, a list of
potential candidates for admission are recommended to the Graduate Program
Committee (GPC) and ultimately forwarded to the dean for authorization to move
forward in the admission process. Candidates are selected and notified well in advance
of their first scheduled day of class. Selection and notification occur in early summer to
allow candidates ample time for planning and attending the statewide and CON student
orientations for new NA students. Applicants not selected receive a letter of notification
from the College of Nursing
Faculty Accomplishments
Faculty accomplishments are updated and reported as part of the peer review
process. MSU-CON provides access to faculty CVs on the Web site. Curriculum vitae
are updated annually and as necessary. The Center for Nursing Research publishes a
biannual compilation of faculty accomplishments. Samples of these reports will be
available on site for review in the COA Resource Room.
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E2. The program identifies, publishes, and distributes the rights and
responsibilities of the following entities as they relate to the
program: patients, applicants, students, faculty, conducting and
affiliating institutions, and the accrediting agency.
The rights and responsibilities of patients, applicants, students, faculty, conducting and
affiliating institutions, and the accrediting agency are identified, published, and
distributed. The rights and responsibilities of applicants to the NA program are
accessible on the Michigan State University College of Nursing Web site as are
requirements and prerequisites for admission to the master of nNursing programs.
Rights and responsibilities of faculty are identified in the University Faculty Handbook
and the CON Faculty Handbook . CON bylaws and are available for review during the
on-site visit.
The Spartan Life Student Handbook contains policies, including graduate student rights
and responsibilities. Procedures and expectations specific to the NA program are
explained in the CON MSN Student Handbook and the NA Supplemental Handbook.
These are updated regularly and accessible to current and newly admitted students and
faculty.
In order to adequately publish and distribute these policies, the Michigan State
University College of Nursing has drafted the following procedures as they relate to the
NA program as part of the MSN Student Handbook:

The NA Supplemental Handbook, which lists the identified rights and
responsibilities of students enrolled in the NA concentration of the MSN
program, is accessible on the CON Web site and reviewed with new students in
their orientation session.

College-level orientation for faculty members covers the NA Supplemental
Handbook to specifically review rights and responsibilities of faculty associated
with the NA program. Faculty are required to complete an online tutorial on
FERPA in order to become familiar with students' privacy rights.

The MSU Web site provides information to applicants about the process involved
in applying for the program, the admission criteria, an outline of the curriculum,
and full disclosure of time commitment, costs, tuition, fees, accreditation status,
and affiliating agencies

The MSU-CON clinical placement coordinator initiates, processes, and
maintains affiliation agreements between the MSU-CON and its clinical partners,
which articulate the rights and responsibilities for the conducting institution,
affiliating institutions, and students.
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Michigan State University College of Nursing
Patient privacy rights are addressed in required HIPAA training for and students
in orientation.
E3.
The program annually publishes accurate information about its
programmatic accreditation status, the specific academic program
covered by the accreditation status, the name, address, and
telephone number of the Council; and for the most recent
graduating class the attrition, employment of graduates within six
months of graduation, and the certification examination pass rate
for first time takers.
The College of Nursing provides accurate information about student achievement,
retention, and attrition to the public upon request. In addition, such information is
reported annually to the CON administration team, NA faculty, and with the COA
through our annual written report.
*
E4.
Complaints, grievances and appeals are resolved in a timely
and equitable manner affording adequate due process.
Formal complaints are defined for students, faculty, community partners, and other
external groups. Students are also advised of the informal processes to share concerns
or questions during their academic program. After discussion with course faculty,
students in the MSN NA program are referred to discuss their concern with the program
director and the associate dean for academic and clinical affairs.
Student complaints
For students, a formal complaint is defined as a written request for a formal
hearing using the student grievance process. The Academic Freedom for Students at
Michigan State University (AFR) and the Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities
at Michigan State University (GSRR) documents establish the rights and responsibilities
of MSU students and prescribe procedures for resolving allegations of violations
through formal grievance hearings. In accordance with the AFR and the GSRR, the
College of Nursing has established the college hearing board procedures for
adjudicating undergraduate student academic grievances. Processes for requesting,
appointing members to, conducting, and appealing the decision of the hearing board are
found in the Master of Science in Nursing Student Handbook for master's students.
The College of Nursing hearing board processes were developed by the CON to be
consistent with the university policy and processes. At the time of any revision, the CON
submits its policy to the university ombudsman for review to assure compliance with
university processes. The CON policy and processes are reviewed and approved
annually by the UPC and the GPC. Members of the hearing board are appointed at that
time.
Faculty complaints
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Faculty grievances are defined as a written complaint filed by a faculty or
academic staff member against an administrator of the university alleging a violation of
university, college, department, school, or unit policy or established practice. The
Faculty Grievance Policy is accessible to faculty in the online MSU Faculty Handbook.
The procedures and appeals processes are described in this policy.
Community Partner and Other Community Complaints
External complaints from clinical partners, patients, and other members of the
community are defined as written (including e-mail) complaints or concerns related to
the CON personnel, students, or programs that are received by or referred to the Office
of Academic Instructional Support Services (AISS), the Office of Student Support
Services (OSSS), the Office of Academic and Clinical Affairs, or the Office of the Dean.
The process for handling complaints or concerns includes a referral to the appropriate
administrator for follow-up and action. For example, a concern related to professional
behavior of a student or faculty member in a clinical setting would be referred to the
associate dean for academic and clinical affairs. The associate dean would then
communicate directly with the concerned party and obtain details about the situation.
Depending on the nature of the concern, the associate dean would meet with all
involved CON parties to conduct an investigation. Actions, including a meeting or having
other direct communication with the external party, would be determined based on the
investigation's findings and then implemented. Documentation of the external complaint
and the resolution of the situation would be stored in a confidential file in the academic
affairs office.
*
E5.
The program defines and uses policies and procedures that are fair
and equitable and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
religion, age, gender, national origin, marital status, disability,
sexual orientation, or any factor protected by law.
The College of Nursing, including the NA program, adheres to the MSU’s AntiDiscrimination Policy which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual
orientation, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, or age in the admissions or
employment processes or any factor protected by law. MSU has an Office for Inclusion
and Intercultural Initiatives to support students and faculty.
*
E6.
The program defines and uses policies and procedures regarding
academic integrity in all of its educational activities.
In order to facilitate a climate of academic excellence and integrity, the faculty of the
College of Nursing adopted a honor code during the Spring 2003 semester. Students
are expected to contribute to the legitimacy of their degree by reporting any breeches to
this honor code. Student confidentiality will be maintained in all investigated cases.
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Students found in breach of the CON academic standards will be reviewed under the
academic dishonesty guidelines presented in the previous section.
The following code of honor was displayed in student handbooks and course syllabi:
As a student in the MSU College of Nursing…
I vow to hold myself and my peers to the highest measure of honesty and
integrity.
I commit myself to respectful and professional conduct in all classroom and
clinical interactions.
I will neither give nor receive any unauthorized assistance in completing my
assigned academic work.
I will always prepare completely to care for my patients before attending clinical.
I will hold in confidence all personal matters coming to my knowledge in the
practice of my calling.
I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my chosen
profession.
Student Scholarly Activities
Students are expected to adhere to the Intellectual Integrity Policies of the
College of Nursing, the Guidelines for Integrity in Research and Creative Activities of
Michigan State University, and the ethical guidelines for research of the federal
government. The MSU Guidelines for Integrity in Research and Creative Activities
identifies key principles as:








Honesty in proposing, performing, and reporting research.
Recognition of prior work.
Confidentiality in peer review.
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest.
Compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.
Protection of human subjects and humane care of animals in the conduct
of research.
Collegiality in scholarly interactions and sharing of resources.
Adherence to fair and open relationships between senior scholars and
their coworkers.
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Students engaged in scholarly activities (e.g. scholarly projects) are responsible to
follow the guidelines of scholarly writing as outlined in the latest edition of the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and the MSU College of
Nursing Guidelines for Authorship. Ethical principles ensure the accuracy of scientific
and scholarly knowledge and protect intellectual rights. Principles include reporting of
results, plagiarism, publication credit, sharing of data, and copyright information.
*
E7.
The program maintains accurate cumulative records of educational
activities.
The Office of Student Support Services maintains admission application documents.
Applications from applicants who are not accepted into the NA program are kept on file
for a period of one year. Course syllabi are stored online. Clinical evaluations, student
self-evaluations, and daily clinical affiliate student evaluations are secured in electronic
student record files. Student caseload data are posted in the Typhon Group clinical
case database system for which the assistant program director is the sub-administrator.
Data from this system can then be downloaded into an Excel file spreadsheet following
graduation for statistical analysis and follow-up.
*
E8.
The program forbids the employment of NA students as nurse
anesthetists by title or function.
The following statement can be found in the Policy and Procedures section of the MSN
NA Supplemental Handbook: "Under no circumstances may a NA student seek
employment as a nurse anesthetist by title or function before successful completion of
the program. This practice is prohibited not only by program policy but also by law."
*
E9. The program limits students’ commitment to the program to a
reasonable number of hours to ensure patient safety and
promote effective student learning. (see Glossary: Reasonable
time commitment)
While time commitment will vary based on the semester and year the student is in the
program, student commitment to the program is structured to comply with the guidelines
set forth by the COA in an effort to promote effective student learning. The NA student's
commitment to the program averages 60-70 hours per week, which is consistent with
national averages. Academic and clinical faculty members are vigilant in their
awareness with the time commitment of students so that excesses in student time
commitment can be immediately addressed and resolved. NA students are responsible
for all units of didactic instruction in the event of an absence from the classroom.
Course work must be completed as assigned, or the NA student is subject to removal
from the program.
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E10. The program restricts clinical supervision in nonanesthetizing areas
to credentialed experts who are authorized to assume responsibility
for the student (see Glossary: credentialed expert.)
The NA program allows students to be supervised only by CRNAs and physician
anesthesiologists (MD or DO) who are properly credentialed and authorized to assume
clinical supervision responsibility for NA students in all areas, including nonanesthetizing areas. Students are not allowed to be supervised by non-credentialed
personnel or those not authorized to assume responsibility.
*
E11. The program restricts clinical supervision of students in
anesthetizing areas to CRNAs and/or anesthesiologists with
institutional staff privileges who are immediately available in all
clinical areas. Instruction by graduate registered nurse anesthetists
or physician residents is never appropriate if they act as the sole
agents responsible for the student.
The MSU College of Nursing anesthesia program faculty have developed policy
specifying anesthesia supervision of students in anesthetizing areas. This policy is
shared with each clinical site and included in the documents for preceptor orientation.
Routine review of the supervision requirements with each affiliate clinical coordinator to
assure compliance with this policy issue is maintained. In compliance with the COA
policy on supervision, it is the policy of this program to limit student supervision to ratios
of 1:1 or 1:2 depending on the progress of the student and the decision of the clinical
faculty. Students are not permitted supervision by senior students, graduate nurse
anesthetists, physician residents, or physician/anesthesia assistants.
*
E12. The program ensures that students and CRNA faculty including
clinical instructors are currently licensed as registered professional
nurses in one jurisdiction of the United States and CRNAs are
certified/recertified by the Council on Certification/Recertification of
Nurse Anesthetists.
Current unrestricted Michigan registered nurse licensure is an admissions requirement
for students enrolling in the MSU NA program. All NA students hold current unrestricted
Michigan registered licenses as registered nurses. CRNA faculty, including clinical
affiliate instructors, maintain current licensure as registered professional nurses in one
jurisdiction of the United States and CRNAs preceptors maintain current
certification/recertification by the Council on Certification/Recertification of Nurse
Anesthetists.
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*
Michigan State University College of Nursing
E13. The clinical supervision ratio of students to instructors must be
coordinated to insure patient safety by taking into consideration: The
student’s knowledge and ability; the physical status of the patient;
the complexity of the anesthetic and/or surgical procedure; and the
experience of the instructor.
Faculty, administrators, and clinical coordinators make every effort to ensure that
clinical supervision is based on student knowledge, technical skills and ability, patient
acuity, complexity of the anesthetic and/or surgical procedure, and the experience of the
faculty. Program faculty are ultimately responsible for student assignments which are
made with the consultation of the affiliate site clinical coordinator. When clinical
assignments are made, the affiliate site clinical coordinator is aware of the student’s
knowledge and ability; the physical status of the patient; and the complexity of the
anesthetic and/or surgical procedure so that each experience is planned and developed
in a progressive manner to optimize the clinical experiences of the individual student.
Student supervision begins with a 1:1 ratio, which then progresses to 1:2. Because
patient safety and student success are two major foci of this program, feedback in the
form of daily written student competency and evaluation reviews, along with formative
and summative evaluations, determine the rate of advancement and case complexity.
Students requiring greater supervision continue to have a 1:1 supervision ratio.
Students that continue to have issues with patient safety of phase progression are
counseled, given opportunities to correct the behavior or practice, and may be removed
from the program if these issues cannot be resolved.
*
Failure to fully comply with one or more of these criteria is considered to be of
critical concern in decisions regarding nurse anesthesia program accreditation.
78