Post–Masters Certificate
Nurse Anesthesia
School of Nursing
444 O’Dowd Hall
Rochester, Michigan 48309-4401
(248) 370-4253
www.oakland.edu/nursing
nursinfo@oakland.edu
The Post-Master’s Certificate in Nurse Anesthesia is a graduate program of full-time study that prepares nurses as specialists in anesthesia
care. Clinical core and specialty courses, including clinical internships, are the same as the MSN nurse anesthesia program. Upon
completion of the 40-credit, 28 month post-master’s certificate program, the nurse is prepared to sit for the certification exam offered by
the Council of Certification of Nurse Anesthetists leading to the designation CRNA.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia
Educational programs.
Admission Requirements
 Compliance with Oakland University graduate study admission requirements.
 Completion of a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from an institution accredited by the National League for Nursing or the
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The undergraduate cumulative grade point average must be a 3.0 or above. Transcript
must reflect an undergraduate physical assessment course.
 Physiology and pathophysiology courses must be within 7 years of applying to the program. Anatomy, pharmacology and either
organic chemistry or biochemistry must be within 10 years of applying to the program. Grades in each of these courses must be at or
above a 3.0.
 A minimum of one year of critical care clinical experience as a RN, during which time the applicant has functioned as an independent
decision maker, demonstrated advanced psychomotor skills, and used and interpreted advanced monitoring techniques. Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) experience must have occurred within 2 years of the application deadline. Emergency room, recovery room and
step-down units typically do not satisfy the ICU requirement.
 Able to demonstrate the competencies underpinning the ANA Standards of Care and Standards of Professional Performance.
 Eligible for a current Registered Nurse license in the state of Michigan.
 Attend an interview with the Admissions Committee that consists of a group interview and a brief evaluation of critical care nursing
knowledge and skills.
Required Admission Materials
 An application for admission to graduate study and an application fee.
 Official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate course work.
 Two letters of recommendation from professionals who are able to attest to the applicant’s ability. One recommendation must be
from a current nurse manager.
 A School of Nursing Supplemental Application and a goal statement of 500 to 1,000 words, with attention given to the applicants
professional goals and experience, and contributions the applicant expects to make to the profession of nursing.
 Proof of BLS and ACLS certification.
The deadline for the application materials and all supporting material is September 15 for the class that begins full-time study in Fall the
following year.
Degree Requirements
The program of study for post-master’s certificate in nurse anesthesia is 40 credits and requires 28 months of full-time study, commencing
in September. Extensive time is required in the clinical setting, beginning with 16 hours a week the first term and concluding with 40 or
more hours a week during the final internship. Clinical requirements by the accrediting body require a minimum of 550 cases, in all
specialty areas, with at least 800 hours of anesthesia time.
The 40 credits of graduate course work are distributed as follows:
Clinical Core courses
NRS 605 Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia I (3)
NRS 651 Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia II (3)
NRS 652 Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthesia III (3)
BIO 501 Physiology and Pathophysiology I (3)
BIO 502 Physiology and Pathophysiology II (3)
BIO 503 Gross Anatomical Dissection (3)
Specialty courses
NRS 607 Introduction to NA Practice & Clinical Internship I (3)
NRS 615 Nurse Anesthesia Practice II (4)
NRS 617 Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Internship II (1)
NRS 618 Biophysics for Nurse Anesthesia (2)
NRS 625 Nurse Anesthesia Practice III (4)
NRS 627 Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Internship III (1)
NRS 635 Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management (3)
NRS 637 Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Internship IV (1)
NRS 647 Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Internship V (1)
NRS 657 Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Internship VI (1)
NRS 667 Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Internship VII (1)
Graduate Program Objectives
In keeping with the philosophy of the School of Nursing, graduates achieve the following outcome competencies.
1.
2.
3.
Incorporate concepts and theories from nursing and related disciplines into advanced nursing practice.
Provide advanced nursing care in a variety of settings in accordance with the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope and
Standards of Practice Registered Nursing and appropriate subspecialty standards.
Exemplify in practice the American Nurses Association Standards of Professional Performance as detailed in the Scope and
Standards of Advanced Practice Registered Nursing as well as other appropriate advanced standards of care.
Oakland University School of Nursing uses a variety of teaching formats for its graduate programs. All required MSN Foundation courses
are offered via distance learning technology. The MSN Clinical Core and Specialty courses may be taught entirely using distance learning
technology, use a combination of distance learning technology and classroom formats, or be entirely classroom-based. Distance learning
courses at Oakland University may require up to three face-to-face sessions during a semester. For students unable to attend any course’s
required face-to-face sessions, every effort will be made to arrange alternate assignments.
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Oakland University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution.
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All data in this document reflect information, as it was available at the publication date. School of Nursing and Oakland University reserve the right to revise all
information contained in the publication at its discretion and to make reasonable changes in requirements to improve or upgrade academic and non-academic
programs.