Nurse Anesthesia Curriculum (MSNA Tract)

Phase I: Lecture (First 12 months)

Phase I begins each August and is completed the following August. During this period, students earn 40 graduate credit hours. In order to begin Phase II of the program, students must complete Phase I within 12 months of the beginning of their coursework and maintain a 3.0 GPA or greater. In the event of emergencies, students may be granted a leave of absence (see handbook for details).

Phase I Curriculum (40 hours)

Fall Semester (16 credits)

NRAN 60113

Research and Theory in Nurse Anesthesia

NRAN 60123

Physical Science in Nurse Anesthesia

NRAN 60134

Advanced Pharmacology

NRAN 60146

Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology I

Spring Semester (12 credits)

NRAN 60224

Pharmacology of Anesthetic Agents

NRAN 60235

Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology II

NRAN 60213

Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology III

First Summer Session (6 credits)

NRAN 60316

Physical Assessment and Monitoring in Anesthesia Practice

Second Summer Session (6 credits)

NRAN 60416

Principles of Anesthesia Practice

Distance Option

All students must be in residence during the fall semester of Phase I. Students may arrange to complete the spring and summer semesters of Phase I by distance programming at clinical sites that offer this option. Distance option classes are presented via live video-broadcast. At least two students per site must elect this option in order to make programming feasible; once initiated for a group of students, distance programming will continue as long as needed by that group. A fee per credit hour is assessed to cover broadcasting costs (no students at distant sites are assessed broadcast fees during Phase II).

Phase II: Clinical (Minimum 16 months)

Upon completion of Phase I, students must immediately enter Phase II. This phase of the program begins in late August and lasts approximately 16 months. During this time, the student's learning is built upon the material covered during the first phase of the program and is primarily a clinical residency, although the student also returns to the classroom on a weekly basis for extensive clinically related study. Phase II ends in December. At the end of Phase II, the graduate receives a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia, or a Doctor of Nursing Practice – Anesthesia (depending on enrolled tract), and becomes eligible to write the National Certifying Examination for Nurse Anesthetists given by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists. Graduates who successfully complete this written exam are eligible to be certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs).

Phase II consists of the actual administration of general and regional anesthesia with qualified clinical instructors (anesthesiologists and/or CRNA). Weekly classroom sessions consist of clinical conferences; journal club; and seminars dealing with current topics including, but not necessarily limited to, respiratory, cardiovascular, thoracic, neurosurgical, regional, obstetrical, pediatric and special areas of anesthesia. Various special projects and competency examinations are administered throughout this phase.

Phase II courses are offered in concurrent sequences. Each set, e.g., NRAN 60572 and 60583, must be taken together and successfully completed prior to beginning the next set.

Phase II Curriculum (19 hours)

Fall Semester (5 credits)

NRAN 60572

Pathophysiology and Clinical Management I

NRAN 60583

Clinical Residency I

Spring Semester (5 credits)

NRAN 60672

Pathophysiology and Clinical Management II

NRAN 60683

Clinical Residency II

First and Second Summer Sessions (4 credits)

NRAN 60772

Professional Aspects

NRAN 60782

Clinical Residency III

Fall Semester (5 credits)

NRAN 60972

Clinical Concepts

NRAN 60983

Clinical Residency IV

These academic courses are accepted as continuing education by the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas for Type I credit (If audited, contact the School of Nurse Anesthesia director for instructions).

Course Numbering System

Courses numbered 60000 or above are graduate-level courses. The first two numbers, 60, are standard in all courses. The third number indicates which semester in the sequenced program the course is placed (e.g., a 3 indicates the course is in the third semester). The summer sessions are numbered separately; there are nine semesters in the program. In Phase I courses, the fourth number has no significance. In Phase II courses, the fourth number indicates whether the course is a residency (an 8) or a concepts course (a 7). The last number indicates the number of credit hours.

Minimum Case Requirements

The School of Nurse Anesthesia exceeds the general requirements as set forth by the Council on Accreditation, Standards and Guidelines for Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs/Schools. Each RRNA is required to complete a minimum of 650 cases.

Grading

A grade is assigned for each course in which a student is regularly enrolled for graduate credit. A passing grade may be earned only if the student is enrolled for the duration of the course.

The graduate program at TCU requires a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 for graduation. A course grade of at least "B" is required in the following courses:

NRAN 60224

Pharmacology of Anesthetic Agents

NRAN 60235

Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology II

NRAN 60213

Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology III

NRAN 60316

Physical Assessment and Monitoring in Anesthesia Practice

NRAN 60416

Principles of Anesthesia Practice

NRAN 60572

Pathophysiology and Clinical Management I

NRAN 60672

Pathophysiology and Clinical Management I

NRAN 60772

Professional Aspects

NRAN 60972

Clinical Concepts

A course grade of less than "C" will not be accepted in any other course.

No more than six credit hours of "C" are accepted.

Graduation Criteria

All Phase I work is to be completed within one year from the date of program admission. Phase II is to be completed in 16 months. To qualify for graduation, a student must have completed a minimum of 59 semester hours of work with a 3.0 overall GPA (on a 4.0 scale). The Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia will be awarded upon completion of Phase II.





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