Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesia

Program Objectives

Upon successful completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia, the graduate should be able to:

1. Conduct and document a comprehensive and systematic assessment of health and illness parameters in complex situations, incorporating diverse and culturally sensitive approaches.
2. Design, implement, and evaluate therapeutic interventions based on scientific knowledge and emerging approaches to nurse anesthesia practice and healthcare delivery to promote optimal outcomes.
3. Demonstrate advanced levels of clinical reasoning and judgment, systems thinking, and accountability in designing, delivering, and evaluating evidence-based care to improve patient outcomes.
4. Develop and sustain therapeutic relationships and partnerships with patients (individual, family or group) and other professionals (e.g., transdisciplinary) to facilitate optimal care and patient outcomes.
5. Guide, mentor, and support other nurses to achieve excellence in nursing practice.
6. Educate and guide individuals and groups through complex health and situational transitions.
7. Apply ethical principles to decision making in health care practices and systems.
8. Use conceptual and analytical skills in evaluating the links among practice, organizational, population, fiscal, and policy issues.
9. Advocate for anesthesia care and health care practice change through active involvement in policy development and political processes.
10. Obtain and document informed consent including risks, benefits, and anesthesia alternatives.
11. Evaluate the patient's physical and psychological status identifying abnormalities that will have implications on the anesthesia care plan, including evaluation of all laboratory, radiographic, and other diagnostic test data.
12. Develop and execute an appropriate anesthesia care plan based on the patient's condition and the surgical/diagnostic procedure, including effective utilization of fluids and blood products.
13. Select, assemble, and maintain proper equipment, anesthetic agents, and accessories in preparation for sedation, general anesthesia, and/or regional anesthetic techniques.
14. Demonstrate the ability to deliver individualized, safe and effective anesthesia care based on clinically relevant scientific principles.
15. Perform physiologically sound sedation, general anesthesia and/or regional techniques compatible with patient condition and the surgical procedure in a safe, effective, and ethical fashion.
16. Identify the need for, insert/employ, interpret and integrate information from a variety of monitoring modalities including electrocardiography, pulse oximetry, capnography, noninvasive and invasive monitoring (e.g., arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, pulmonary artery pressure).
17. Implement and supervise appropriate physical positioning of the patient to ensure safety for the patient and optimum working conditions for the surgical team.
18. Function within appropriate legal requirements including those arising from licensing, certifying, or institutional entities.
19. Exhibit expected role responsibilities, maintaining integrity and legal/ethical standards.
20. Demonstrate responsibility for own actions through continuing personal and professional growth.
21. Provide leadership in organizations and systems to assure quality care delivery models.