Fifteen new graduate students in the Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing & Health Studies began the rigorous journey toward a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in Nurse Anesthesia at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ’s Austin campus. The program expansion was approved earlier this year by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs and is the only accredited DNP Nurse Anesthesia concentration in Central Texas.
Current anesthesia workforce shortages pose a significant threat to healthcare delivery in Texas. Unmet demand for anesthesia services at hospitals and outpatient surgical centers causes delays and cancelations in procedures that require sedation and general anesthesia. The growing demand for such procedures is driven by a growing elderly population.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆbrought its Nurse Anesthesia program to Austin to help ease shortages of anesthesia services across the region. The program addresses the growing need for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) within the state. According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies, demand for CRNAs is projected to grow by 30.9% by 2032.
The DNP Nurse Anesthesia concentration at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆis ranked #29 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.
Assistant Program Director Leigh Taylor, DNP, MS, CRNA, APRN, who co-authored the University’s expansion proposal, said, “The expansion in Austin not only addresses the national CRNA shortage but also aligns with Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ’s Jesuit mission of serving others through education and healthcare, exemplifying our commitment to compassionate care and social responsibility.”
The Nurse Anesthesia program is Fairfield’s most competitive academic program. Despite being a newcomer to Austin, the University received more than 120 applications for only 15 available spots in the program at the Austin campus.
“The program has attracted the highest caliber of critical care nurses who are ready to advance their careers,” said Program Director Steven Belmont, DNP, CRNA, APRN. “All of our nurse anesthesia residents joining the Class of 2027 have their own unique story and path that led them here. They also share strong academic backgrounds, critical thinking skills, and a desire to provide high-quality care to their patients.”
The talented cohort of nurse anesthesia residents in Austin boasts an impressive average undergraduate GPA of 3.7 and nearly three-and-a-half years of ICU experience.
Assistant Program Director Carrie Cromwell, DNP, MS, CRNA, APRN, was eager to welcome members of the cohort. “It is exciting to have them on campus. I am confident that our current class of high-caliber nurse anesthesia residents will achieve success as they complete their graduate-level education.”
The Austin program is a geographical expansion of the school’s program in Fairfield, Conn., which is known for its robust academic and clinical components. The curriculum includes a mixture of didactic, simulation, and clinical learning. Students will have a minimum of 2000 clinical hours and 650 cases at graduation.
The Egan School has partnered with Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, St. David’s HealthCare, and U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP) Central Texas in Ascension Hospitals to ensure its residents receive the highest quality clinical experience in and around Austin.The first cohort of nurse anesthesia residents in Austin joined three cohorts of second-degree nursing students at Fairfield’s campus on Shoal Creek Boulevard. The facility features a 21-bed clinical learning laboratory and eight simulation rooms, including a state-of-the-art operating room, for creating fully immersive learning scenarios.
