Nurse Anesthetist
The Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program at Fisher equips nurses with the in-demand and specialized skills of administering and monitoring anesthesia.
Careers in anesthesiology are evolving, and CRNAs are highly sought after in the medical field. Advance your nursing skills with a doctoral-level degree at Fisher. Through our AGACNP program, our nurse anesthetists are uniquely equipped to deliver exceptional care in anesthesia and acute adult patient management.
Program Overview
The dual-degree AGACNP and CRNA program includes a rigorous curriculum of clinical experience that integrates advanced anesthesia techniques with comprehensive acute care skills. Experiential learning is a fundamental part of our curriculum, and students will participate in low and high-fidelity simulation in our state-of-the-art Glover-Crask Simulation Center and skills labs. Students will complete a minimum of 2600 clinical hours, with 600 of those clinical hours allocated to the role of the AGACNP.
Coursework includes:
- Study in advanced airway, spinal, and epidural assessment and management techniques utilized by nurse anesthesia providers.
- Exploration of the phases of anesthesia care and care plans associated with each phase.
- Review of radiographic and laboratory testing and interpretation as they apply to anesthesia care and management.
- Integrated study of how medications treating chronic illnesses affect patients receiving anesthesia. Clinical application of pharmacology will focus on evidence-based practice related to pharmacological principles inherent to the administration of anesthesia.
Our program emphasizes a holistic approach to patient care, preparing graduates to manage complex clinical scenarios across diverse settings confidently. By blending anesthesia expertise with acute care proficiency, our graduates emerge as versatile healthcare leaders capable of optimizing patient outcomes and meeting evolving healthcare demands.
Program Outcomes
The program prepares you to:
- Sit for National Certification Exam (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
- Sit for the NCEs for Acute Care Nurse Practitioners offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).
- Provide high quality anesthesia care in any clinical and practice setting.
- Demonstrate professional behavior, compassionate care, effective communication, critical thinking, and leadership qualities in anesthesia and the community.
- Uphold the highest standards of patient safety and care as a compassionate and skilled nurse anesthetist.
Program Admission
The dual-degree AGACNP and CRNA program begins in the Spring semester. View complete application requirements.
The program requires a minimum of one year of current adult ICU experience. Registered nurses and nurse practitioners must be employed part-time or full-time in an ICU at the time of application. Fisher accepts critical care experience from Adult ICUs including CCU/CVICU, MICU, Neuro ICU, SICU, and Trauma ICU. PICU is the only pediatric experience accepted. NICU, ER, OR, and PACU experiences will not be accepted. Additionally, adult ICU experience outside of the United States or its territories will only be considered if gained within a US military hospital.