Roseman University College of Nursing launches doctoral program for nurse anesthetists

The College of Nursing at Roseman University of Health Sciences today announced its new Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia (DNPNA) program to address the national demand for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). The program, approved by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), is accepting applications for an inaugural class starting in July 2024. 

Roseman’s DNPNA program will be based at its Henderson, Nevada campus and delivered over 36 months in a hybrid-online format, with students learning didactic curriculum online, and clinical and experiential learning on campus and at partner clinical sites throughout Southern Nevada beginning midway through the first year of the program. 

“Roseman’s DNPNA students will learn how to administer anesthesia and deliver anesthesia-related services independently and as part of an interprofessional team. Students will learn through real-world scenarios using state-of-the-art simulation and training in collaboration with clinical partners in Southern Nevada,” said Nathaniel Apatov, PhD, MHS, MSN, CRNA, LTC USA (Retired), Roseman’s DNPNA program director. “Further, students will have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and systems-level thinking, while learning their important role in a health care team.” 

Upon successful completion of the program, students will earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, be fully knowledgeable and skilled in administrating anesthesia, and be prepared to apply for CRNA licensing. 

“We are delighted to launch this new program to prepare nurses for one of the most in-demand and critical roles in health care,” says Brian Oxhorn, PhD, RN, dean of Roseman University College of Nursing. “Our aging population, increase in chronic diseases requiring surgery and the shortage of anesthesiologists all contribute to high job opportunities and pay upon graduation and licensure.” 

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for CRNAs is expected to be 38 percent over the next ten years. In 2022, nationally Nurse Anesthetists made a median salary of $203,090, with the best-paid 25 percent earning $227,160 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent earning $174,190, making CRNAs the highest paid among nursing specialties. 

To be eligible for admission into Roseman University’s DNPNA program, applicants must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or another appropriate baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, as well as an unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse and/or an advanced practice registered nurse. For more information, visit nursing.roseman.edu.