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Ignite Your Career! Become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

 
The Nurse Anesthesia Program (NAP) is a specialization of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) offered by the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) in the School of Nursing at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) in Highland Heights, Kentucky.

The NAP offers two tracks:
 
BSN-DNP Track which is a 36-month, 106-semester-hour curriculum culminating in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse anesthesia specialization with a population focus of the family/individual across a lifespan.

Post-Master's CRNA Track which offers advanced standing in the DNP Program for master's prepared CRNAs.  With advanced standing, the master's prepared CRNA will complete 37-semester-credits.  The required course work can be completed in six (6) semesters and completely online with no campus attendance required.  Upon completion of the program the graduates are awarded a DNP degree.
 
Graduates are eligible for the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) National Certification Exam (NCE) and to assume the role of an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). 
Judy Tenhundfeld

Judy Tenhundfeld, DNAP, APRN-CRNA, MSN

Clinical Professor

Nurse Anesthesia Program Director

Jennifer McLeod

Jennifer McLeod, DNAP, APRN-CRNA, MSNA

Associate Clinical Professor

Assistant Program Director/Nurse Anesthesia Simulation Coordinator
 

Courtney Hamilton

Courtney Hamilton, DNP, MSN, RN

Associate Clinical Professor

Didactic Faculty/DNP Project Manager
 

Debra Barber

Debra Barber, DNP, APRN-CRNA

Assistant Clinical Professor

Didactic Faculty
 

Charles D Myers

Charles D Myers III, DNP, APRN-CRNA
Didactic Faculty
 

Billy Sanders

Billy Sanders, DNP, APRN-CRNA, MSN
Didactic Faculty
 

Amanda Wisecup

Amanda Wisecup, DNP, APRN-CRNA
Didactic & Simulation Faculty
 



 

The NKU Nurse Anesthesia Program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), 10275 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 906, Rosemont, IL 60018-5603; Phone: 224-275-9130. The program's next review by the COA is scheduled for Fall, 2032.

Website:  http://www.coacrna.org

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

 

The Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Northern Kentucky University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Website: CCNE Accreditation (aacnnursing.org)


 

The college reserves the right to change the program of study as needed to fulfill state approval, regional and national accreditation, other certification organizations, and/or college requirements.

NKU has one of the only nurse anesthesia programs in the country whose Simulation Center is accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.

Simulation Center accreditation

 

Northern Kentucky University is named one of the world's top-tier learning environments for practicing real-life health care situations.  NKU's Center for Simulation Education earned teaching and education accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and the Council for Accreditation of Healthcare Simulation Programs. NKU is the Commonwealth's only university to receive full accreditation, a feat accomplished by 183 other simulation centers internationally.

Link to the full article regarding this accreditation.


 

Applications for Summer 2025


The application window for the Summer 2025 start date will be open from May 1, 2024 through August 16, 2024. 

All materials must be submitted to the NAP Admissions team prior to August 16, 2024 in order to be considered for the cohort starting in May, 2025.

For all admissions questions, please reach out to our admissions team at dnpcrna@nku.edu.

Information Sessions:

If you would like to learn more about the NKU Nurse Anesthesia Program, please attend one of the following Information Sessions:

  • May 15, 2024 at 4:00pm in Founders Hall 466
  • June 12, 2024 at 4:00pm on Zoom (link will be emailed to participants)
  • July 17, 2024 at 4:00pm in Founders Hall 466

To register for one of these sessions, please contact Lauren Becker at beckerl1@nku.edu or (859) 572-6470


 

Click here to request more information about graduate programs at NKU

   

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