Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice at Virginia Commonwealth University

The doctor of nursing VCU program is one of the best options for a DNP. The Virginia Commonwealth University’s Anesthesia Program was ranked #1 in 2011.

Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Allied Health Professions
Department of Nurse Anesthesia
On the Medical College of Virginia Campus
P.O. Box 980226
Richmond, VA 23298

Contact Information
Admissions questions:
Marjorie Taylor-Goodwin, Program Specialist
ph: (804) 828-6726
email: mtgoodwin@vcu.edu

Curriculum and capstone project questions:
Suzanne Wright, PhD, CRNA, Interim Director of Doctoral Education
ph: (804) 828-9808
email: smwright@vcu.edu

Quick Facts

CRNA Degree (s) offered
Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia, Combined MSNA and DNAP Program, Post-master’s clinical doctorate - DNAP. Through the School of Allied Health Professions, the Department also offers a unique distance learning Ph.D. program of study in Health Related Sciences for nurse anesthetists.”

*The DNAP is a practice focused degree, whereas the Ph.D. is a research focused degree.

Program Length
The Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice can be completed full time in one year (average of 11 credits per semester).

Credit Hours
33 credit hours

Starting Month(s)
August

Application Deadline
Review of applications is on-going. However, preference is given to applications received by March 1st.

Cost of the Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice Degree at VCU
Full Time
Cost of In State Tuition: $13,131
Fees and expenses: $8,067
Grand Total: $21,198

Cost of Out of State Tuition: $24,606
Fees and expenses: $8,679
Grand Total: $33,285

Class Size
8-10 per year

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CRNA Training

“The DNAP prepares CRNAs to assume leadership positions in education, management, and patient care by offering a curriculum concentrating on patient safety and human factors, quality assessment and improvement, health care systems and organizations, leadership, best evidence for practice, and adult education” (VCU website).

The curriculum includes 9 credits of course work from the PhD in Health Related Sciences (HRS) Program and 24 credits in nurse anesthesia, including a 6-credit practicum and 6-credit capstone project.

The clinical practicum includes 100 hours of practice per credit hour (3,300 total hours) which you can complete in your place of employment. You will build a professional portfolio which will include written case studies of clinical experiences that have significance for nurse anesthesia practice.

Your capstone project will be on a topic of interest relevant to clinical practice, education or leadership and will be your final work as part of the DNAP.

Because the program was designed for working CRNA’s, your courses will be both on and off campus. At the beginning and end of each semester, you will have on-campus classes including lectures, seminars, discussions and assigned readings. Your off-campus work will involve computer conferencing, discussion boards and pod-casts, in addition to reading assignments, projects and exercises.

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Program Requirements

Doctor of Nursing VCU Program Requirements

Graduate degree from a regionally accredited university
Gradation from an accredited CRNA program
Current CRNA certification or recertification
Current RN license and advanced practice nurse license (if required in your home state)
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
*Satisfactory performance on the GRE

*Post-master’s applicants may submit scores that are more than 5 years old. Post-master's applicants who have never taken the GRE must provide evidence of having the knowledge, skills, and ability to complete doctoral-level work. Documentation may include, but is not limited to, examples of written work, publications, or presentations.

CRNA School Performance

CRNA School Rankings - U.S. News & World Report (2011)
4.0 out of 5.0. Ranked #1 out of 107 CRNA programs.

*Please note: CRNA rankings are bias and subjective. Read disclaimer about how CRNA rankings are created.*

Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly.
Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia at Virginia Commonwealth University Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed 05/2001. It was given 10 years accreditation and will be reviewed again 05/2011. This shows that the program is very stable.

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CRNA Salaries

An average nurse anesthetist salary in Virginia
Virginia CRNA salaries are about the same as the national average and range from $140k-160k range.

An average annual nurse anesthetist salary in the US is $163,467 (according to a 2008 study)