Excela Health School of Anesthesia

The Excela Health School of Anesthesia is one of thirteen CRNA schools in Pennsylvania.

Excela Health School of Anesthesia
With Saint Vincent College
One Mellow Way
Latrobe, PA 15650

Contact Information
Beverly Silvis, CRNA, MHS, MBA, DNP, Program Director
ph: (724) 537-3879
fax: (724) 539-7608
email: dstairs@excelahealth.org

Quick Facts

CRNA Degree offered
MS in Health Sciences

Program Length
27 1/2 months, full time

Credit Hours
54 credit hours

Starting Month
August

Application Deadline
September 1st for admission the following August. Because of their rolling admissions policy, they begin interviews in the fall (before the deadline) If you meet the prerequisites, you will be contacted to schedule an interview.

Entire Program Cost of CRNA School at Excela Health.
Tuition is calculated at the 2012-2013 rate. Tuition at most schools increases each academic year. Over the duration of the program, expect to pay a tuition that is 5% to 15% higher than what is shown here.

Cost of Tuition: $45,545
*Fees and expenses: $3,455
Grand Total: $49,000

Tuition, books, and fees are approximately $55,000 for 27 1/2 months.

*This includes the cost of books, supplies, test fees and miscellaneous school expenses.

Excela Health Tuition Link

Class Size
35

When did this CRNA Program begin?
Excela Health School of Anesthesia graduated its first class in 1955.

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CRNA Program Summary

Are you concerned that Excela Health School of Anesthesia’s Program won’t give you the specific experiences or training you need to be a successful CRNA? Learn what standards CRNA Programs must meet in order to be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia (COA).

This CRNA program (as well as all others that are accredited by the COA) prepares you to take the CCNA certification exam at the conclusion of the program, allowing you to become a CRNA.

CRNA Program Structure
At this integrated CRNA school, you’ll spend your first 4 months at Saint Vincent College immersed in didactic study. The remaining 24 month period takes place at Excela Health and includes both didactic as well as clinical education.

Your clinical rotations will take place in as many as 20 affiliate sites in the tri-state area. During clinicals, you will gain experience in administration of general, regional, and IV sedation to patients of all acuities and ages.

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Program Requirements

Looking for something specific? Find CRNA schools categorized by their unique requirements.

Some CRNA schools require much more out of their applicants than others. See how the requirements at Excela CRNA compare to most CRNA school’s requirements.

CRNA Program Requirements

Required Bachelor Degree
Baccalaureate degree in nursing OR a diploma or associate degree in nursing plus a baccalaureate degree other than a BSN, providing the program considers it appropriate.

RN:
Current Registered Nurse license

Critical Care:
Minimum of one year of nursing experience in an acute care setting.

Acceptable critical care experience includes:

ICU (Intensive Care Unit)
CCU (Coronary Care Unit)
ER (Emergency Room)
PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit)
Neonatal ICU
Pediatric ICU

GPA :
Overall GPA of 3.0 or above in your undergraduate degree.

Minimum GRE scores:
GRE is NOT required but preferred.

Certifications:

BLS (Basic Life Suport)
ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)

Course Prerequisites

College level chemistry taken within the last 7 years
College level statistics taken within the past 10 years

Excela Health School of Anesthesia’s website

CRNA School Performance

CRNA School Rankings - U.S. News & World Report (2011)
2.6 out of 5.0. Ranked 55 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.
Excela Health School of Anesthesia Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed 10/2010. It was given eight years accreditation and will be reviewed again 10/2018. This shows that the program is in full compliance with the COA’s accreditation standards.

Pass Rate for CRNA Boards at Excela Health School of Anesthesia
Please note: It is extremely rare for a student at any CRNA school to not eventually pass the exam. Most students who don’t pass the first time pass the second. Very rarely does a person ever take it a third time. This statistic only measures how well the program prepares students to pass the test the first time around.

First-time test takers: 84% for class of 2012

Attrition Rate
13.8%

Employment Rate
100%

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CRNA Salaries

An average nurse anesthetist salary in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania CRNA salaries are a little lower than the national average and range from $130k to $150k.

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

Rural average: $174,214
Metropolitan average: $164,148
Suburban average: $156,630
Average starting CRNA salaries range from: $110,000-$130,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Vacation Time
You will be given 13 days of personal/sick/vacation days per year in addition to six national holidays.

Time Commitment
You will be expected to devote no more than 64 hours per week to the program. This includes two hours of study for every one hour of class.

Call Experience
On-call experience (anytime after 3 p.m.) will be required during the latter half of the first year and the second year. You will be allowed off the day following call.

Can I Work While in School?
You are allowed to work part time as an RN, though it is not recommended. Working is strongly discouraged after the first semester.

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See CRNA School Reviews

All information given on this site about Excela CRNA was taken directly from their website.

*This page was updated May 15th, 2013.*