Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia

MTSA Nurse Anesthetist School

Contact Information
Mary E DeVasher, CRNA, PhD, APN, Vice President/Dean/Program Administrator
ph: (615) 732-7677
tf: (888) 353-6872
fax: (615) 868-9885
email: info@mtsa.edu

Quick Facts

CRNA Degree (s) offered
Master of Science, with a focus in Nurse Anesthesia

Program Length
28 months, full time

Credit Hours
140 quarter hours for class curriculum, 50 quarter hours for clinical practicum.

Starting Month(s)
July

Application Deadline
August 15

Entire Program Cost of CRNA School at Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia.

Tuition is calculated at the 2011-2013 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: $41,488
*Fees and expenses: $16,234
Grand Total: $57,722 + Senior Elective Fee**

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

Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia Tuition Link

Class Size
72 students

CRNA Program Summary

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.

Class Schedule
The first six (6) weeks of the program is an intense session called “Broadfields Orientation/First Quarter,” where students typically have class every day, Monday through Friday. This culminates in a two-day demonstration of skills in three affiliate hospitals.

After the Broadfields Orientation/First Quarter session and during the first year, there are four more quarters, each consisting of approximately 11 weeks of class, with third, fourth, and fifth quarters also containing an additional two weeks for vacation from regular class schedules.

During the first year, students have class every afternoon/evening, Monday through Thursday.

Clinical Sites
You will need to travel out-of-town for clinicals, as your 1-3 month rotations may be in Lawrenceburg, TN, Louisville, KY, Columbus, OH, Ft Wayne, IN and Odessa, TX. (All students do not rotate through all sites).

Clinicals
Because Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia offers an integrated program, clinical assignments begin at the completion of the 6-week Broadfields Orientation/First Quarter period, typically at the end of August or the beginning of September.

In their first year, students typically change rotations on a monthly or every-other-month basis.

Senior (second and third year) rotation site assignments vary in length, with the maximum being approximately four months.

During quarters six through ten, students have clinical assignments all day, every day (up to an average of 50 scheduled hours per week and up to five (5) consecutive days).

CRNA Program Requirements

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

CRNA Program Requirements

Required Bachelor Degree
Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing or related Science (if not in Nursing, must have additional 15 semester hours of biophysical sciences above nursing degree.

RN:
Current Nursing License

Critical Care:
A minimum of one year experience beyond orientation in an adult acute care area as a Registered Nurse within the last three years. This experience must be completed by the time of enrolment (not by the time of the interview).

Highest priority is given to applicants who have the most recent work in high acuity, large hospital ICU/CCU settings where a broad base of invasive hemodynamic monitoring experience, management of ventilated patients, and administration of frequently-titrated vasoactive drugs in the care of adult patients are likely.

Examples of acceptable critical care experience include:

• Surgical ICU
• Neuro ICU
• Cardio Vascular ICU
• Coronary Care Unit
• Trauma

ER experience will only be considered if the candidate can demonstrate he frequently cares for a patient for an extended period of each shift with invasive monitors in this setting.

New RN graduates (graduation in the past year) who are currently working in critical care positions, and who will have met the one year of experience requirement (excluding orientation periods) prior to actual enrollment, are welcome to apply.

GPA:
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 and cumulative science degree of 3.0. The average cumulative GPA of accepted applicants is 3.4.

Minimum GRE scores:
GRE (no minimum score requirement, but average of accepted students for the last three years is a combined score of 1000).

International Students:
You are required to meet the same application requirements as all other applicants. In addition, if your transcripts are from another country, you will need to have them evaluated by W.E.S. prior to application.

Foreign nurses, who are credentialed in their own country and seeking to come to the United States on a Non-Immigrant Educational Visas (J-1) must, in addition to meeting all federal and state requirements, complete the CGFNS exam.

Certifications:

• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
• CCRN is recommended

Course Prerequisites

• One semester of General Chemistry
• Minimum 3 hour credit course covering biochemistry and organic chemistry is required.

Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia’s CRNA program website

CRNA School Performance

CRNA School Rankings - U.S. News & World Report (2011)
2.1 out of 5.0. Ranked 90 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.
Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed 10/2008. It was given the maximum of 10 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 Middle Tennessee 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: 90.3%
• National average (2008): 92%

Attrition Rate
2.38% over a 5 year period. This is a percentage of students who either withdrew or were dismissed over the course of the program (this is a great attrition rate, by the way).

CRNA Employment Rate at time of graduation
100% over a 5 year period.

CRNA Salaries

An average nurse anesthetist salary in Tennessee
Tennessee CRNA salaries are slightly higher than the national average and range from $150k-180k.

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 Days
During the first year, 15 vacation days will be spread out through 3 different breaks in class (Christmas, February and May) (Each break will include 5 vacation days + 2 weekend days). 15 additional vacation days will be given for the remainder of the program.

How many hours should I expect to be engaged in the program each week?
MTSA expects that students‟ scheduled hours at any given site should not exceed an average of 50 hours per week in a four-week period.

Is the tuition higher for out-of-state applicants?
No. Everyone pays the same tuition.

Can I work while I’m in the program?
Part-time employment by a student is permissible only if prior approval has been obtained from the Dean. Note that students cannot be employed as nurse anesthetists during the program.

If you have any questions or comments, you may use the chat or email joy@all-crna-schools.com.

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*This page is current as of 17th October, 2011*

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