Western Carolina University NC's
Nurse Anesthesia Program

Western Carolina University NC may be just the school for you if you have an appreciation for nature or were looking for a nurse anesthesia school in the mountains.

Western Carolina University
Nurse Anesthesia Program
AB-Tech Enka Campus
1459 Sand Hill Road, Suite G33
Candler, NC 28715

Contact Information
Shawn B Collins, CRNA, DNP, PhD, Director
ph: (828) 654-6517
shawncollins@email.wcu.edu

Quick Facts

CRNA Degree offered
Master of Science in Nursing

Program Length
28 months, full time

Credit Hours
66 credit hours

Starting Month
January

Application Deadline
May 15th

Class Size
12-16

Entire Program Cost of CRNA School at Western Carolina University NC.
Please note that tuition is calculated at the 2012 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 In State Tuition: $26,509
Fees and expenses: $3,754
Grand Total: $30,263

Cost of Out of State Tuition: $50,921
Fees and expenses: $3,754
Grand Total: $54,675

When did this CRNA Program begin?
Western Carolina University NC was first accredited in 2006.

Return to top

CRNA Program Summary

Are you concerned that Western Carolina University NC’s Nurse Anesthesia 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.

In this fully integrated program, you’ll begin clinical practicum in your first semester (one day a week) and gradually increase in skill and responsibility throughout the program. Your experience with the human patient simulator lab will allow you the freedom to practice theory in a safe and controlled environment.

Your clinical rotations will be at six possible hospitals, all of which are within an hour and a half drive (most are less than an hour). During your clinicals, you’ll gain extensive regional anesthesia experiences.

Return to top

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 Western Carolina University NC compare to most CRNA school’s requirements.

CRNA Program Requirements

Required Bachelor Degree
BSN degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and nationally accredited (National League for Nursing (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)) nursing program.

RN:
Current unrestricted license or eligibility for licensure, to practice as a registered nurse in North Carolina.

Critical Care:
Critical care experience should include a minimum of one year of full-time clinical experience (2,080 hours) within the 2 years prior to application. These hours exclude time spent in orientation or work performed in a supervisory role.

Patient care must be direct and involve the application of:

Critical thinking skills
Independent decision-making
Working with vasoactive drugs
Working with ventilators
Invasive monitors (e.g., pulmonary artery catheters)
Interpretation of electrocardiographic data
Hemodynamic waveforms
Laboratory values (e.g., arterial blood gases, serum electrolytes)

Other valuable experience could include active participation in:

Codes
Acute airway management
Administration of sedatives
Administration of nondepolarizing muscle relaxants

Appropriate critical care experiences include (in order of preference):

Surgical, Neuro-Trauma, Cardiothoracic, CardioVascular Intensive Care
Medical Intensive Care
Cardiac Intensive Care
Pediatric or Neonatal Intensive Care

Experience that does not apply includes:

Emergency Room
Flight Nursing
Operating Room
Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
ICU Step-down or transition areas
Radiology/Cath. Lab

GPA:
Grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale based on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.

GRE scores:
Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination. Recommended scores of 1000 or higher combined math (Quantitative) and verbal score (Analytical).

Certifications:

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

PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
*CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse) – though not required, is definitely recommended

*ACLS Note: The WCU School of Nursing will offer and ACLs re-certification course for Spring 2013 applicants. Two one-day workshops will be offered on May 10 and 11. Space is limited. Email Dr. Jessica Shirley to RSVP: jshirley@wcu.edu

Course Prerequisites – undergraduate or graduate courses in:

Basic Statistics
General Chemistry
Research

*You must have a “C” or better in each class

What are they (specifically) looking for in applicants?
Selection will be based on the applicant's qualifications including:

Prior success in undergraduate and graduate studies
Recency of courses taken (e.g., science coursework less than 5 years old)
Scholarly accomplishment (publications, research)
Communication skills
Additional certifications (e.g., CCRN)
Overall potential for professional growth
Intellectual curiosity

Exception to any of the admission requirements will be considered on an individual basis. Meeting minimum requirements for admission does not guarantee acceptance for an interview or enrollment into the competitive graduate program.

Western Carolina University NC’s CRNA program website

Return to top

CRNA School Performance

CRNA School Rankings - U.S. News & World Report (2011)
2.4 out of 5.0. Ranked 72 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.
Western Carolina University NC Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed 10/2006. It was given 10 years accreditation and will be reviewed again 10/2022. This is the maximum length of accreditation for CRNA Programs.

Pass Rate for CRNA Boards at Western Carolina University NC
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: 92.3% for class of 2012
National average (2010): 85.3%

Attrition Rate
7% (May 2012)

Employment Rate
100%

Return to top

CRNA Salaries

An average nurse anesthetist salary in North Carolina

North Carolina CRNA salaries are about the same as the national average and range from $140k to $160k.

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