University of Iowa
Anesthesia Nursing Program
Department of Anesthesia
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
C607 General Hospital
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA, 52242
Contact Information
Dr. Cormac T O’Sullivan, Ph.D., CRNA, ARNP, Clinical Assistant Professor & Program Director
ph: (319) 384-7354
tf: (800) 553-4692
email: cormac-osullivan@uiowa.edu
Paul Schulte, Program Coordinator
email: paul-schulte@uiowa.edu
Quick Facts
CRNA Degree offered
DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) with Anesthesia Nursing Specialization, Post-Master’s Completion
Program Length
36 months
Credit Hours
78
Starting Month
May
Application Deadline
June 1st
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: $78,536
* Cost of Out of State Tuition: $152,163
*This includes the cost of an application fee, books, and supplies, certification exam fees, liability insurance, AANA membership, review course and required health insurance if not covered elsewhere.
Class Size
10-12
CRNA Program Summary
Are you concerned that the University Iowa 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.
Academic and Clinical experience
At University Iowa, you’ll spend the first three semesters mostly in the classroom, completing the academic phase.
Your fourth semester is transitional. In the mornings of this third semester, you’ll gain your first clinical experiences with your preceptors at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). In the afternoons, you’ll attend a course that will give you a basic overview of the many aspects of anesthesia.
During the fifth semester, you’ll complete your academic courses and begin taking “call” hours under the direction of a faculty anesthesiologist.
Advanced clinical rotations begin the sixth semester and continue through to graduation. During this time, you’ll get at least three months of anesthesia experience in their rural clinical sites, providing you with a foundation in small-town, CRNA-only anesthesia practice.
You’ll have an additional 4-5 weeks providing obstetrical anesthesia, 4-5 weeks administering anesthesia for individuals with multi-system diseases, and 4-5 weeks learning cardiac anesthesia.
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 University Iowa compare to most CRNA school’s requirements.
CRNA Program Requirements
Required Bachelor Degree
Graduate from a CCNE or NLNAC accredited nursing program with a baccalaureate or advanced degree in nursing.
RN
Current RN license in Iowa or another state. IA license needs to be obtained by matriculation.
Critical Care
At least one year of recent full-time critical care nursing experience (post-ADN or post-BSN) as an RN prior to the June 1 deadline, however the average experience for admitted students is 2+ years.
Acceptable critical care experience includes:
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
- Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
- Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)
They do not accept:
- Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
- OR nursing
- Emergency Room (ER)
GPA
Cumulative GPA of 3.0. A strong science and math GPA is recommended.
GRE Scores
Not required
TOEFL
a score of 550 or higher on the paper-based (PBT) version of the test, or
a score of 81 or higher on the Internet-based version of the test (iBT)
when appropriate for applicants whose native language is not English.
Certifications
- BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support)
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
- PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
Course Prerequisites
Required:
- Upper-level Statistics – taken no more than 5 years ago
Recommended:
-
- Anatomy, Physiology, pathophysiology, Physical Assessment, Pharmacology, General Biology (human or animal), Microbiology, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, College Math, College Physics, Computer Competency Skills (a class is not required if you have mastered certain computer skills)
University Iowa’s CRNA program website
CRNA School Performance
CRNA School Rankings – Schools by Rank
*Please note: Read about how CRNA rankings are created.*
Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly.
University Iowa was last reviewed 10/2010. It was given the maximum of 10 years accreditation and will be reviewed again 10/2020. This shows that the program is in full compliance with the COA’s accreditation standards.
Pass Rate for CRNA Boards at University Iowa
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 for the class of (2017): 100%
- National average (2016): 82.6%
Attrition Rate
0% (Class of 2017)
CRNA Employment Rate of program graduates
100% (Class of 2017)
An average nurse anesthetist salary in Iowa
CRNA salaries in Iowa are slightly higher than the national average with an annual mean wage of $198,140.
An average annual nurse anesthetist salary in the US is $169,450 (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2017 study).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours should I expect to be engaged in the program each week?
Class time, clinical hours, and preparatory time for class and clinical could occupy about 60 hours per week.
Can I work as an RN while I’m in the program?
Although outside employment is discouraged because of the intense nature of the program, a student may work, with the consent of the program director when:
- It does not interfere with the educational program
- Academic and clinical performance is satisfactory
- The student is not employed during the eight hours prior to any class or clinical assignment
- The student does not miss class or clinical assignments
All information given on this site about University Iowa’s Nurse Anesthetist Program was taken directly from their website.
*This page is current as of March 12, 2019*
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