University of Tennessee Knoxville
College of Nursing
Nurse Anesthesia Concentration
1934 Alcoa Hwy. Suite 365
Knoxville, TN 37920
Contact Information
Julie N. Bonom, CRNA, DNP, APN, Program Director
ph: (865) 305-7762
fax: (865) 305-6852
email: jbonom@utmck.edu
Alisa Canupp, Administrative Support Specialist
acanupp@utmck.edu
ph: 865-305-7762
Quick Facts
CRNA Degree offered
Master of Science in Nursing, Post-Master’s Certificate (entry-level)
Program Length
31 months, full time
Credit Hours
94 semester hours without thesis, 97 hours with thesis (these credit hours include clinical practicum; many CRNA programs only count didactic courses in this figure.)
Starting Month
January
Application Deadline
February 1st. Selected applicants are interviewed in April. You will know if you were accepted within 4 to 6 weeks of your interview. Please note that early application is encouraged.
Entire Program Cost of CRNA School at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
This calculation is for the 2018-2019 school year. 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:$58,844
*Fees and expenses: $14,600
Grand Total: $73,444
Cost of Out of State Tuition: $153,878
*Fees and expenses: $14,600
Grand Total: $168,478
*Fees and expenses do not cover personal health care which is a requirement.
University of Tennessee Knoxville Tuition Link
Class Size
15. Approximately 30-45 fully qualified applicants are interviewed each year.
Number of Applicants
“A large number of applicants. The number is highly variable and the total number has been steadily rising each of the past several years.”
When did this CRNA Program begin?
The Knoxville concentration was started in 2000, but a nurse anesthesia program has been functional at the primary clinical site since 1963. From 1992 and onwards, graduates were awarded the Master of Science in Nursing.
CRNA Program Summary
Are you concerned that University of Tennessee Knoxville’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).
University of Tennessee Knoxville’s 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.
Didactic Curriculum
“The CRNA curriculum at the University of Tennessee Knoxville contains didactic classes in the principles and practices of anesthesia (both general and regional) for all types of patients undergoing surgical and diagnostic procedures in all specialty areas. These include general surgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, geriatrics, OB/Gyn, cardiac, vascular and thoracic surgery.
“Considerable coursework is devoted to pathophysiology and pharmacology. Courses also cover the theoretical considerations of practice, professional issues, and research.”
“Students select either a thesis or a non-thesis option. Students selecting the non-thesis option take three (3) hours of N582 and take a Comprehensive Final Examination. Students selecting the thesis option will take six (6) hours of N500 and the defense of their thesis serves as their Comprehensive Final Examination.”
Clinical Practicum
As an integrated program, clinical anesthesia practicum begins Fall semester of your first year of study and continues throughout the remainder of the program.
In preparation for your clinical experience, all students will be exposed to numerous simulation exercises in the Human Anesthesia Simulation Laboratory (HASL) in the first Summer semester.
A supervised call experience begins in October of the third semester.
Clinical Sites
“The primary clinical site for University of Tennessee Knoxville’s CRNA program is the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, a 581-bed Acute Care Teaching Hospital and a Level-I Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center, which offers a wide range of clinical experiences to student registered nurse anesthetists.
Additionally, the following clinical facilities are utilized for curricular enrichment and supplementation:
- Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
- LeBonheur Children’s Hospital (Memphis, TN)
- Parkwest Medical Center
- Roane Medical Center (Harriman, TN)
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 the University of Tennessee Knoxville compare to most CRNA school’s requirements.
CRNA Program Requirements
Required Bachelor Degree
A Bachelor of Science (BSN) or a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree from a regionally accredited college/university.
RN:
Current RN license. Tennessee license required prior to matriculation.
Critical Care:
A minimum of one-year (by the time of the program start date), current, full-time, adult ICU experience as an RN.
Acceptable critical care experience includes:
invasive hemodynamic monitoring and utilization of vasoactive intravenous medications were a routine occurrence.
- ICU (Intensive Care Unit)
- Coronary Care Unit
- Surgical ICU
- Trauma ICU
- Medical ICU
- Cardiovascular ICU
They do not accept:
- ER (Emergency Room)
- ICN (Intensive Care Nursery/ Neonatal ICU)
- PICU (Pediatric ICU)
- PARR (Post Anesthesia Recovery Room)
NOTE: Applicants not actively engaged as an RN delivering direct patient care in an adult ICU should speak with the Program Director before applying to the program.
The highest priority is given to applicants who are currently working in a high acuity, large hospital ICU setting where they are likely to have a broad base of experiences.
Employment time in neonatal and/or pediatric ICU is considered to be very advantageous and may count toward the minimum one-year critical care criterion.
GPA:
A minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
Minimum GRE scores:
Only applicants with a GPA of less than 3.3 are required to take the GRE. A minimum combined score of 297 or greater on the qualitative and verbal sections suggested. No other examinations, such as the MAT, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT, are accepted.
To be sure the University of Tennessee Knoxville receives your GRE scores in time, allow for 12 weeks between your test date and the application deadline (Feb 1st).
International Students:
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for applicants whose native tongue is not English, with a minimum score of 550 via paper examination or 215 via computerized examination (earned within two years prior to application).
Shadow a CRNA for a day
Though this is not required, it is strongly encouraged, as it will give you a more thorough understanding of the profession and ensure that it is the right career path for you.
Certifications:
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
- PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
- CCRN or other similar certification (required by matriculation)
Course Prerequisites
A graduate-level course in statistics from a regionally accredited college/university with a grade of ‘B’, or better.
NOTE: This criterion must be completed prior to the start of classes in January.
University of Tennessee Knoxville’s CRNA program website
CRNA School Performance
CRNA School Rankings – Schools by Rank
Ranked 23rd for the 2015 graduating class.
*Please note: Read about how CRNA rankings are created.*
Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly.
University of Tennessee Knoxville Nurse Anesthetist Program was last reviewed 2014. It was given the maximum of 10 years accreditation and will be reviewed again 4/2024. This shows that the program is in full compliance with the COA’s accreditation standards.
Pass Rate for CRNA Boards at University of Tennessee Knoxville CRNA Program
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: 88% (2017)
Attrition Rate
0% (2017)
Employment Rate
100% (2017)
An average nurse anesthetist salary in Tennessee
Tennessee CRNA salaries are lower than the national average with an annual mean wage of $147,180.
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 to be a competitive applicant
“Successful applicants of University of Tennessee Knoxville are highly motivated; typically have several years of critical care experience, strong GPAs, and GRE scores, and many have taken additional courses in advanced sciences such as physiology, organic chemistry or biochemistry.”
You will be rated on the following criteria:
- Overall GPA
- GRE scores
- Personal Essay
- Graduate Rating Forms
- Personal Interview
- Duration and type of ICU work experience
- CCRN certification. Although not required, applicants with CCRN cert. will be given priority consideration.
Personal Leave, Holidays and Sick Leave
“In addition to holidays as detailed in the following paragraphs, all student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) will be given 15 days of personal time off (PTO) each year beginning September 1 and ending August 31 annually. The only exception to the PTO policy occurs during the fall semester of your first year of the program where transitional SRNAs will be off as follows:
- Thanksgiving Day
- Day after Thanksgiving (constitutes 1 PTO day)
- Christmas Day thru New Years Day (constitutes 4 PTO days)
The remaining ten PTO days can be scheduled between January 2 and August 31. This is subject to change based on the calendar placement of the holidays.”
Can I work as an RN while I’m in the program?
The program is intense and working is highly discouraged.
Salaries pulled from Bureau of Labor Statistics
All information given on this site about University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Nurse Anesthetist Program was taken directly from their website.
*This page was updated July 31st, 2018.*
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