Nurse Anesthesia

For details regarding the items below, please review the Admission Application Instructions.

Graduate Admission Application

Applicants may only apply to one program. All documents submitted by you or on your behalf in support of this application for admission to Drexel University become the property of the University, and will under no circumstances be released to you or any other party. Please note, an application fee of $65 U.S. is required.

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Transcripts

Official transcripts are required from an accredited BSN/MSN program and all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. Please note that official transcripts can take up to six weeks to arrive.

Official transcripts must be sent directly to Drexel from all of the colleges and universities that you have attended. Please note that transcripts are required regardless of number of credits taken or if the credits were transferred to another school. An admission decision may be delayed if you do not send transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended.

Transcripts must show course-by-course grades and degree conferrals. If your school does not notate degree conferrals on the official transcripts, you must provide copies of any graduate or degree certificates.

If your school issues only one transcript for life, you are required to have a course-by-course evaluation completed by an approved transcript evaluation agency.

Precise, word-for-word English translations of all non-English language documents are required along with official documents in the original language. All translations must be completed by the issuing institution or an ATA-certified translator. Visit the American Translators Association website to search for an ATA-certified translator.

If you have questions regarding what documents you must submit to fulfill the transcript requirements, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.

International Transcripts

Transcripts must be evaluated by an approved agency for admittance into this program. Drexel University accepts course-by-course transcript evaluations from members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). For a list of member agencies, please visit the NACES website.

Test of English as a Foreign Language

International applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL minimum scores: 90/577/233), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS minimum Overall Band Score: 6.5), the Pearson Test of English (PTE minimum score: 61), or the Duolingo Test (Duolingo minimum score: 110) unless they meet the criteria for a waiver.

Essay

Submit a statement detailing your desire to pursue a career in nurse anesthesia practice, your long-term career goals, and identify a current clinical topic impacting nurse anesthesia practice. Please limit your statement to two pages, double spaced, using Times New Roman, 12 point font.

Submit your essay with your application or through the Discover Drexel portal after you submit your application.

Resume

Upload your current curriculum vitae detailing academic and professional experience as part of your admission application or through the Discover Drexel Portal after you submit your application.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required the following individuals who can attest to the applicant's clinical knowledge, clinical skill, and potential aptitude for graduate-level study:

• Nurse manager
• Physician or clinical supervisor
• Clinical educator or professor

References will not be accepted from colleagues, friends, CRNA/anesthesiologists shadowed by the applicant, or family members.

To electronically request recommendations, you must list your recommenders and their contact information on your application. We advise that you follow up with your recommenders to ensure they received your recommendation request — they may need to check their junk mail folder. Additionally, it is your responsibility to confirm that your recommenders will submit letters by your application deadline and follow up with recommenders who have not completed their recommendations.

Request recommendations with your application or through the Discover Drexel portal after you submit your application.

Alternatively, you may submit your recommendation letters by mail. Letters must include the address, phone number, and signature of the recommender. The recommendation envelope must be submitted unopened to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

License

Provide a copy of the following licenses and certifications:

• Current unencumbered United States Registered Nurse (RN) License with eligibility for licensure in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
• Specialty Certification: CCRN or population-specific equivalent required
• Current American Heart Association CPR (BLS) certification
• Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification

Please also provide at least one of the following: PALS or ACLS. If admitted, you will be required to have the other certification by the time you enroll in the program.

Work Experience

In accord with the council on accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia program standards, applicants will have demonstrated clinical critical care experience that meets the following criteria:

• Applicants to the DNP-NA program will possess a minimum of two years (post-orientation) full-time experience working with the most critically ill patients.
• A minimum of two years current full-time critical care experience where the registered professional nurse has direct patient care and manages invasive hemodynamic monitors (such as pulmonary artery catheter; CVP; arterial), cardiac assist devices, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive drips (such as norepinephrine, epinephrine; dobutamine; nicardipine; nitroglycerine).
• Experience as a registered professional nurse in critical care nursing (ICU) based within the US or its military bases, in which the applicant has had the opportunity to develop independent decision-making, demonstrate psychomotor skills, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring based on knowledge of physiologic and pharmacologic principles.
• Preferred areas of practice include: SICU (Surgical Intensive Care), MICU (Medical Intensive Care), CVICU (Cardiovascular Intensive Care), Coronary Intensive Care, PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) and a Level I Emergency/Trauma Unit are also acceptable. Other areas may be considered provided competence can be demonstrated with invasive monitoring, ventilators, and critical care pharmacology.

The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs defines a critical care setting:

Critical care experience must be obtained in a critical care area within the United States, its territories or a US military hospital outside of the United States. During this experience, the registered professional nurse has developed critical decision making and psychomotor skills, competency in patient assessment, and the ability to use and interpret advanced monitoring techniques. A critical care area is defined as one where, on a routine basis, the registered professional nurse manages one or more of the following: invasive hemodynamic monitors (e.g., pulmonary artery, central venous pressure, and arterial catheters), cardiac assist devices, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive infusions. Examples of critical care units may include but are not limited to: surgical intensive care, cardiothoracic intensive care, coronary intensive care, medical intensive care, pediatric intensive care, and neonatal intensive care. Those who have experiences in other areas may be considered provided they can demonstrate competence with managing unstable patients, invasive monitoring, ventilators, and critical care pharmacology.

• The Nurse Anesthesia program requires that all applicants must be able to meet the technical standards for admission, progression and graduation. Review the Technical Standards for Nurse Anesthesia.

Academic Experience

Degree Prerequisite:

• For post-BSN applicants: A baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing (BSN) from an ACEN or CCNE accredited program.
• For post-MSN applicants: A master's degree with a major in nursing (MSN) from an ACEN or CCNE accredited program.

GPA Requirement:

• Applicants who complete their education in the United States must have a BSN/MSN GPA greater than 3.2 on a 4.0 scale and a general science GPA greater than 3.2 on a 4.0 scale
• Science GPA Form: You will receive access to the Science GPA form via the Discover Drexel portal, along with detailed instructions for completing it, once you submit your application form into the system. Please have copies of your transcripts on hand to use in completing this form. Your application will not be finalized for review without this form submitted along with all other required materials by the deadline (above.)

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