The Oakland University - Beaumont Graduate Program of Nurse Anesthesia began in 1991 as a collaborative initiative to address the nurse anesthesia shortage and provide an exceptional educational environment for training Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. Authority for the program is shared between Oakland University and Beaumont Health System. It is one of several advanced practice nursing programs offered by the Graduate School of Nursing at Oakland University.
Average class size is 25 students. The Class of 2021 provided anesthesia for an average of 1,044 cases, had an attrition rate of 5% and had a first-time test taker national certification exam (NCE) pass rate of 91%. One hundred percent of graduates gained employment within 3 months of completing the program. Graduates are employed in a variety of settings ranging from rural independent practice to team models in major academic medical centers across the country.
The program is 87-credits encompassing 36 months of full-time study, culminating in a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The nurse anesthesia program includes DNP foundation, advanced science, research, and specialty courses in nurse anesthesia. An intensive clinical internship parallels the didactic courses, providing ongoing opportunity to apply theory to practice. The 36-month-program exceeds minimum accreditation standards set forth by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) in both clinical and classroom instruction. In 2012, the program was awarded the maximum accreditation of 10 years by the COA.
The Oakland University - Beaumont Graduate Program of Nurse Anesthesia was approved by the COA to transition to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) effective fall of 2018.
The application deadline is August 15, 2022 for the class that will start in the fall of 2023.