The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University earned initial accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA) for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nurse Anesthesia program. The program prepares advanced practice nurses at the highest professional level of nursing practice and leadership. The School of Nursing will welcome its first cohort of students in August.

The 36-month Nurse Anesthesia program prepares students with the theoretical knowledge and clinical experience to ensure patient safety and comfort across the continuum of care – from pre-operative assessment through recovery. Students will also gain a foundation in business, leadership, and practice skills to expand their practice after graduation through the School of Nursing’s established DNP Health Systems Leadership program. Extensive training in clinical sites throughout metropolitan Atlanta and rural Georgia, and in a high-fidelity simulated operating room will further expand students’ knowledge and skills. Emory’s Nurse Anesthesia program is the first doctoral-level Nurse Anesthesia program in the State of Georgia. Graduates of the program will be eligible to take the National Certification Examination administered by the National Board for Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) administer more than half of the anesthetics delivered in the United States each year, enabling both cost-effective and high-quality patient care.

“The demand for nurse anesthesia is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade as the nation’s hospitals and health care facilities work to control costs and meet the surgical needs of a growing population of older adults,” said Linda McCauley, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAAOHN, dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. “Emory’s Nurse Anesthesia program will help build this much needed capacity, particularly in the nation’s rural and underserved communities.”

The School of Nursing’s Nurse Anesthesia program is led by Program Director, Kelly Wiltse Nicely, PhD, CRNA, and Assistant Program Director Michael Conti, PhD, CRNA. Nicely joined the School of Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as the program director for the university’s Nurse Anesthesia program and led its transition from a master’s to doctoral degree program.

Conti previously served as the assistant program director at the Center for Nurse Anesthesiology at Albany Medical College and will provide clinical and educational leadership for the program. Program Coordinator Emalee Haines will manage all operational aspects of the program, including student onboarding and graduation readiness and accreditation compliance.

For additional information about the School of Nursing’s nurse anesthesia program, or to apply, click here: nursing.emory.edu/crna.