Tampa, FL (October 18, 2006) - Responding locally to the nationwide demand for more anesthesia providers, the University of South Florida College of Nursing recently began the Tampa Bay area’s first accredited Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program. Thirteen students entered the new master of science program with a concentration in nurse anesthesia this fall.

“The program at USF will help meet the needs of the Tampa Bay population by providing excellent anesthetists who will practice in our community,” said Mary Webb, PhD, associate dean of Academic Affairs for the College of Nursing.

CRNAs are anesthesia professionals who administer approximately 65 percent of the 26 million anesthetics given to patients each year, according to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).  CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in nearly half of all hospitals and more than two-thirds of the rural hospitals in the United States.

The need for CRNAs in the Tampa Bay area remains unfulfilled because students have left the area seeking schools that offer a master’s degree leading to CRNA certification, Dr. Webb said. As a result, she said, students often end up practicing outside the Tampa Bay area – in locations where they complete their CRNA education.

Sierra Gower, MS, CRNA, director of CRNA Program at USF, said the new program is designed to provide a high-quality, competitive program that combines extensive education with practical clinical experiences.

“The classroom and clinical settings are designed to achieve integration of the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes needed to prepare competent and proficient nurse anesthetists,” Gower said.

A 1990 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services drew attention to a national shortage of nearly 5,400 nurse anesthetists.  Recognizing the increasing numbers of healthcare procedures requiring anesthesia, many retiring CRNAs, and decreasing graduation rates of nurse anesthetists, the study concluded that nurse anesthesia educational programs must produce between 1,500 and 1,800 graduates annually to meet expected demands for nurse anesthetists by the year 2010.Currently, approximately 1,000 nurse anesthetists graduate annually.

The next step for nurse anesthetists is to earn a Doctorate in Nursing Practice – which can be done at USF.  Dr. Webb directs the DNP program at USF’s College of Nursing.  The AANA recommends nurse anesthetists obtain the DNP degree after CRNA certification.  Gower said the curriculum for the CRNA program at USF prepares interested students to continue on in the school’s DNP program.

The Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia program is one of six master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees offered at the USF College of Nursing.  The two-year CRNA master’s program requires 70 semester hours, integrating classroom learning with clinical experience.  Clinical residencies will be conducted at hospitals in the Tampa Bay area, including Tampa General Hospital, Bayfront Medical Center, and James A. Haley Veterans’ Administration Hospital. 

USF is only the third public university to offer the CRNA certification out of seven accredited programs in the state of Florida.