Considered as one of the toughest and most rigorous programs on campus, the nursing school just got that much more competitive. The School of Nursing is set to offer a program that will “place Fairfield at the forefront of education in the nursing field”, according to Nancy Moriber, the School’s nurse anesthesia program track coordinator.
The 36-month Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia Program (DNP-NAP) will join two other DNP programs offered here on campus: the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. The program is set to run independent of the normal school calendar with the program beginning in May of each year operating continuously. Students will spend their first year completing strictly academic work then proceed to a 21-month long clinical orientation and practica where they will work side-by-side with certified registered nurse Anesthetics (CRNA) and other anesthesiologists. The DNP-NAP track will work in conjunction with Bridgeport Hospital and Bridgeport Anesthesia Associates.
Students will be challenged in routine surgical cases and will participate in trauma, major burn and high-risk obstetrical cases. Current student of the DNP-NAP, Matt Bishop, ’11, says, “I get exposed to a great deal of interesting cases and challenging cases. I have to tell you that my experiences have been great, it has been an amazing journey so far.”
Who might be eligible? Applicants must have a B.S.N. degree and a minimum of one year’s experience as an RN in a critical care setting. Applicants must also have a quality point average of 3.0 or higher with a science GPA of 3.0. As if the program wasn’t competitive enough already, only 12 students are admitted into the Nurse Anesthesia Program each year out of the many that apply.
However, with such a small class there proves to be great benefits. Moriber states, “We are a very small self-contained program in which the majority of the clinical practicum is provided in one institution, Bridgeport Hospital. Because of that we are able to provide one-on-one mentoring to our students in a very family like environment.” That is one asset we sometimes are not always granted with in other academic programs at Fairfield.
“There is a crucial need to prepare advanced practice nurses to take on a leading role among caregivers,” said Jeanne Novotny, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. “At the same time, there is an emphasis towards clinical DNP certification for all advanced nurses within the next decade, and this program addresses both those needs.” The need seems to be high since, according to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), nurses are currently involved in about two-thirds of all anesthetics administered in the United States.
What draws people into the program here at Fairfield? We have built up a great reputation in the School of Nursing as highly competitive, well educated, and a level of excellence that is hard to match. Milagros Romero ’12, current student of the B.S.N. program states, “This new development here at Fairfield only proves us to be a force to be wreckned with. The School of Nursing is no joke, we work hard and we love what we do. Adding the DNP-NAP program will only add to our reputation as a great program. It definitely makes me think about grad school after graduation.”
The DNP-NAP program is clearly designed for students to leave with more than just a degree. They will be prepared to assume a number of leadership roles which include executive positions in all healthcare organizations along with university based faculty positions with a clinical focus.
With programs like these, new nursing graduates will think about going to graduate school to get even more ahead in such a demanding field of work.
Leave a Reply