2015 is it official? YES

Specialties CRNA

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By the year of 2015 will all CRNA will be needing a Doctorate degree, instead of a Masters degree?

The same thing happened with Pharmacists recently. Since Pharm Ds, Ive witnessed Pharmacists playing a larger clinical role. Ive seen their salaries increase along with demand.

The same may be true with CRNAs. I think it is a good change and will be nothing but beneficial to the field.

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Specializes in CNA.

Wow they already made it it doctorate degree in 2025? Does this mean if i have a masters degree before 2025 they are making me going to have to go back and recieve a doctorate degree for another 2 years, even though its gunna be hard to support my family? (just saying, i dont have a family yet) :)

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Another way to look at this is the fact that CRNA programs might have a need for doctorate CRNA's to teach. Many universities have changed their requirements mandating the instructors of many specialties to obtain a phD in order to teach or to even obtain high positions in admistrative positions in healthcare facilities such as managers or directors.

Not "might have" -- will have. This is mandated by the university accrediting agencies. If the various advanced practice programs all have to become doctoral programs, only doctorally prepared faculty will be able to teach in them.

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Specializes in CTICU/Neuro-TraumaICU.
lol...Sorry, but I just thought this was amusing, but on a serious note...I'm sure there's going a lot of research that goes into this before changing up a degree that has been around for a long time, but let's say it does happen in the near future, I'm sure there will be accomodations made for those who are already CRNA's, and for those who are in the process of obtaining their degrees.

Another way to look at this is the fact that CRNA programs might have a need for doctorate CRNA's to teach. Many universities have changed their requirements mandating the instructors of many specialties to obtain a phD in order to teach or to even obtain high positions in admistrative positions in healthcare facilities such as managers or directors.

I think there is a distinction between a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) and a PhD in nurse anesthesia. The requirement for nurse anesthetists (2025?) would refer to the DNAP which is a clinically focused degree. Universities often require a PhD in order to be a professor. he PhD degree focuses on research.

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Is there currently a 'shortage' of CRNAs? If so, it would seem that this new requirement may contribute to that shortage even greater---with it being more difficult for so many (like me) to attain the goal of becoming a CRNA.

Also, does anyone know if the new education requirements in 2015, will it apply to those students who are already enrolled in a CRNA program, yet have not graduated (or will it only apply to those who will enroll in 2015 and thereafter)? I emailed this question to the AANA, but the woman who answers these questions is out of touch due to the COA meeting.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Is there currently a 'shortage' of CRNAs? If so, it would seem that this new requirement may contribute to that shortage even greater---with it being more difficult for so many (like me) to attain the goal of becoming a CRNA.

Also, does anyone know if the new education requirements in 2015, will it apply to those students who are already enrolled in a CRNA program, yet have not graduated (or will it only apply to those who will enroll in 2015 and thereafter)? I emailed this question to the AANA, but the woman who answers these questions is out of touch due to the COA meeting.

There will probably be a shortage of nurses for the forseeable future. So, yes there is a shortage of CRNAs and in general all anesthesia providers.

The requirement for nurse anesthetists to go to the doctorate level is 2025 not 2015. You should know well in advance when you start your program if you will be getting a doctorate or a masters. All CRNAs that do not have their DNP/DNAP by 2025 should just be grandfathered in just as they were in the past when it became a requirement to get your Masters for your CRNA.

From the AANA:

"Doctoral Preparation for Nurse Anesthetists

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AANA's official position statement on doctoral education and where can

I view it?

The AANA Board of Directors' position statement on doctoral education is: "The AANA supports doctoral education for entry into nurse anesthesia practice by 2025." The statement can be accessed on the AANA website at http://www.aana.com/dpcrna_presentations.aspx.

Where did the vision for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) originate?

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has adopted a position that all advanced practice nurses, including nurse anesthetists, be educated at the practice doctorate degree level and earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). As part of its initiative, the AACN developed a document containing "essential" elements of a DNP curriculum and influenced programs offering a Nursing Doctor (ND) degree to change the degree to the DNP.

Why does the AANA support the vision of doctoral education for future nurse anesthetists?

Since its founding in 1931, the AANA has advanced quality education as the means to ensure that Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are the best-prepared, safest anesthesia providers possible. Over the years, the educational standards for nurse anesthesia programs have grown to meet the required knowledge and skills for entry into practice. During the 1980s nurse anesthesia educational programs moved from hospital-based certificate programs to university-based graduate programs, and in 1998 the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) finalized the requirement that all programs award a master's or higher level degree. To best position CRNAs to meet the extraordinary changes in today's healthcare environment, the AANA believes it is essential to support doctoral education for future nurse anesthetists.

As a result of the AACN's activity, the AANA Board of Directors felt it was important to study the possible impact of requiring doctoral education for nurse anesthetists based on increased interest in the nursing community. The Task Force on the Doctoral Preparation of Nurse Anesthetists was appointed in 2005 to research the advisability of doctoral degrees for nurse anesthetists. Although it is difficult to know how many of the current nurse anesthesia educational programs will eventually develop doctoral programs, many of these nurse anesthesia programs are in colleges of nursing that are members of the AACN. Other programs are in colleges of nursing that are not members of the AACN, or are in colleges within disciplines other than nursing."

http://www.aana.com/uploadedFiles/Members/Membership/faqs_dnp.doc

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It was a RECOMMENDATION-- not a mandate. And there is more than one accrediting board. I just had a chance to review the curriculum of one of these programs--- you would be better off to get your MBA with a concentration in healthcare after your CRNA. There is very little focus on the actual anesthesia part. And even though some PHD's might be pushing it-- they won't be tossing in the respect that you might think goes along with it.

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Specializes in ICU.

The same may be true with CRNAs. I think it is a good change and will be nothing but beneficial to the field.

In what ways does the push for DNAP benefit the field, other than further eductation (which is certainly a good thing)? I'm not necessarily agaisnt the idea, but I tend to look at it from a perspective from someone who wants to become a CRNA and the additional time, money and schooling this will require as a result. Someone mentioned that the classes are not so much anesthesia-specific as they are administrative and such.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
It was a RECOMMENDATION-- not a mandate. And there is more than one accrediting board. I just had a chance to review the curriculum of one of these programs--- you would be better off to get your MBA with a concentration in healthcare after your CRNA. There is very little focus on the actual anesthesia part. And even though some PHD's might be pushing it-- they won't be tossing in the respect that you might think goes along with it.

It was a recommendation from the AACN that the AANA adopted, so now in 2025 it is mandated by the AANA you will have to have your DNP/DNAP to sit for your CRNA exam. There is only one accrediting/certifying agency for CRNAs and that is the AANA. Each state can determine what is required for a license for CRNAs in that state, but it is mute point if AANA decides you will need your DNP to sit for your certification exam.

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This may seem like a crazy question, but does that mean if say I graduate in 2015, that I will need my DNAP down the road? A lot of programs and hospitals require ongoing education. Does this mean we will need to get it, or that we will be "grandfathered" in?

Also, how often do you have to recertify? And when you do so, what does that entail?

I may point out that there simply ISNT a school within 3 states of me (MO) that offers a DNAP. You can get your CRNA and then get a DSNP or DSNR, but I dont think I've ever even SEEN a school that offers a DNAP. Does anyone know of such a facility? I had a hard enough time finding a CRNA grad school that was widely accredited much less finding one that offers a doctorate in it.

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virginia commonwealth university (vcu) offers a dnap track in its program.

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Ok, so the other day I was getting out of my biochem class at Oakland Uni in MI. I was talking to a classmate just accepted to MSUs CRNA MNP program and he was telling me all this crap so I stopped in the graduate offices and ran in to the Admissions Cordinator to the CRNA program at OU/Boumount Hospitals. She informed me that my school OU, was converting their program to a DNP and the target date is 2011, others will be following suit, National deadline for all programs to switch is 2025. Whats going to happen? same thing that happened when the CRNA programs were started and all the other regular RNs that were trained in anesthesia, they were granfathered in. This may have complications later down your career if you try to move to a different state, as laws change you may need to go back and do a MNP to DNP, not to bad tho. She was telling me even though the new program will be a DNP its only 12 months longer and also around 200-300 more clinical hours. OUs current program for CRNAs (MNP) you do around 800 hrs of clinicals to graduate. With the DNP it will be around 1000. Honestly, if this is your true pathway the extra year doesnt make that much of a difference it will be more benefical and you still have a top notch career.

OU is one of the two CRNA programs ranked in the state of MI, the other is MSU.

Thanks,

Kevin

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